Speaker Biographies

Moderators

Speakers

Brent Skorup

Research Fellow, Mercatus Center, George Mason University

Brent Skorup is a research fellow in the Technology Policy Program at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. His research topics include wireless policy, new media regulation, competition, and telecommunications.
He has authored pieces for law reviews, National Affairs, The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, WIRED, Reuters, and elsewhere. He has provided expert commentary for news outlets including C-SPAN, NPR, CBS, CNBC Asia, The Washington Post, and Buzzfeed.
Brent has a BA in economics from Wheaton College and a JD from the George Mason University School of Law. He was formerly the Director of Research at the Information Economy Project, a law and economics research center.

Elena Scaramuzzi

Head, Latin America Telecoms and Media, Cullen International

Elena Scaramuzzi joined Cullen International in 2009. At Cullen Elena’s activities are focused on telecommunications and media regulatory research in Latin America and Europe. Before joining Cullen International Elena worked at the international regulatory dept. of Telecom Italia, and prior to that at the World Bank in Washington DC. Elena has a degree in Political Science from LUISS University, Rome.

Cullen International provides a unique range of regulatory services on telecommunications, media, electronic commerce and postal services.

Amit Nagpal

Partner, Aetha Consulting

Amit Nagpal is a Partner at, and one of the co-founders of, Aetha Consulting. Amit has over 20 years of experience on spectrum management issues having started his career with the Radiocommunications Agency (now part of Ofcom) in the UK. Amit advises regulators/government bodies, fixed and mobile operators, broadcasters, financial institutions and industry associations on a wide range of issues including spectrum policy development and spectrum valuation and auction support. Amit’s experience includes leading studies for the European Commission on the introduction of spectrum trading and a harmonised approach to the digital dividend. Amit has undertaken projects for clients in Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia and North America and is therefore able to bring a global perspective to his work. He recently supported a mobile operator in Colombia with its preparations for the AWS
spectrum auction.

Richard Marsden

Senior Vice President, NERA Economic Consulting

With a team based in New York City and London, but working around the world, Mr. Marsden’s practice focuses on the design of allocation mechanisms, including:

· auctions and trading design;

· bidding strategy; and

· related competition, pricing, regulatory and public policy.

His work spans multiple industries, including broadcasting, energy, mobile telephony, procurement, radio spectrum and transport.

Many of Mr. Marsden’s recent projects have involved auction design, software implementation and/or bidder support related to the current wave of spectrum awards worldwide. Since 1999, he has provided strategy advice to leading incumbent operators and aspiring entrants in more than 35 spectrum auctions. He was also a lead member of the design team that developed and implemented the combinatorial clock auction, the first practical multi-round package bid format for awarding radio spectrum.

Prior to joining NERA, Mr. Marsden spent 10 years as Director and Managing Consultant at DotEcon, where he was responsible for business development for auctions, public policy, and strategy projects. He managed the project teams supporting the UK regulator Ofcom on digital dividend policy and UK spectrum auctions between 2005 and 2010. He also completed major studies for the European Commission on the allocation of the digital dividend and on spectrum trading and liberalization.

Mr. Marsden presents and publishes frequently on the topics of auctions, the communications industry, and spectrum management and allocation. He is the co-author of a book on broadband regulation (Springer, 2005). He is also an advisor to Forum Global on Spectrum Management conferences in the Americas, Asia and Europe.

J. Armand Musey

Co-Founder and Director, Summit Ridge Group

J. Armand Musey is a leading expert in valuation and related financial analysis in the telecom, media and satellite industries. He founded Summit Ridge Group in 2008 after 15 years of equity research, investment banking and consulting experience. Armand has completed dozens of financial valuation, strategic analysis, business development, corporate governance and business plan creation assignments in the communications industry and has experience working on numerous financing and M&A transactions. His involvement with a wide breadth of companies has allowed him to develop a deep understanding of a range of media and telecom issues and the complex web of relationships underlying the sector’s competitive dynamics and associated regulatory issues.

Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel

FCC

Jessica Rosenworcel was nominated for a seat on the Federal Communications Commission by President Barack Obama and on May 7, 2012 was confirmed unanimously by the United States Senate. She was sworn into office on May 11, 2012.

Commissioner Rosenworcel brings a decade and a half of public sector and private sector communications law experience to her position at the FCC. This experience has shaped her belief that in the 21st century strong communications markets can foster economic growth and security, enhance digital age opportunity, and enrich our civic life.

Prior to joining the agency, Commissioner Rosenworcel served as Senior Communications Counsel for the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, under the leadership of Senator John D. Rockefeller IV. She previously served in the same role on the Committee under the leadership of Senator Daniel K. Inouye. In this position, she was responsible for legislation, hearings, and policy development involving a wide range of communications issues, including spectrum auctions, public safety, broadband deployment and adoption, universal service, video programming, satellite television, local radio, and digital television transition.

Before joining the staff of the Committee, she served as Legal Advisor to former FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps. She also served at the agency as Legal Counsel to the Chief of the Wireline Competition Bureau and as an Attorney-Advisor in the Wireline Competition Bureau.

Prior to entering public service, Commissioner Rosenworcel practiced communications law at Drinker Biddle and Reath.

Commissioner Rosenworcel is a native of Hartford, Connecticut. She is a graduate of Wesleyan University and New York University School of Law. She lives in Washington, DC with her husband Mark, and children Caroline and Emmett.

Oscar Leon

Executive Secretary , CITEL

Oscar has over 18 years experience in the ICT sector, has extensive experience in project management and implementation of new business and appropriation of new technologies. He is an Electronic Engineer Graduate Telecommunications Project Management and Master in Business Administration.

He was Director of Projects Solutions Providers of MICROSOFT, he worked in the Colombian telecoms regulator, was Manager Regulatory Claro (America Movil COLOMBIA) has advised three Ministers of Communications. He was Director General of the National Spectrum Agency of Colombia for nearly five years and was elected Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Telecommunications Commission since September 2015.

The engineer Oscar Leon has been an international speaker in the development of wireless broadband services. The areas covered include both electromagnetic fields and their relationship to human health, spectrum auctions, and strategy for developing countries

He has been awarded:
1. Medal of Merit First Class Communications gold for his contribution to the development of ICT in Colombia.
2. The Medal of Merit Communications - third class in bronze by the excellent results in the spectrum auction for the fourth mobile generation.
3. San Gabriel Military Medal for supporting the military communications service.
4. Appointed by the International Telecommunication Union for the Americas as Vice President of Group
5 - Environment and Climate Change, which studies the relationship between radio and health fields.

Martin Proulx

Senior Director, Spectrum and Information Technologies and Telecommunications , Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Senior Director, Spectrum and Information Technologies and Telecommunications at the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (formerly Industry Canada)

Mr. Proulx has been at the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) since 2011 where he is responsible for Canada’s efforts on spectrum planning and engineering, which supports the critical allocation of wireless spectrum in Canada across commercial mobile, satellite, and all other services.

Within the ISED, he has also been responsible for the cyber security of Information and Communications Technology Critical Infrastructure in Canada, in support of Public Safety Canada as well as international standardization activities at the ITU-T and technical regulatory standards for telecommunications equipment. Prior to moving to ISED, he worked at Health Canada as Acting Director General of the Materiel and Asset Management Directorate.

Before joining the Government of Canada in 2010, Martin held senior positions at Nortel networks both in Canada and France, notably as product lead for Wireless Network Management portfolio.

He holds a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from McGill University and an MBA from McMaster University.

Carmelo Rivera

Vice-Chair WG WRC-15, Chair WG WRC-19, CITEL

In 1973 Carmelo Rivera joined the United States Navy and served for 20 years as a Telecommunication Specialist. During this time Carmelo had the opportunity to experience the telecommunications field from several different aspects, locations and platforms. While in the service Carmelo completed courses in Information Systems Management and received degrees from Central Texas College and the University of Maryland. His last 3 years in the service were spent as the Assistant Communications Officer at the Naval Testing Facility on Andros Island, Bahamas. After his retirement from military service he returned to Andros and worked in the communications department as a civilian for several more years before accepting his current position as a Telecommunication Specialist for the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) Radio Frequency Management Division (RFMD). RFMD is responsible for spectrum management for all Dept. of Commerce agencies including, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration which encompasses the National Weather Service, National Marine Fisheries, National Ocean Service, and many others. Carmelo has been the DOC representative at ITU Plenipotentiary conferences, World Radiocommunication Conferences, various ITU-R Study Group 4, 5, and 7 Working Parties, CITEL Permanent Consultative Committee II (Radiocommunications) (PCC-II), and CITEL Executive Committee (COM/CITEL), as well as the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) representative to Asian-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) conference preparatory meetings. Carmelo was the vice-chairman of CITEL’s PCC-II (Radicommunication and Broadcasting) WRC Working group for WRC-15. According to tradition, Carmelo will be the chairman of this group preparing for the next WRC scheduled for 2019.

Mario Maniewicz

Deputy Director - Radio Communication Bureau, ITU

Mr. Mario Maniewicz is the Deputy-Director of the International Telecommunication Union’s Radiocommunication Bureau. The Bureau is responsible for the application of the Radio Regulations and for technical and administrative support of ITU World and Regional Radiocommunication Conferences, Radiocommunication Assemblies and Study Groups. The Bureau also carries out the international regulatory processes for registration of frequency assignments and satellite orbits and assists administrations in their coordination and implementation of frequency spectrum and orbit requirements as well as in resolving cases of harmful interference. It provides the specialized technical secretariat for the work of the Radiocommunication Study Groups and the Radiocommunication Assembly in the development of recommendations for spectrum utilization and radio system characteristics.

Mr. Maniewicz has been with the ITU for more than 25 years, where he has held various positions of responsibility at ITU headquarters as well as in the Regional Offices in Peru, Chile and Brazil, leading activities towards fostering global telecommunications development.

During his tenure at ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau, as Chief of the Infrastructure, Enabling Environment and E-Applications Department, Mr. Maniewicz directed ITU’s efforts to assist developing countries in bridging the digital divide by promoting the use of ICT-based networks, services and applications, while ensuring the use of appropriate technologies to build or extend their information and communication infrastructure and adapt to the rapidly changing telecommunication/ICT environment. This includes the provision of guidelines and tools for the development of policy and regulatory frameworks, financing policies and strategies, development of telecommunication and IP-based networks, promotion of pervasive broadband deployment, digital broadcasting and spectrum management, as well as the use of reliable and cost-effective ICT applications while enhancing cyber-security. Mr. Maniewicz is also responsible for the Union's activities in the promotion of access and use of telecommunications and ICTs for groups that have been marginalized in their access to current mainstream ICT services, including women, youth, indigenous people, persons with disabilities and people living in remote communities.

Originally from Uruguay, Mr. Maniewicz is an Electronic Engineer specialized in Telecommunications. Before joining the ITU he held both technical and managerial positions in the main telecommunication operator in his home country. He also worked as assistant professor at the Faculty of Engineering of Uruguay’s main University.

Diana Tomimura

Project Manager, Ministry of Communications (Brazil)

Bachelor in Telecomunications Engineering from the Fluminense Federal University.
M.Sc. Degree in Computer Science from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
Has previously worked for Intelig and Nokia Networks as an Engineer and in ANATEL as a Regulatory Specialist
Curruntly the Deputy Director of the Telecommunications Services and Universalization Department of the Ministry of Communications in Brazil

Paige Atkins

Associate Administrator - Office of Spectrum Management, NTIA

Paige Atkins is the Deputy Associate Administrator for Spectrum Planning and Policy, Office of Spectrum Management (OSM) within the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Ms. Atkins leads OSM’s efforts for international spectrum policy, strategic planning, and spectrum affairs and information programs. Prior to joining NTIA, she was the Vice President of Cyber and Information Technology Research at the Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation, where she led a broad portfolio of research, to include efforts to mature and demonstrate spectrum sharing approaches and technologies. As a member of the Senior Executive Service, Ms. Atkins served as Director for Strategic Planning and Information, Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), leading the development and execution of resourcing strategies, business practices and strategic alliances to provide enhanced information and communications capabilities and services to our nation’s warfighters and national leadership. She joined DISA in 2006 as the Director of the Defense Spectrum Organization. In that role, she provided executive leadership to DoD’s center of excellence for electromagnetic spectrum engineering and management, policy development, information systems, modeling and simulation, and operations support. Prior to DISA, Ms. Atkins served in several industry and government leadership and engineering roles within Cisco Systems, Inc., Scitor Corporation, the DoD Joint Spectrum Center and Gould Ocean Systems Division. In 2011 Ms. Atkins was awarded the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service, and has been hand selected to support multiple Defense Science and Business Boards addressing spectrum management challenges and opportunities. She holds a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Virginia Tech and a Master of Science in engineering administration from George Washington University.

Luis Lucatero

Independent Spectrum Expert

Luis Lucatero was the Chief of Regulatory Policy at the Federal Telecommunications Institute of Mexico. In the last two years Mr. Lucatero lead a number of research projects that greatly influenced the depth and scope of the recent Telecommunications Constitutional Reform in Mexico.
Among these projects is the creation of a nationwide nondiscriminatory wireless wholesaler using 90MHz in the 700MHz band. Prior to Mexico’s Constitutional Reform Mr. Lucatero led an international effort to accelerate the global adoption of the Asia Pacific band plan in 700MHz.
This initiative was designed to trigger economies of scale for a market of nearly 4 billion subscribers under the same standard and thus set the basis for the viability of ultra-low-end smartphones close to 30USD. Mr. Lucatero studied physics at Hokkaido University in Japan, and did graduate studies of nonlinear optics at Ecole Polytechnique in France.

Mindel De La Torre

Chief - International Bureau, FCC

Since October 2009, Mindel De La Torre has been Chief of the International Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). In that role, she leads the FCC’s efforts internationally – both on a bilateral and multilateral basis. She oversees the International Bureau’s functions with regard to licensing of international and domestic satellites, international long distance, international broadcast stations, and submarine cables. Ms. De La Torre was previously at the FCC between 1994-1998 as Deputy Chief of the Telecommunications Division of the International Bureau.

Before returning to the FCC, she was president of the Telecommunications Management Group, Inc. (TMG), a consulting firm in the Washington DC area. Her work at TMG included advising businesses, international organizations, and regulators on issues relevant to liberalization and commercialization of the telecommunications sector. Ms. De La Torre managed a variety of teams responsible for telecommunications projects, including advising telecommunications agencies in Latin America, Africa and the Middle East regarding key restructuring and regulatory issues, redrafting and updating telecommunications laws and involvement in third generation mobile issues.

She has been a member of various U.S. delegations to ITU conferences, such as the
World Conference on International Telecommunications, World Radiocommunication Conferences, World Telecommunication Development Conferences, and Plenipotentiary Conferences. She has also participated actively in regional telecommunications organizations, such as CITEL and APEC.

Ms. De La Torre also worked at the Department of Commerce – for over four years at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and for three years in the General Counsel’s office.

Ms. De La Torre has a B.A. from Vanderbilt University and a J.D. from the University of Texas. She is a member of the Texas bar and the Federal Communications Bar Association. Having lived overseas most of her life, she speaks fluent Portuguese, French, and Spanish and is proficient in Italian.

Julius Knapp

Chief - Office of Engineering and Technology, FCC

Julius Knapp is Chief of the FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology (OET). Mr. Knapp has been with the FCC for nearly 36 years. Mr. Knapp became Chief of OET in 2006, having previously served as the Deputy Chief since 2002. Prior to that he was the Chief of the Policy & Rules Division where he was responsible for FCC frequency allocation proceedings and for proceedings amending the FCC rules for radio frequency devices. Mr. Knapp was Chief of the FCC Laboratory from 1994 – 1997 where he was responsible for the FCC’s equipment authorization program and technical analyses. Mr. Knapp received a Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the City College of New York in 1974. He is a member of the IEEE EMC Society and is a Fellow of the Radio Club of America. He was the 2001 recipient of the Eugene C. Bowler award for exceptional professionalism and dedication to public service and received the FCC’s Silver and Gold medal awards for distinguished service at the Commission.

Gary Epstein

Head of Incentive Auction Task Force, FCC

On April 17, 2012, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski welcomed Gary Epstein back to the FCC as Senior Advisor and Chair of the Commission’s Incentive Auction Task Force.

Chairman Genachowski said, “I’m very pleased to welcome Gary back to the Commission. Gary is one of the country’s top experts on media and communications law and policy, with deep experience in the key areas needed for incentive auctions to succeed. I look forward to putting his management experience and substantive expertise to work as the Incentive Auction Task Force carries out its vital responsibilities to unleash more spectrum for mobile broadband and help address the looming spectrum crunch.”

Before rejoining the FCC, Epstein was the Managing Director and General Counsel of the Aspen Institute International Digital Economy Accords (IDEA) Project, a year-long project designed to identify ways to promote innovation, market access opportunities and promote the free flow of communications across borders on an open Internet.

Epstein was the founder and Global Chair of the Communications Practice Group of Latham & Watkins, a national and international law firm. For 25 years, he was the Global Chair of the Communications Practice Group. He founded and led the firm's Telecommunications Law Practice. His practice focused primarily on advising companies on United States regulations of telecommunications, satellite and broadcast providers. He also advised non-US governments and investors on privatizations and restructurings of telecom sectors. Epstein advised companies on such policies as US ownership restrictions and authorizations for international services.

Epstein also was team leader of the Economics and International Trade Team of President Barack Obama's Transition Team and as Executive Vice President of SkyTerra Communications, an advanced satellite company developing an integrated satellite-terrestrial communications network. Epstein also served as the Digital Television Coordinator and as Chief of the Common Carrier Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission.

Epstein graduated from Lehigh University with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, with highest honors. He graduated from Harvard Law School with a JD, with honors. He is married to Jeralyn Epstein and has two children.

Roger Sherman

Chief - Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, FCC

Roger Sherman is the Chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission. Until November 2013, he served as the Democratic Chief Counsel to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and as Democratic Staff Director to its Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. During the 111th Congress (2009-2011), Mr. Sherman was Chief Counsel for Communications, Technology, and the Internet, and during the 110th Congress (2007-2009) he was Deputy Chief Counsel at the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Mr. Sherman also worked for Representative Henry Waxman as a legislative assistant from 1990-1992 and as a legislative aide to Senator Alan Cranston from 1989-1990. Prior to returning to Capitol Hill in 2007, Mr. Sherman spent 10 years working on wireless issues as a Director of Regulatory Affairs and Senior Attorney at Sprint Corporation. He also practiced communications law at the firm of Wiley, Rein from 1995-1997. Mr. Sherman has a B.A. from Amherst College and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Thibault Kleiner

Head of Unit, Network Technologies,, European Commission

Mr. Kleiner is heading unit E1 – Network Technologies - in DG CONNECT, European Commission. This unit is in charge of Research & Innovation in the area of wireless optical networks, network architectures, Internet of Things, Satcom and manages the 5G-PPP.

Thibaut has worked for the European Commission since 2001, occupying a number of positions, notably in the field of competition policy, where he was head of unit in charge of coordination, and member of Cabinet of Neelie Kroes in her previous mandate, where he notably supervised state aid (including during the banking crisis). An economist by training, he holds a Master from HEC Paris and a PhD from the London School of Economics.

TJ Kennedy

President, FirstNet

Mr. TJ Kennedy has broad-based experience in public safety having served as a Utah state trooper serving on the SWAT/Special Operations team. He also served as a flight paramedic and a firefighter. Prior to joining the FirstNet senior leadership team, Mr. Kennedy was the Director, Public Safety and Security for Raytheon Company, and was President of its JPS Communications subsidiary, focused on radio interoperability solutions. Mr. Kennedy joined FirstNet in July 2013 as one of the first leadership team members. Mr. Kennedy brings to FirstNet his hands-on public safety experience in police, fire and emergency medical services combined with his senior-level positions in Fortune 500 companies. Mr. Kennedy graduated from the University of Utah.

Charla Rath

Vice President - Wireless Policy Development, Verizon

Charla Rath joined Verizon in January 2010 as Vice President – Wireless Policy Development, where she is engaged in the development of Verizon’s public policy positions on spectrum and other wireless issues. Previously, as Executive Director – Spectrum and Public Policy at Verizon Wireless, Charla worked with the company’s business development and network planning groups to address policy and regulatory issues related to the acquisition of spectrum.

Prior to joining Verizon Wireless, Charla was Vice President – Strategic Affiliations, of NextWave Telecom Inc., where she established a business alliance of small carriers and coordinated advocacy on spectrum auction and financial issues. As Vice President of Freedom Technologies, Inc., a Washington, DC-based telecommunications consulting firm, she advised governments and companies worldwide on a range of telecommunications structural, regulatory and business strategy issues.

Charla also served in the government as advisor to FCC Chairman Alfred C. Sikes on common carrier and spectrum policy issues and as a primary specialist in spectrum and internet policy at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Early in her career, she worked in both the United States and Europe on projects related to the impact of information technology on the financial and education sectors.

Charla has an MA in science, technology, and public policy from The George Washington University and a BSFS (Foreign Service) in international economics and finance from Georgetown University.

Joan Marsh

Vice President Federal Regulatory, AT&T

Joan Marsh is Vice President of Federal Regulatory for AT&T in Washington, D.C. where she has represented AT&T since 1999. In her current role, Ms. Marsh is responsible for managing AT&T’s wireless and public safety/national security interests before federal regulatory authorities, including the Federal Communications Commission. From 1997 to 1999, Ms. Marsh served as Senior Regional Attorney for AT&T in its Chicago offices representing AT&T before various state public utilities commissions in the Midwest.

Prior to joining AT&T, Ms. Marsh spent five years as a trial litigator with the Chicago firm of Kirkland & Ellis. Prior to that position, Ms. Marsh was a law clerk for the Honorable Edward Rafeedie of the US District Court for Central District of California, Los Angeles. She received a J.D. with Honors from the University of Southern California Law Center in Los Angeles in 1990 and a Bachelors of Arts in Philosophy from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1986.

Audrey Allison

Senior Director - Frequency Management Services, Boeing

Audrey L. Allison is Senior Director, Frequency Management Services for The Boeing Company. Her organization provides radiofrequency spectrum acquisition and policy support for Boeing technology, products, services, and operations worldwide – and to Boeing’s commercial and government customers. She is based in Boeing’s Washington D.C. Government Operations office. Her previous work history includes the Federal Communications Commission’s International Bureau; Iridium LLC; and consulting to the Department of Defense on international spectrum and regulatory issues.
Allison is Boeing’s representative to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). She recently served as Chairman of Committee 6 of the 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, and was elected as Vice-Chairman of the ITU’s Radiocommunication Advisory Group (2008-2015). She chaired the FCC’s WRC-15 Advisory Committee Working Group on Aeronautical, Maritime, and Radar Issues; the United States ITU Association (2009, 2015); and co-chaired the Satellite Industry Association’s Regulatory Working Group (2012-2015, 1991-2001). Allison currently serves as a member of three Federal Advisory Committees on international and national spectrum management and telecommunications matters.
Allison is an attorney with a Master of Business Administration, cum laude, from the International Space University, a Master of Laws in international law from Georgetown University, and a Juris Doctor from Catholic University of America’s Institute for Communications Law Studies. She is the author of The ITU and Managing Satellite Orbital and Spectrum Resources in the 21st Century, Springer, 2014. Allison is also adjunct faculty to the International Space University in Strasbourg, France, and a visiting lecturer at McGill University Institute of Air and Space Law in Montreal on the international regulation of satellites.
Allison resides near Annapolis, Maryland with her husband and daughter.

Gerry Oberst

Senior Vice President - Global Regulatory & Governmental Strategy, SES

Gerry Oberst is responsible for regulatory matters at SES, where his title is Senior Vice President, Global Regulatory and Governmental Strategy. Gerry took this position after a long career as a partner in the Hogan Lovells law firm, in both Washington, DC, and Brussels. During his 30 years of private practice, Gerry advised many clients in the spectrum field as well as governmental agencies, including numerous projects for the European Commission. He is a prolific author and for twenty years wrote the global regulatory column for Via Satellite magazine. While in Brussels, he was the chairman of the European Satellite Action Plan Regulatory Group. He now works in Brussels and Luxembourg, and soon is moving to Washington, DC.

Patrick McFadden

Vice President - Spectrum Policy, NAB

Patrick McFadden is Vice President, Spectrum Policy at the National Association of Broadcasters. In this role, he helps develop and advance advocacy positions for NAB in the areas of spectrum policy and innovation.
Prior to joining NAB in 2013, Patrick was an associate in the Washington office of Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, where he practiced telecommunications law. His practice included policy advocacy, litigation, regulatory compliance and negotiations for wireless, wireline and VoIP service providers and communications device manufacturers. Patrick also worked as a broadcast legal assistant, and as a licensing analyst for a wireless telecommunications carrier.
Patrick earned his Juris Doctor from the George Washington University Law School, and his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University. He lives in Arlington, Virginia, with his wife and two dogs.

Dean Brenner

Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, Qualcomm

Dean Brenner is Senior Vice President, Government Affairs for Qualcomm Incorporated. He directs Qualcomm’s initiatives relating to spectrum and telecommunications policy in North America. He represents Qualcomm before the Federal Communications Commission and other agencies of the United States and Canadian governments responsible for spectrum and telecommunications policy. In addition, he is responsible for global spectrum acquisitions and strategy for Qualcomm.
Mr. Brenner was responsible for obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals to launch Qualcomm’s MediaFLO USA mobile TV network, which is now the largest mobile broadcast network in the world. In addition, he led Qualcomm’s bidding team in recent spectrum auctions in the United States (the 700 MHz band) and the United Kingdom (the L Band). He also lead Qualcomm’s bidding team in a recent procurement reverse auction held in Spain. He has spoken at conferences on spectrum policy issues in the United States, South Korea, Belgium, Great Britain, and elsewhere around the world. He joined Qualcomm in November 2003.

Before joining Qualcomm, Mr. Brenner was a partner in the Washington, DC-based law firm he co-founded, Crispin & Brenner, P.L.L.C., where he specialized in telecommunications law and litigation. Mr. Brenner handled a number of major FCC-related cases in the wireless, mass media, and wireline businesses, both before the FCC and in federal and state courts around the country. He began his career at the Washington, D.C. law firm of Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand in August 1985 as an associate. He became a partner at that firm, where he practiced telecommunications law and litigation.

Brett Tarnutzer

Head of Spectrum, GSMA

Mr Brett Tarnutzer serves as the Head of Spectrum for the GSMA. In this role, in collaboration with the membership, he directs the Association’s full range of spectrum activities and represents it on critical spectrum policy issues with national governments and multilateral organizations.

Prior to joining the GSMA, Mr Tarnutzer worked at the US Federal Communications Commission. Most recently, he served as Assistant Chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and a Senior Member of the Incentive Auction Task Force. In his role, Mr Tarnutzer focused on the technical and policy aspects of creating the first-ever incentive auction for spectrum in the 600 MHz band in the US. Previously, Mr Tarnutzer worked on domestic and international spectrum issues and spectrum auction design and implementation as a private consultant.

Mr Tarnutzer was educated in the United States, receiving a Masters Degree in Telecommunications Science Management and Policy from Northwestern University and his Bachelor of Arts in Telecommunications from the University of Wisconsin.

Johanne Lemay

Co-President, LYA

Johanne Lemay is Co-President of LYA. She is a recognized expert in telecommunications and broadcasting ranging from the development of strategy and business plans, to due diligence, market research, spectrum valuation, spectrum licensing and spectrum auctions.

Ms. Lemay has been active in spectrum auctions for more than 15 years. She is also co-leader of the development of the LYA Auction Platforms (Incentive Auction, Combinatorial Clock Auction and Simultaneous Multiple Rounds Ascending Auction). Ms. Lemay has supported numerous clients in auction preparation and spectrum valuation.

Ms. Lemay is a sought-after expert in consultations for the development of public policy in telecommunications and broadcasting. Recent expert evidence mandates were focused on the evolution of television and over-the-top services, benchmarking investment in broadband infrastructure and regulatory framework for MVNOs as well as subsidies for broadband deployment in remote areas.

Ms. Lemay’s international experience includes leading mandates on spectrum licensing and auctions as well as business planning and due diligence in mobile services and broadband networks in countries ranging from Europe, Latin America and Asia to the US and Canada.

Ms Lemay’s activities also include market research on a variety of services and technologies. These include Over the Top services, all types of broadband and mobile services as well as Connected Cars.

Ms. Lemay holds an Engineering Physics Degree from Laval University (Quebec City) and an MBA from Concordia University (Montreal).

Chih-Lin I

Chief Scientist of Wireless Technologies,, China Mobile Research Institute

Chih-Lin I received her Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University. She has been working at multiple world-class companies and research institutes leading the R&D, including AT&T Bell Labs; Director of AT&T HQ, Director of ITRI Taiwan, and VPGD of ASTRI Hong Kong. She received the IEEE Trans. COM Stephen Rice Best Paper Award, is a winner of the CCCP National 1000 Talent Program, and has won the 2015 Industrial Innovation Award of IEEE Communication Society for Leadership and Innovation in Next-Generation Cellular Wireless Networks. In 2011, she joined China Mobile as its Chief Scientist of wireless technologies, established the Green Communications Research Center, and launched the 5G Key Technologies R&D. She is spearheading major initiatives including 5G, C-RAN, high energy efficiency system architectures, technologies and devices; and green energy. She was an elected Board Member of IEEE ComSoc, Chair of the ComSoc Meetings and Conferences Board, and Founding Chair of the IEEE WCNC Steering Committee. She is currently an Executive Board Member of GreenTouch, a Network Operator Council Member of ETSI NFV, a Steering Board Member of WWRF, and a Scientific Advisory Board Member of Singapore NRF. Her current research interests center around “Green, Soft, and Open”.

Gonzalo de Dios

Global Spectrum Regulatory Policy , ESOA

Gonzalo de Dios is an Associate General Counsel at Intelsat, the largest provider of satellite services worldwide. Mr. de Dios is responsible for regulatory matters affecting the company’s satellite operations, including foreign authorizations and permits, international regulatory activities affecting the company’s spectrum holdings, international government relations, as well as legal support for operational, corporate, contractual, business development, strategic acquisitions and other matters.

Mr. de Dios has extensive experience and knowledge in the telecommunications arena, and has worked in-house with multinational corporations as well as with law firms advising customers on both domestic as well as international telecommunications and regulatory matters.

Mr. de Dios is a frequent speaker on international telecommunications regulatory topics, and serves as a Board member of the United States Telecommunications Training Institute (“USTTI”), a non-profit organization that brings together industry and government to provide intensive tuition-free ICT training to participants from developing countries.

Mr. de Dios is a graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center and of the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, and has completed other legal and business academic course work at the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business, the Boston University School of Management and Harvard University Law School.

Dorothy Robyn

Former Commissioner, Public Buildings Services

Dorothy Robyn is a public policy expert who writes and consults on issues related to energy, infrastructure and telecommunications. She has 30 years of experience in government, academia and consulting. From 2012 to 2014, Dr. Robyn was the Commissioner of the Public Buildings Service (PBS) in the U.S. General Services Administration. PBS is the real estate arm of the federal government. From 2009 to 2012, she was the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Installations & Environment in the Department of Defense, where she provided Department-wide oversight of U.S. military bases around the world. From 1993 to 2001, she served as Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy on the staff of the White House National Economic Council. In that position, she coordinated Administration policies related to aviation and transportation, aerospace and defense, telecommunications and competition policy. Dr. Robyn previously was an assistant professor at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and she has been a Guest Scholar with the Brookings Institution and a Principal of The Brattle Group, an economic consultancy. She has an MPP and a Ph.D. in public policy from the University of California, Berkeley. She is the author of Braking the Special Interests: Trucking Deregulation and the Politics of Policy Reform (University of Chicago Press, 1987) and co-author, with William J. Baumol, of Toward an Evolutionary Regime for Spectrum Governance: Licensed or Unrestricted Entry (Brookings Press, 2006). Dr. Robyn authored the report of the Aspen Institute’s 2014 Roundtable on Spectrum Policy, “Making Waves: Alternative Paths to Flexible Use Spectrum,” and a 2014 Brookings Institution paper that draws lessons for federal spectrum management from her experience managing federal property at DoD and GSA.

Carl Povelites

Assistant Vice President Public Policy, AT&T

Carl Povelites is currently the Assistant Vice President Public Policy, Mobility, for AT&T. He leads a group of professionals responsible for the development of public policy initiatives for AT&T’s wireless business to advance and facilitate AT&T Mobility’s business initiatives on a wide-range of issues, from spectrum policy to emerging devices and technologies to safe driving. In 2011 he was appointed by the U.S. Department of Commerce to serve on the Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Council. With over 20 years of experience in the wireless industry, Carl has had the opportunity to participate in and actively shape its extraordinary growth.

Carl joined AT&T Mobility (f/k/a Cingular) as Executive Director of External Affairs in December 2000. Prior to joining Cingular, Carl was Vice President - Regulatory Affairs for Evolution Networks, a start-up fiber-optic networking company. He began his telecommunications career as a pricing analyst for Contel Telephone Operations in 1986, joining GTE Wireless in 1990 responsible for state regulatory and legislative activities. While at GTE Wireless, Carl’s responsibilities expanded to include state and federal regulatory and legislative activities as the Assistant Vice President – Government Relations. Carl has also held marketing positions in the home health care industry with Everest & Jennings and Inspiron as well as service engineer positions in the oil service industry with Dowell Schlumberger. He earned his Bachelors degree, a double major in economics and management, and an MBA from New Mexico State University.

David Salant

Co-Founder & Director, Auction Technologies

David Salant is a leading expert on auctions and game theory. Salant has advised government agencies in numerous countries on the design and implementation of spectrum auctions and allocation procedures. His consulting experience includes auction theory and strategic analysis for clients in spectrum auctions such as the US Federal Communications Commission for testing new package bidding procedures, Industry Canada and the Australian ACA for their first spectrum auctions. Salant has also led or helped guide bid strategy teams for numerous US FCC auctions, including virtually all the 2G, AWS and 700 MHz auctions, for the German and Austrian 3G auctions, the Netherlands 2G and 3G auctions, for the German 4G auction, for the Indian 3G auction, for a number of Mexican 2G and 3G auctions, for the Brazilian privatization of Telebras and the auctioning of mirror concessions, the Australian 2G and 3G auctions among others. He designed and implemented the first spectrum auction for paging licenses for the Mexican Ministry of Communications (SCT) and for trunk radio frequencies for the Guatemalan Superintendent of Telecommunications. Salant also led the team that developed auction software adopted by the Italian Ministero della Comunicazioni, Industry Canada, the Mexican Ministry of Communications and Transport, and the Guatemalan Superintendent of Telecommunications.
Salant experience in the energy sector includes serving as Auction Manager for Northwestern Energy default service procurement. Salant served as the Auction Monitor in the Illinois default service procurement auction. Salant has advised on design of capacity markets, transmission rights auctions and Renewable Energy Certificate auctions. Salant had primary responsibility for the design of the initial New Jersey BGS auction on behalf of the PSE&G, First Energy/JCP&L, Conectiv and RECO. He has also had a key role in the auction design of the Texas, ERCOT auction of capacity entitlements on behalf AEP, Reliant and TXU. Dr. Salant bid strategy experience in the energy sector includes advising a bidder in a MISO/PJM energy procurement. has advised EPCOR in the Alberta PPA auctions, the Alberta Balancing Pool for their MAP auctions and the DTe of the Netherlands on interconnector capacity auctions.
Salant teaches Auction Design, Strategy and Implementation course at the Toulouse School of Economics. He is also an Adjunct Senior Research Scholar at Columbia's Institute for Tele Information. Salant has an A.B. in Economics and and Mathematics from Washington University and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Rochester.

Wladimir Bocquet

Head of Policy Planning - Regulatory and Government Affairs, GSMA

Wladimir Bocquet is Head of Policy Planning for Government and Regulatory Affairs for the GSMA. In this role, he provides public policy analysis and recommendations to the GSMA executive team and offers a strategic view of global policy trends to GSMA members. Previously at the GSMA, he was Senior Director of Spectrum Policy, responsible for building consensus on spectrum policy positions and promoting best practice in spectrum management.

In October 2008, Mr Bocquet was appointed Deputy Director in charge of Spectrum Strategy and International Planning at Orange-France Telecom Group, and he led the Orange delegation at WRC-12. He worked in Japan for several years, first in mobile broadband communication for Fujitsu Laboratories and subsequently as senior manager of broadband access technologies for Orange Labs Tokyo-Seoul (formerly France Telecom R&D).

In addition to his GSMA responsibilities, Mr Bocquet also serves as a lecturer for the US Telecom Training Institute (USTTI) and other international training bodies.

Mr Bocquet earned a degree in telecommunications from Telecom Bretagne (Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications de Bretagne, France) and a doctorate from the University of Kyoto, Japan.

Charles E. Walters ASA

President, Walters & Associates Inc.

Mr. Charles E. Walters, ASA is President of Walters & Associates, Inc., a financial consulting firm specializing in the valuation of telecommunications businesses. He has been conducting valuations of spectrum assets and telecommunications businesses for over 30 years.
Mr. Walters has provided expert testimony regarding valuation issues before the United States Tax Court, the United States Bankruptcy Court, the Federal Trade Commission, Arbitration proceedings and in State and Federal Courts. He has also served as an expert valuation witness for the Internal Revenue Service. Mr. Walters has advised Federal Communications Commission (FCC), National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and United States Department of Treasury personnel on telecommunications business and spectrum valuation issues.
Mr. Walters was instrumental in developing the valuation methodology for Federal Communication Commission (FCC) license valuations. This valuation approach was accepted in the Jefferson-Pilot Corporation FCC license amortization case decided by the U.S. Tax Court on April 14, 1992.
Mr. Walters is a member of the American Society of Appraisers and is an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) in Business Valuations. He has also earned the Society's Advanced Designation for the valuation of Intangible Assets.

Chris Pearson

President, 4G Americas

Chris Pearson is the President of 4G Americas. In his role, he is responsible for the strategic planning of the organization and providing management for the integration of methods and operations in the areas of technology, marketing, public relations and regulatory affairs. As President of 4G Americas (formerly called 3G Americas), Mr. Pearson represents 4G Americas’ Market Representation interests within the 3rd Generation Partnership Program (3GPP) organization.

Mr. Pearson led the organization from its inception as the 3GPP family of technologies market share grew from 10 percent to over 80 percent in North, Central and South America. Mr. Pearson came to 3G Americas (now 4G Americas) from the Universal Wireless Communications Consortium (UWCC) where he served as Executive Vice President in charge of the strategic management of the global TDMA wireless technology consortium. Prior to joining the UWCC, Mr. Pearson held several senior technical and marketing positions at AT&T Wireless and GTE.

With more than 27 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, Mr. Pearson is a recognized spokesperson in mobile broadband and 5G technology trends and has spoken at technology conferences throughout the world including CES, Mobile World Congress, CTIA, LTE World and 5G Forum USA.

Mr. Pearson earned a Master of Business Administration degree from The Albers School of Business and Economics at Seattle University and a Bachelor of Arts degree with emphasis in Marketing and Finance from the University of Washington.

Jonathan Spalter

President, Mobile Future

Jonathan Spalter, Chair of Mobile Future, the U.S. mobile technology association which focuses significantly on spectrum management policy, has been chief executive in technology and internet companies based in the U.S. and Europe, and has served as a senior national security and technology official in the United States Government.

Spalter was CEO of Snocap, the digital music licensing and company founded by the creators of Napster. Spalter has also held senior management roles at the Paris headquarters of Vivendi Universal, the Fortune 100 global media, telecommunications, and entertainment group, where he was CEO of company affiliate Atmedica Worldwide, Executive Vice President for Business Development and Strategy at VivendiUniversal Net, and Group Senior Vice President for External Affairs.

During the Clinton/Gore Administration, Spalter was confirmed by the US Senate to the position of associate director of the US Information Agency, where he also was appointed chief information officer. He also served in the White House as the director of public affairs for the National Security Council staff, and chief international affairs spokesman and speechwriter for Vice President Al Gore, and as special assistant to the Under Secretary for Policy at the Defense Department.

He was graduated from Harvard College with high honors, and completed graduate studies in international relations at Cambridge University.

He lives in Berkeley, California.

Winston Caldwell

Vice President, Spectrum Engineering, Fox Networks

Winston Caldwell received his Bachelor of Engineering degree in electrical engineering from Vanderbilt University and his Master of Science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Southern California. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of California with over twenty years of electrical engineering experience, specializing in RF propagation, wireless communications, and antenna design. He is the Vice President of Spectrum Engineering in the Fox Networks Advanced Engineering Group. In the past, he has served as a Systems Engineer in the computer systems industry with EMC Corporation and as a Senior Data Systems and Telemetry Engineer in the aerospace industry with the Boeing Company. He has been involved with the evaluation and development of new broadcasting opportunities, such as mobile TV and single frequency networks. To facilitate his up-to-date knowledge and understanding in the changing world of RF spectrum technologies and policies, he is an active participant in the ITU, IEEE, NAB, NABA, ATSC, and SMPTE. His expertise has been utilized in the determination of compatibility requirements between the established broadcasting services and TV band, ultra-wideband, power-line transmission, and IMT-Advanced devices. His broadcast antenna designs are currently in service at several of the Fox Networks owned and operated TV stations.

Steven K. Berry

President & CEO, CCA

Steven K. Berry is president & CEO of Competitive Carriers Association (CCA) the nation's leading association for competitive wireless providers serving rural, regional and nationwide markets in the United States. The licensed service area of CCA members covers more than 95 percent of the nation.

A seasoned lawyer who worked for Congress, the Executive Branch and as a partner at Holland & Knight law firm, Berry has held positions as the Senior Vice President of Government Relations for three associations, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA), the CTIA-The Wireless Association, and the Direct Marketing Association (DMA).

Prior to joining CCA, Berry served as Director Governmental Affairs (Global) at Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc., New York and Washington, DC.

Glenn Fallas

Director, Directorate General of Quality and Spectrum, SUTEL

Electronic Engineer, with a degree on Telematics and Telecommunications Project Management.

Mr. Fallas has more than 10 years of experience in regulation of the telecommunications sector, including the areas of quality of service, operators-users relations and spectrum management.

In the spectrum area, has extensive experience in spectrum planning, administration and monitoring, bidding process formulation and auctions, and also was the leader of the interdisciplinary group in charge of the design and implementation of the National Frequency Monitoring System and its administrative database.

Frequently supports the country representation in terms of spectrum management at CITEL and ITU, and had proposed improvements to the National Frequency Allocation Plan which have resulted in the availability of more spectrum for IMT applications and other modifications in order to comply with the international standards.

Head Costa Rica’s number portability project, which involved the technical requirements, the management of the operator’s positions and requests, as well as the direction and coordination of the number portability committee among other requirements for its implementation.

Also imparted local courses on telecommunications regulation and spectrum management

Patrick Welsh

Assistant Vice President, Wireless Policy Development, Verizon

Patrick Welsh joined Verizon in January 2012 as Assistant Vice President – Wireless Policy Development, where he is engaged in the development of Verizon’s public policy positions on spectrum and other wireless issues.

Prior to joining Verizon, Patrick worked in T-Mobile's government affairs office in both the federal regulatory and legislative affairs groups. As a regulatory attorney, Patrick was responsible for a number of wireless public-policy issues, including spectrum policy, spectrum auctions, voice and data roaming, wireless open access/network neutrality, broadband reclassification, smart grid, mergers and acquisitions, and federal preemption of state regulations. As part of T-Mobile’s legislative team, he lobbied both Democrats and Republicans on the House and Senate commerce committees. Prior to joining T-Mobile, Patrick worked at American Tower, where he managed site development and construction of wireless communications facilities in the Mid-Atlantic area.

Patrick began his career at Gallagher, Evelius & Jones, LLP as an associate with the firm’s commercial transactions group. He is an adjunct professor at Catholic University's Columbus School of Law and a graduate of Syracuse University College of Law (J.D.) and Loyola College (B.A.).

Donna Bethea-Murphy

Global Spectrum Regulatory Policy , ESOA

Donna Bethea‐Murphy is Senior Vice President of Global Regulatory for Inmarsat. In this capacity she leads the company’s domestic and international regulatory activities. Donna is also an active member of of ESOA’s Regulatory and ITU Working Groups.

Previous to Inmarsat, she was Vice President of Regulatory Engineering for Iridium where she led all of the company's global technical regulatory activities, including those related to policy, standards, licensing, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and spectrum. In addition, she serves on several Boards including the ITU’ Smart Sustainable Development Board. She was previously Senior Director of Spectrum Policy at PanAmSat Corporation. Prior to joining PanAmSat, she was Director of Technology and Regulatory Affairs for AirTouch Communications, where she developed and implemented technical regulatory policy for terrestrial wireless services. Prior to her position at AirTouch, she was responsible for terrestrial and satellite policy at the FCC. She holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Clemson University.

Brian Carney

Senior Vice President, Rivada Networks

Brian M. Carney is Rivada Networks' Senior Vice President for Corporate Comminications of Rivada Networks. He is the co-author with Prof. Isaac Getz of "Freedom, Inc." (Crown Business, 2009; Argo Navis, 2016), also published in French as “Liberte & Cie,” by Fayard and reprinted by Flammarion. Brian was a member of The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board from 2004-2014 and editor of The Wall Street Journal Europe’s editorial page from 2004-2005 and 2009-2014.

Suzanne Malloy

Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, O3b Networks

Suzanne Malloy is VP, Regulatory Affairs, for O3b. Previously Ms. Malloy served as Senior Regulatory Counsel for SES, with responsibility for matters related to the Asia and Americas regions. Ms. Malloy has worked on satellite regulatory matters for 20 years, in both the private and public sectors, managing satellite and earth station licensing, satellite policy advocacy, and spectrum regulatory issues. Prior to joining SES, Ms. Malloy served for nearly 10 years as Vice President, Regulatory for DBSD North America, and acted as Senior Regulatory Counsel for Teledesic. Ms. Malloy began work in the satellite sector as Attorney-Advisor in the International Bureau of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, issuing satellite licenses and participating in treaty negotiations related to satellite market access.

H Nwana

Executive Director, Dynamic Spectrum Alliance

As Executive Director of the Dynamic Spectrum Aillance, H Nwana assists with the development and execution of the organization’s strategic initiatives and outreach to and recruitment of potential partners and members across the private, public, and non-profit sectors.

Prior to joining the Alliance, Nwana was Group Director of Spectrum Policy at Ofcom, where he ran UK’s Spectrum Policy and spearheaded UK’s dynamic spectrum management activities, specifically focusing on TV White Spaces for broadband and other applications. While at Ofcom, Nwana was responsible for multi-million pound policy projects including the UK’s Digital TV Clearance programme (part of UK’s digital switchover programme) which concluded in 2013. Nwana also oversaw the UK 4G auction that raised billions and concluded in February 2013.

Before this, Nwana was Managing Director at Arqiva and earlier in his career he worked at Quadriga Worldwide Ltd where he was instrumental in the introduction of digital technology and services to the hospitality industry across Europe, Middle East, and Africa. Before Quadriga, he was a venture capitalist for 2 years and, even earlier, a Senior award-winning and published technologist at BT plc for 5 years. He also holds university professorial visiting appointments. Nwana has just published an authoritative book entitled Telecommunications, Media & Technology (TMT) for Emerging Economies: How to make TMT Improve Developing Economies for the 2020s – published in April 2014.

Heather Hall

Senior Director, Spectrum Licensing and Auction Operations , Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Heather Hall is the Senior Director of Spectrum Licensing and Auction Operations with the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (previously Industry Canada). Over the last 30 years, she has worked in various roles within the Canadian Spectrum Management including program planning and accountability and spectrum operations. In her current role, she is responsible for spectrum licensing including the policy and operational aspects of spectrum auctions.

John Hunter

Director of Spectrum Policy, Legal Affairs, T-Mobile

John Hunter is the Director of Spectrum Policy for T-Mobile US where he is responsible for policy and regulatory matters associated with the development and acquisition of electromagnetic spectrum. Prior to his current role Mr. Hunter served four years in government with the National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA), the Department of Defense OSD/CIO, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Mr. Hunter also has over 15 years of experience in the wireless industry where he served in a variety of leadership and engineering roles. He holds a MS degree in Information Technology Management from Grantham University and a BS degree in Business & Computational Sciences from Liberty University. Mr. Hunter is also an eight year veteran of the US Army Signal Corps.

Kurt Schaubach

CTO, Federated Wireless

Kurt Schaubach brings 25 years of wireless industry experience to Federated Wireless where he plays a key role in developing technologies and new business strategies to create the next-generation architecture of broadband wireless.

Previously, Kurt served in various engineering roles at the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC), NextWave Wireless, LCC International, and Southwestern Bell. He has also served as a technology consultant to wireless network operators, equipment manufacturers, and semiconductor suppliers.

Kurt was a founding member of a publicly traded wireless broadband and multimedia software company and led the acquisition and integration of two wireless infrastructure companies.

Kurt has been active in spectrum development, management, and policy matters throughout his career. He currently serves on the Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee (CSMAC) and has spoken at the International Symposium on Advanced Radio Technologies (ISART) events, among many others.

Kurt received his B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech.

Michael McMenanim

Principal , Winning Strategies Washington DC

Mr. McMenamin is a Principal, Winning Strategies Washington, an independent federal government relations, business development and funding procurement firm with particular expertise and experience working on behalf of private entities with highly technical solutions. He has consulted to State and local jurisdictions, to a 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) ruggedized device manufacturer, a major accounting firm, applications company, deployable system provider, tower infrastructure provider and a systems integrator to facilitate entrance into the $7B public safety broadband marketplace. He has more than 20 years of legal, policy analysis and regulatory/legislative consulting experience regarding the impact of technology and communications issues. His expertise includes 2G/3G/4G wireless broadband, LTE, cyber-security, public safety and utility wireless broadband networks, computer law, technology law, privacy law, strategic and tactical planning, developing and delivering white papers and position reports, technology convergence, policy feasibility and development, DHS and DoD communities and issues, policy advocacy presentations, and the FCC Broadband Report to Congress.
Mr. McMenamin is a graduate of West Virginia Wesleyan College, where he received his B.A. in History and Political Science. After receiving his undergraduate degree, he attended the Washington College of Law at The American University, Washington, D.C., where he received his J.D. degree and is currently admitted to the Maryland State Bar. He has previously worked as an attorney at the Federal Communications Commission, as a Level 4 Functional Manager at Booz-Allen & Hamilton, Associate General Counsel at the United States Telecom Association, and has a Managing Director and Counsel of Government Affairs and Public Safety at Alcatel-Lucent.

Stein Gudbjorgsrud

Director Spectrum Strategy , Telenor Group

Stein works with spectrum strategy, spectrum valuation and spectrum acquisitions across Telenor’s 13 markets worldwide. Prior to joining Telenor in 2011, he worked as an international consultant with spectrum related issues and with mobile connectivity on aircraft. Stein was responsible for spectrum planning at the Norwegian telecoms regulator in the period 1987-2005 and served as a national representative to various European working groups such as the EU Radio Spectrum Committee and the CEPT Electronic Communications Committee and as the Head of Delegation to World Radio Conferences.

Luis Lara

Director, Government Affairs, Spectrum and Regulation LATAM, Motorola Solutions

Luis joined Motorola in February 2000, where he currently leads efforts to design and execute strategies on standardization, regulation and spectrum policy in Latin America as Director of Government Affairs at Motorola Solutions, based in Mexico City.
Prior to joining Motorola, he served in the government as Director of Spectrum Planning in Federal Telecommunications Commission of Mexico (COFETEL), and previously, as Deputy Director of Spectrum in the Ministry of Communications and Transportation (SCT).
Since 1996, Luis participates in the ITU-R study Groups, World Radio Communication Conferences, and the Inter-American Telecommunications Commission (CITEL). Recently, he served as the CITEL’s spokesperson on Public Protection and Disaster Relief (PPDR) during the WRC-15.
He is a Communications and Electronics Engineer by the National Polytechnic Institute of Mexico (IPN) with Diploma in Telecommunications from the Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico (ITAM).

John Leibovitz

Venture Partner, Columbia Capital

John Leibovitz joined Columbia Capital as a venture partner in 2016. Previously, he served as Deputy Chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau at the FCC, where he advised two Chairmen on spectrum policy and oversaw nearly 100 staff responsible for administering spectrum bands for cellular, microwave, and many other wireless services.
As spectrum team lead for the National Broadband Plan, John laid out a comprehensive wireless spectrum strategy for the United States. To advance these objectives he forged partnerships with other government agencies, including the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the Department of Defense, and the Executive Office of the President.
During John’s tenure the FCC repurposed nearly 250 megahertz of prime spectrum for flexible broadband use. He spearheaded rulemakings for several new wireless services, including: AWS-3 (leading to a record $40 billion auction), AWS-4, H Block, 3.5 GHz, millimeter wave, and 600 MHz.
Prior to the FCC, John helped launch the Technology, Innovation, and Government Reform working group for President Obama’s transition team. Before that, he was a wireless entrepreneur and strategy consultant. He started his business career with McKinsey & Company in New York.
John has written about tech and telecom policy in the Yale Law Journal and the Yale Journal of Law and Technology. He holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania, an M.Phil. from Cambridge University, and a J.D. from Yale Law School.