Speakers

 

Deb Bennett, Vice President of Apprenticeship, WIA

Deb Bennett is WIA’s Vice President of Apprenticeship, leading the operations of the Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program (TIRAP).  With extensive expertise spanning multiple industry segments including site acquisition, construction, engineering, compliance, quality, and project/program management, Deb excels in guiding and mentoring employers through the registered apprenticeship process. As an accomplished practitioner of registered apprenticeship, she leverages her wealth of experience to cultivate the next generation of skilled professionals in the industry.

Serving in their capacity as a United States Department of Labor recognized and funded Industry Intermediary, Deb and her team provide technical assistance, training resources, support, and access to incentive funding for registered Employer Sponsors. Their goal is to speed up the adoption of registered apprenticeship.

Deb also serves as WIA’s Staff Liaison for the Women’s’ Wireless Leadership Forum (WWLF) having previously served in roles such as Director of Education and President.

 

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr

Commissioner Brendan Carr is the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, having served previously as the FCC’s General Counsel. Nominated by both President Trump and President Biden, Carr has been confirmed unanimously by the Senate three times.

Described by Axios as “the FCC’s 5G crusader,” Carr has led the FCC’s work to modernize its infrastructure rules and accelerate the buildout of high-speed networks. His reforms cut billions of dollars in red tape, enabled the private sector to construct high-speed networks in communities across the country, and extended America’s global leadership in 5G.

Commissioner Carr is also focused on expanding America’s skilled workforce—the tower climbers and construction crews needed to build next-gen networks. His jobs initiative promotes community colleges and apprenticeships as a pipeline for good-paying 5G jobs. He is recognizing America’s talented tower crews through a series of “5G Ready” Hard Hat presentations.

Commissioner Carr leads a groundbreaking telehealth initiative at the FCC. The Connected Care Pilot Program supports the delivery of high-quality care to low-income Americans and veterans.

Commissioner Carr’s time outside of Washington helps inform his approach to the job. He regularly hits the road to hear directly from community members and learn how changes in federal policies could help improve their lives.

Commissioner Carr brings nearly 20 years of private and public sector experience in communications and tech policy to his position. Before joining the FCC as a staffer back in 2012, he worked as an attorney at Wiley Rein LLP in the firm’s appellate, litigation, and telecom practices. Previously, Commissioner Carr clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit for Judge Dennis Shedd. After attending Georgetown University for his undergrad, Commissioner Carr earned his J.D. magna cum laude from the Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law where he served as an editor of the Catholic University Law Review.

Commissioner Carr lives in Virginia with his wife and three kids.

 

Lindsey Ekstrand, M.Ed., Director, Workforce Education Programs, Youngstown State University

Lindsey Ekstrand is currently the Director, Workforce Education Programs for Youngstown State University’s STEM Workforce Education and Innovation, IT Workforce Accelerator Training Center. She has an advanced degree in Education and is an industry expert with over 15 years of successful experience in hospitality, training, leadership, and event and project management. Prior to joining Youngstown State University, Lindsey emerged as a leading professional during her nine-year tenure with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company where she built a reputation for developing business strategies that contribute to long-term solutions and success.

Ms. Ekstrand’s vision and proven ability to foster relationships drive her passion for excellence in others. Lindsey is most fulfilled when helping people to grow professionally and she looks forward to being a part of the evolution of education and workforce and advancing employability at Youngstown State University and the surrounding community.

Lindsey received a Bachelor of Science from Middle Tennessee State University and a Master’s of Education from Cleveland State University in Liberal Arts and Adult Learning and Development, respectively.

 

Perry Gregory, Senior Vice President, National Center for Urban Solutions

Perry Gregory is a visionary leader who has dedicated his life to creating equitable solutions for urban communities, following his father’s legacy. He is the Senior Vice President of Corporate Business Development and Workforce Services at the National Center for Urban Solutions (NCUS). NCUS is a national diversified enterprise that improves outcomes for urban communities in more than 18 cities with solution-based services and programming in workforce development, education, and health and wellness.

Perry has over 15 years’ experience establishing innovative partnerships with Fortune 500 companies and government agencies, generating thousands of jobs and career upscaling opportunities for untapped communities. He is passionate about serving the community and leads industry sector partnerships with public and private partners that aim to create economic opportunity for untapped individuals in emerging industries.

Perry is also deeply committed to community service, which he shows through his participation in various committees and organizations. He is a member of the Ohio Manufacturing Association Workforce committee, the Ohio EV Workforce Committee, the Franklin County Digital Equity Coalition, and the Youngstown/Warren Chamber workforce committee. He also volunteers with the African American Male Wellness Agency and the Academy for Urban Scholars.

Perry is a proud graduate of an HBCU (Central State University), where he majored in Business Management and was a member of the football team. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, traveling and researching.

 

Patrick Halley, President and CEO, WIA

Patrick Halley is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA). WIA represents over 140 companies that develop, build, own and operate the nation’s wireless infrastructure and is the leading authority on all things wireless.

Mr. Halley joined WIA in August of 2022. Prior to joining the association, he was the Senior Vice President of Policy & Advocacy and General Counsel at USTelecom – The Broadband Association. There he led the association’s policy development and advocacy efforts in Washington, DC, and the states. He also served as an officer of the Industry Traceback Group, LLC, an organization that traces, sources, and ultimately works to prevent illegal robocalls.

Prior to joining USTelecom, Mr. Halley was a partner at the communications law firm Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP (WBK), where he advised communications providers and trade associations on strategic, policy, and legal matters. During that time, he was the Executive Director of the Next Generation 911 Institute, a not-for profit organization supporting the work of the Congressional Next Generation 911 Caucus to modernize the nation’s 911 system.

He previously served at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in numerous roles, including as a legal advisor to an FCC Chairman and two Bureau Chiefs, as Associate Chief of the Wireline Competition Bureau, and Acting Director of the Commission’s Office of Legislative Affairs. Before joining the FCC, Mr. Halley was the Director of Government Affairs for NENA – The 911 Association where he served as the association’s liaison with Congress, the FCC, and other government agencies.

Patrick graduated magna cum laude from the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law. He received a Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, from The George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs.

Eric Leach is an associate at Ice Miller, where he works with the firm’s regulatory and government affairs clients to develop and implement their public policy strategies, state and federal government procurement, and provides counsel on public and government relations issue management. Eric’s areas of government affairs practice include K-12 education, higher education, workforce development, telecommunications, and advanced manufacturing, specifically electric vehicles and semiconductors. Eric’s areas of legal practice include telecommunications, utilities, and regulatory law.

 

Eric Leach, Associate, Ice Miller

Prior to joining Ice Miller, Eric served as the Deputy Director of the Ohio Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, serving under Lt. Governor Jon Husted, where he led major policy initiatives for the DeWine-Husted administration, including Ohio’s broadband and 5G workforce strategy, electric vehicle workforce strategy, and a comprehensive statewide policy plan for computer science and cybersecurity education.

Prior to the Ohio Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, Eric served as the Director of Research and Policy at the Association of Independent Colleges & Universities of Ohio, where he led research and policy development initiatives on behalf of the association, focusing on workforce development, with an emphasis on stakeholder engagement with think tanks and business associations to develop legislative priorities that benefited Ohio’s independent colleges and universities.

He also was a Senior Legislative Aide in the Ohio House of Representatives. In this role, he assisted in the coordination, research and drafting of legislation with stakeholders to advance policy initiatives for then Assistant Majority Whip Bill Reineke. He assisted constituents and district organizations with government agency interactions and gained working knowledge in areas of policy relating to advanced technologies, autonomous vehicles, education, renewable energy, and workforce development.

 

Shane Matthews, Director of Training and Development, ElectriCom

Shane Matthews is the Director of Training and Development for ElectriCom, a Utility Infrastructure Contractor operating in the telecommunication and power industries.  Shane is a proud graduate of the University of Evansville, where his passion for people and improvement led him to a degree in Education.  With a career that has spanned both the construction and manufacturing industries, Shane has focused his skills on leadership, process improvement (LEAN), and employee development. Currently Shane oversees ElectriCom’s learning management system platform, new employee orientation, leadership development programs, and USDOL Registered Apprenticeship Programs. Shane serves as Chair of WIA’s TIRAP Advisory Committee (Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program) and of PCCA’s Education Board.

 

FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks

Commissioner Geoffrey Starks believes that communications technology has the potential to be one of the most powerful forces on Earth for promoting equality and opportunity. To unlock that potential, however, all Americans must have access. From combatting internet inequality to advocating for diversity in employment, entrepreneurship, and media ownership, Commissioner Starks fights for policies designed to ensure that modern communications technology empowers every American.

Because high-quality broadband is essential to participating in our economy and society, Commissioner Starks has been a champion for the millions of Americans who lack access to or cannot afford a home internet connection. As a native Kansan, he understands the communications needs of rural America. He has consistently advocated for broadband deployment that helps rural communities tap into economic and educational opportunities that may not be close to home, which both encourages young people to stay and attracts new residents and employers.

Bringing a wealth of enforcement experience to the Commission, Commissioner Starks advocates for consumer protection and accountability, particularly in managing the Universal Service Fund. Before he was appointed Commissioner, Starks helped lead the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau, handling a wide variety of complex investigations. At the Department of Justice, he served as a senior advisor to the Deputy Attorney General on a variety of domestic and international law enforcement matters and received the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service—the highest honor award a DOJ employee can receive.

Commissioner Starks is also a leader on national security policy, working to eliminate untrustworthy equipment from America’s communications networks. His Find It, Fix It, Fund It initiative brought national attention to the urgent need to support small and rural companies as they work to make their networks more secure. With regard to personal data security, while Commissioner Starks fully supports the promise of advanced wireless service and other cutting-edge technologies—and works to ensure that all communities share in the benefits of these advancements—he also fully appreciates the potentially intrusive powers of some communications technologies and is vigilant to ensure against any uses of those powers that would promote illegal discrimination or compromise personal privacy.

Before he entered federal public service, Commissioner Starks practiced law at Williams & Connolly, clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit, served as a legislative staffer in the Illinois State Senate, and worked as a financial analyst. Commissioner Starks graduated from Harvard College with high honors and Yale Law School. He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife, Lauren, and their two children.

 

Peter Voderberg, Chief, BroadbandOhio

Peter Voderberg is a forward-thinking leader who serves as the Chief of BroadbandOhio, an office within the Ohio Department of Development dedicated to bringing high-speed internet access to every resident in Ohio – regardless of where they live or work.

In this vital role with BroadbandOhio, which was created to serve as the access point for the industry and the public for coordinating the state’s broadband efforts, Peter spearheads initiatives to enhance broadband access and digital opportunity, ensuring all Ohioans can participate in the modern economy.

Peter’s career, which includes being named the Citizen of the Year in 2023 by the Ohio Library Council, has been marked by a commitment to technology-driven public service. He has experience in all three branches of government and has worked for two governors, the Third District Court of Appeals, and the Ohio Legislature.

Peter earned his J.D. from the University of Dayton School of Law and has a bachelor’s degree in English from The Ohio State University.