Speeding BEAD Summit Program

Speeding BEAD Summit

The conference on expediting BEAD took place on June 12, 2025

Videos for Breakfast Club Members

The Speeding BEAD Summit

Visit the event page for videos:

See program details below:

Keynote Addresses

Bob Latta, Congressman, Ohio’s Fifth Congressional District

Since 2007, Congressman Bob Latta has served the people of Ohio’s Fifth Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. Congressman Latta is a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee where he plays an intricate role in crafting the nation’s energy, telecommunications, environment, health care, and interstate commerce policy. Congressman Latta serves as the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy and is a member of the Subcommittee on Communications & Technology and the Subcommittee on the Environment.

Erin Houchin, Congresswoman, Indiana's Ninth Congressional District

Congresswoman Erin Houchin proudly represents the 9^th Congressional District of Indiana. Erin currently serves on the House Rules Committee, the Budget Committee, and the Energy & Commerce Committee. Previously, Erin represented the 47th District in the Indiana Senate for eight years and served as a member on several committees with jurisdiction over issues important to Hoosiers, including: Commerce and Technology; Elections; Family and Children Services; Utilities; Veterans Affairs and the Military; Homeland Security and Transportation; Energy, Utilities, Telecommunications; and Ranking Member of the Tax and Fiscal Policy.

Jacky Rosen, Senator, Nevada

United States Senator Jacky Rosen is committed to working with both parties to deliver for Nevada’s hardworking families. Elected to the U.S. House in 2016 and then the U.S. Senate in 2018, Jacky is the second woman ever to serve Nevada in the U.S. Senate, alongside fellow Senator Catherine Cortez Masto. In 2021, Jacky helped write and pass the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as part of the bipartisan group of Senators who negotiated the final landmark package.

Panel 1: How Are States Thinking About Reasonable Costs Now?

The BEAD program originally allowed states to set their own high-cost thresholds when deciding whether to fund deployment through fiber, wireless, or satellite. Reports that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick might seek to deploy a federally-required high-cost cap might redirect funds towards “lower cost” solutions, particularly low-Earth orbit satellites, have raised questions. What are the pros and cons of a federal cap?

Glen Howie, State Broadband Director, Arkansas
Drew Garner, Director of Policy Engagement, Benton Institute for Broadband & Society
Joseph Le, Deputy Director of Broadband Development, Kansas Department of Commerce
Brian Allenby, Chief Operating Officer, Maine Connectivity Authority
Patience Haggin (moderator), Reporter, The Wall Street Journal

Panel 2: Finding the State Versus Federal Balance in BEAD

The design of the BEAD program under the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act gave states considerable leeway to design and implement broadband builds. Will the Trump administration change this state-led approach? Many federal and state lawmakers are warning against changes to BEAD. But many broadband providers say they would welcome relief from some onerous rules surrounding BEAD deployment.

Eric Frederick, Chief Connectivity Officer, Michigan High-Speed Internet Office
Bree Maki, Executive Director, Minnesota Office of Broadband
Development
Marissa Mitrovich, Vice President, Public Policy, Fiber Broadband Association
Reagan Harrison, Legislative Assistant, Office of Congressman John Joyce
John Lin, Senior Counsel, House Committee on Energy and Commerce
Scott D. Woods (moderator), President of Public-Private Partnerships, Ready.net, Inc.

Lightning Talk: "Building on the Backbone: How States Can Leverage Past Work to Accelerate BEAD Success"

As states restructure their broadband programs to meet BEAD requirements, they don't need to start from scratch. This lightning talk by Ready.net will highlight how states can make the most of the groundwork they've already laid - whether through mapping, stakeholder engagement, or local coordination. By identifying and activating existing assets, states can move faster, reduce duplication, and build smarter.

Presented by Ready.net

Panel 3: Reacting to the New BEAD NOFO

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has promised to release a new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for BEAD on June 6, with applications from state entities due within 90 days and funding awards to be approved by the end of 2025. Lutnick has previously emphasized the need for "technologically agnostic" solutions and finding "the cheapest way” to get broadband to Americans. How are these promises reflected in the new NOFO? How does it differ from the 2022 NOFO? This panel will address the implications for BEAD.

Lori Adams, Vice President of Broadband Policy & Funding Strategy, NOKIA
Nicholas Malatesta, Policy Advisor, U.S. Senator Mark Warner
Rick Cimerman, Vice President, External & State Affairs Lead, NCTA -The Internet & Television Association
Dave Cavossa, President, Commercial Space Federation
Matt Mandel, Vice President, Government Affairs, WISPA-Broadband Without Boundaries
Jessica Dine, Policy Analyst, New America’s Open Technology Institute and Wireless Future
Drew Clark (moderator), CEO and Publisher, Broadband Breakfast

Panel 4: Building, Maintaining and Adopting Digital Workforce Skills

By whatever name, successful broadband deployment efforts require digital adoption and digital training. For one, artificial intelligence has created a new need for AI Skills Training. This session will explore how workforce training initiatives - creating, maintaining and adopting digital skills - encompass the full spectrum of competencies needed for the digital infrastructure economy. How should training programs integrate AI literacy? How do networking, infrastructure deployment, customer service, and cybersecurity skills play a part? How can workforce programs funded through BEAD ensure that communities thrive in the digital future?

Melissa Newman, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, Telecommunications Industry Association
Tsion Tesfaye, Senior Research & Policy Manager, National Digital Inclusion Alliance
Joshua Williams, Lead for Digital Access, Rural LISC
Amanda Bergson-Shilcock, Senior Fellow, National Skills Coalition
Drew Clark (moderator), CEO and Publisher, Broadband Breakfast

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Speaker Bios

Panel 1: How Are States Thinking About Reasonable Costs Now?

Glen Howie is the broadband director for the state of Arkansas. In this role, he advises the governor and the secretary of commerce on key issues related to the deployment of broadband throughout Arkansas. He leads the agency’s efforts for broadband and oversee a three-year plan to provide broadband access to 110,000 underserved households throughout all areas of the state.

Drew Garner is the Director of Policy Engagement at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. He helps lead Benton’s work on broadband affordability, and he serves as Deputy Director for the Broadband State Education Project, which gives community-led coalitions a powerful voice in state broadband investments. Previously, Drew worked as the State Broadband Policy Advisor for Common Sense Media, and as a Broadband Legislative Fellow for Senator Tina Smith. He received a Masters in Public Policy from the University of Minnesota, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from New York University.

Joseph Le has served the Deputy Director of Broadband Development since January 2023. He served as Chief of Staff for Kansas House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer before joining the Broadband Development team. With a history in the Kansas Legislature, including as Legislative Director and Operations Director, Joseph also contributed to troubleshooting the Affordable Care Act website at General Dynamics’ IT department during the Obama Administration and working for the University of Kansas’ IT department on their then-course management system, Blackboard.

Brian Allenby serves as the Chief Operating Officer for the Maine Connectivity Authority (MCA), a quasi-governmental agency responsible for achieving universal access to affordable high-speed broadband and digital equity in Maine. At MCA, Brian oversees the agency's last mile broadband infrastructure programming, grant administration, finance, and communicating the organization's progress and impact. Brian has over 20 years of experience in marketing, communications, and operations roles at various non-profits and startups, ranging from the music industry to environmental and transportation advocacy.

Patience Haggin is a Wall Street Journal reporter covering broadband. Her journalism has been recognized by the Loeb Foundation, the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing, the New York Press Club and the Newswomen's Club of New York.

Panel 2: Finding the State Versus Federal Balance in BEAD

Eric Frederick serves as the State of Michigan’s first Chief Connectivity Officer. In this role, Mr. Frederick leads the Michigan High-Speed Internet Office (MIHI) with the goals of achieving universal broadband access and creating a more digitally equitable state. For more than a decade, Eric has been a steadfast advocate and resource for expanding broadband in Michigan and now oversees MIHI’s $1.8 billion in funds to close Michigan’s digital divide. Eric also serves as the designee for Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II as the chair of the FCC’s Intergovernmental Advisory Committee.

Bree Maki was appointed by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz in October of
2022 to serve as the Executive Director of the Office of Broadband
Development. She previously served as a Senior Outreach Director and the
State Broadband and Telecommunications Director for Minnesota US Senator
Tina Smith, and prior for Senator Al Franken. She previously worked as the
Office Administrator for Winona County Soil and Water Conservation District.
In 2023, she was appointed to serve on the Governor’s Infrastructure
Resiliency Advisory Board and in 2024 appointed to the Minnesota Advisory
Council on Infrastructure.

Marissa Mitrovich is the Fiber Broadband Association’s vice president of public policy, leading their efforts before Congress, the White House and regulatory agencies in Washington, D.C. She brings more than two decades of experience in governmental affairs and telecom, including previous roles as the vice president of federal legislative affairs for Frontier and vice president of public policy for Verizon, where she interfaced with the administration and worked on state government affairs issues and corporate responsibility initiatives. Mitrovich also brings experience in workforce development and public-private partnerships from her time as vice president of program development for the Wireless Infrastructure Association.

Reagan Harrison has worked in the House of Representatives for nearly four years. In her current role with Representative John Joyce of Pennsylvania, she specializes in Communications and Technology issues focusing on BEAD, spectrum, and other pertinent telecoms issues. Reagan grew up in Leesburg, Virginia, and received her B.A. from James Madison University and her M.P.P. from George Mason University. In her free time, Reagan enjoys running half marathons and traveling.

John Lin is Senior Counsel for the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, where he advises members on telecommunications, media, and technology policy. Specifically, he has worked on broadband deployment, wireless spectrum, and national security issues. Before joining the House, Lin served as Senior Counsel for the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. During his time in the Senate, he was the lead staffer on the bipartisan Broadband DATA Act, which improved broadband mapping accuracy, and also worked on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and legislation securing communications networks, combating illegal robocalls, and expanding broadband access during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Scott D. Woods is the President of Public-Private Partnerships with Ready.net, Inc. in Washington, D.C. He specializes in telecommunications and broadband infrastructure deployment. His primary areas of concentration are federal broadband funding, network implementation and deployment, and stakeholder engagement. Prior to joining Ready, Mr. Woods served as the Division Chief and inaugural Director of the Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives (OMBI) in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA’s) Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth (OICG). Mr. Woods was responsible for the development, implementation, and launch of the OMBI and served as a key leadership team member implementing the $65 billion broadband funding program authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Panel 3: Reacting to the New BEAD NOFO

Lori Adams currently serves as the vice president of broadband policy and funding strategy for Nokia, and is a key member of the Nokia Government Affairs Americas Team. In her role, Adams is responsible developing strategies and tools to enable increased company participation in state, federal, and international programs supporting infrastructure deployment by Nokia’s business organizations. Adams is a highly skilled telecommunications attorney and senior executive with more than twenty years’ experience and a successful track record in the government and private sector.

Nicholas Malatesta serves as United States Senator Mark Warner’s advisor on technology and telecommunications policy. He has served in multiple roles in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. While in the Senate, Nicholas performed key roles in drafting and negotiating several major broadband initiatives, including the $10 billion Capital Projects Fund in the American Rescue Plan, and, in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the $42.45 billion broadband grant provision (BEAD) and the expansion of private activity bonds for qualified broadband projects. Nicholas is a graduate of The Citadel and a native of Northern California.

Rick Cimerman is Vice President, External and State Affairs Lead for NCTA – The Internet & Television Association. He leads a team responsible for engagement with state broadband officials, state cable associations, state and local intergovernmental groups, third parties and strategic partners, think tanks and the academic community. He is a recognized expert on broadband and telecommunications policy, has testified across the country before numerous state Public Service Commissions and Legislatures and has also served as an adjunct faculty member of Michigan State University’s NARUC Annual Regulatory Studies Program.

Dave Cavossa is President of the Commercial Space Federation, bringing over 20 years of experience across government, commercial, and entrepreneurial roles in the space and satellite sector. He has held leadership positions at companies including Harris Corporation, CapRock Government Solutions, and Agility Beyond Space, and previously chaired the Satellite Industry Association. Cavossa began his career as a NASA intern and holds degrees from Wheaton College, George Washington University, and Northwestern University.

Matt Mandel serves as Vice President, Government Affairs for WISPA-Broadband Without Boundaries. In this capacity, Matt oversees WISPA’s Congressional and Executive Branch advocacy, as well as the association’s expanded state-based portfolio. Matt has over 25 years of telecommunications policy, legislative and advocacy experience. Prior to joining WISPA, Matt spent eight years at the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) as Senior Vice President, Government and Public Affairs, where he oversaw WIA's advocacy efforts and external communications. He began his career on Capitol Hill, spending 10 years as a legislative aid to several Members of Congress, including nearly seven years as Legislative Director for a senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Jessica Dine is a policy analyst at New America’s Open Technology Institute and Wireless Future, where she focuses on a range of issues including broadband access and adoption, spectrum policy, and competition. Dine previously was a policy analyst at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), where she focused on broadband policy with particular emphasis on digital literacy, barriers to broadband adoption, and major broadband funding programs.

Breakfast Media LLC CEO Drew Clark has led the Broadband Breakfast community since 2008. An early proponent of better broadband, better lives, he initially founded the Broadband Census crowdsourcing tool to collect and verify broadband data left unpublished by the Federal Communications Commission. As CEO and Publisher, Clark presides over the leading media community advocating for higher-capacity internet everywhere through topical, timely and intelligent coverage. Clark also served as head of the Partnership for a Connected Illinois, a state broadband initiative.

Panel 4: Building, Maintaining and Adopting Digital Workforce Skills

Melissa Newman has over 20 years of experience as a seasoned Executive in telecommunications companies with expertise in government affairs, public relations and legal. Recently, Melissa worked at Transit Wireless as Vice President of External Affairs and Senior Legal Counsel in New York City. Prior to this position, Melissa worked at Wilkinson Barker Knauer, a premier telecommunications law firm in Washington, DC. Melissa spent 18 years at CenturyLink/Qwest/US West as Vice President, Federal Policy and Regulatory Affairs responsible for developing and implementing the company’s federal regulatory advocacy. Melissa also served as Deputy Division Chief of the Policy Division in the Common Carrier Bureau of the FCC, and as Legal Counsel to the Common Carrier Bureau Chief.

Tsion Tesfaye is a senior research and policy manager at the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, where she supports digital inclusion practitioners in their effort to integrate AI literacy into community programs. Prior to joining NDIA, she served as a fellow with Public Knowledge and as an outreach analyst in the Rural Health Care division of the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). She holds a master’s degree in public policy and management and a bachelor’s degree in political science.

Joshua Williams is a strategic leader in digital access, broadband connectivity, and public-interest technology. As Lead for Digital Access with Rural LISC, he collaborates with funders, policymakers, community organizations, and industry leaders to advance sustainable broadband and tech initiatives for communities nationwide. Throughout his career at Rural LISC, Michael Baker International, and the City of Houston’s Office of Innovation and IT Services Department, Joshua has led multi-million-dollar broadband expansion efforts, launched digital navigator programs, and established free public Wi-Fi sites.

Amanda Bergson-Shilcock is a Senior Fellow at National Skills Coalition where she leads the organization’s work on adult education and workforce policies to expand opportunities for US-born and immigrant adults. Throughout her career, Amanda has worked with state and federal policymakers and skills advocates to develop policy solutions that address the challenges facing adult learners and jobseekers, including immigrant workers. Her policy expertise, insights, and commentary have been cited and published in local and national media outlets, including TIME, Fortune, BBC News, Inside Higher Ed, POLITICO, Business Insider, The Wall Street Journal, HR Dive, and many others.

About the Speeding BEAD Summit

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of November 2021 established the $42.5 billion BEAD program. State broadband offices have all been allocated funds. Three states (Louisiana, Nevada and Delaware) have finalized their awards, and are waiting for approval from the federal government to begin building. Others, including West Virginia and Maine, are revamping their proposals in dialogue with the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration. And on April 22, NTIA issued a 90-day extension or pause on the program.

Meanwhile, Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Chairman Richard Hudson, R-N.C., in early March introduced the Streamlining Program Efficiency and Expanding Deployment for BEAD (or SPEED for BEAD) Act. During its introduction, Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie, R-Kentucky, said: “Think what was just said: Three years of effort and not one inch of fiber has been built. Our people are clamoring in our area for local broadband to have access to the Internet and broadband.”

Broadband Breakfast’s Speeding BEAD Summit will bring the key stakeholders together to consider the central issues around BEAD.

State broadband directors must get ready to restructure BEAD with precision, confidence and speed. Preserve the work you’ve already done and build on it to meet the latest criteria. This is your opportunity to maximize the impact of BEAD and deliver meaningful results for the communities you serve. Proudly serving 30 state broadband offices, Ready.net helps you move fast, stay aligned, and get the job done.

Gold Sponsors:

National Digital Inclusion Alliance advances digital equity by connecting organizations, supporting community programming, and equipping policymakers to act. In today’s digital age, access to the internet is not just a luxury; it’s a necessity. Yet, millions of individuals and families remain disconnected, facing barriers that hinder their ability to thrive in a technology-driven world. The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) is at the forefront of the movement to bridge this digital divide, advocating for equity in access to technology, training, and resources.

Broadband Nation is a timely program aimed at attracting, training, and delivering talented individuals to the rapidly growing field of broadband. Through a targeted campaign to attract candidates and expanding partnerships with community colleges and technical institutes across the nation, we provide a comprehensive view of available training options. Working with companies within the industry, we also connect candidates to exciting jobs with long-term career prospects. By tackling the lack of skilled professionals, we can accelerate the deployment of high-speed internet to the millions of Americans, in every state and territory, without access. Visit www.broadbandnation.org

At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together. As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs. With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.

Silver Sponsors:

The Fiber Broadband Association is the voice of fiber. As the premier association that focuses solely on fiber, we are relentless in our work to connect every American with fiber. Because only fiber can close the digital divide, and unleash economic development that will raise the quality of life for every single one of us — providing education and job opportunities; eliminating poverty; creating sustainability and enabling innovations we haven’t even thought of yet. Fiber ensures no one gets left behind.

gaiia is a leading provider of OSS/BSS solutions for the telecommunications industry. With its comprehensive platform, gaiia offers ISPs an all-in-one solution for billing, CRM, operations, field service, automation, and more. Founded with a vision to simplify and optimize ISP operations, gaiia empowers providers worldwide to deliver exceptional services and drive growth in the digital age. To date, gaiia has raised a total of US$26.2M. For more information, please visit gaiia's website.

NCTA innovates, creates, and connects to shape the future of entertainment and technology. Our members build the nation’s largest broadband platform, delivering fast, reliable connectivity to 85% of U.S. homes. We also shape the TV landscape, offering award-winning programming that entertains, informs, and inspires. Our industry supports over one million American jobs and employs at least 500 people in 96% of all congressional districts.