In this opening session, attendees will participate in a collaborative exercise to identify the next impending roadblocks to their broadband connectivity. Our expert presenters will aspire to address each of these issues throughout the day's sessions in order to proactively provide solutions for communities.

Much of the news coverage about federal broadband legislation has focused on the amount of spending, but these policies represent a powerful and important shift in the federal stance on broadband. Notably, the federal government’s approach establishes future-looking technological standards, prioritizes community-based solutions and embraces holistic approaches to bridging the digital divide.

In addition to reflecting more than a decade of research on digital divide, these federal policies will be led and implemented by those who know these challenges best: state and local leaders. What does this moment mean for these groups and their partners as they craft plans to ensure their communities not only have access to universal, affordable broadband, but have the skills and devices to use those connections in a meaningful way?

Kathryn de Wit directs The Pew Charitable Trusts’ broadband access initiative, which works with state and federal lawmakers, researchers, and other partners to accelerate the nation’s progress to universal, affordable high-speed Internet service.

Before joining Pew, de Wit was an associate with Booz Allen Hamilton, where she focused on telecommunications issues. Before her work at Booz Allen Hamilton, she was a senior fellow with the Heinz Endowments.

De Wit holds bachelor’s degrees in communications and sociology from Penn State University and a master’s in public administration from the University of Pittsburgh.

The METRO Act regulates requirements for municipalities interested in building their own broadband infrastructure. Steps of the METRO Act include formalized project development, RFP consulting, preliminary design for cost benefit analysis, public education and more. Michigan Moonshot Marketplace partner Aspen Wireless will walk communities through METRO Act requirements to provide an understanding of the steps needed to become shovel-ready.

Recent efforts to design, build, own and run community-owned broadband networks are running into new complications based on changing perceptions on ownership, competition, and services among citizens, businesses and local governments. While previous conceptions of Internet service and governments have been fairly consistent and clear in past years, the global pandemic, displaced workforce and technological solutions to community problems have caused all of us to press the reset button on how we think of our access to reliable, affordable, equitable, high-speed Internet service. In this talk, Doug McCollough, CIO of the City of Dublin, Ohio, will describe current issues in deploying an FTTH network in that community, and how it is informed by the changing business, government, education and workforce landscapes. He will also explore ownership and management models, that may be applied to local broadband methods.

Doug McCollough has embraced the rich community of innovation that is Central Ohio and now serves as external CIO/CTO with the City of Dublin. Through collaborations and partnerships he has worked to connect people to opportunities, remove barriers, and promote change in initiatives ranging from Smart and Connected Cities, IT Workforce Development, expanding broadband access, Connected and Autonomous Vehicles, and Blockchain in Government. He has spoken as a Subject Matter Expert and advocate on technical subjects, diversity and inclusion, and using technology for community development and now serves as an advisor, consultant, and advocate for communities and organizations.

Prior to his current work, Doug held positions within the State of Ohio Departments of Public Safety, Commerce, Industrial Commission, and Medicaid. He served as the Director of Information Technology for the City of Richmond, Virginia, and as a Project Manager at Nationwide Insurance and Alcatel-Lucent. He is on the boards of Per Scholas Columbus, TECH CORPS, and Jewish Family Services of Columbus, is a cofounder of Black Tech Columbus, and a Trustee for the Central Ohio Transit Authority.

Doug earned a bachelors degree from the University of Toledo in Information Systems and Operations Management and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Notre Dame. He is a 2020 Champion for Women Award winner from EmpoWE-R Women of Information Security, 2019 Top Doers, Dreamers, and Drivers Honoree, and 2018 Ohio Public Sector CIO Academy Municipality CIO of the Year.

For municipalities, counties and electric co-ops, good early planning is one of the critical success factors in reaching your community broadband goals. Now with more federal funding available for broadband, the opportunity to serve your community is ripe and preparation is essential. There are different approaches to take and decision points along the way that may have enormous implications later. This session will provide insights on four of those big decision points of a broadband deployment project: 1) Knowing What Problem You are Solving, 2) Identifying an Operating Model, 3) Selecting a Network Design That Meets the Goals, and 4) Building Your Team. This session will draw from key insights of successful broadband projects in Michigan and nationwide by an experienced broadband network builder.

Developing an accurate, high functioning architecture for broadband access networks is critical to its success. In this session we will discuss the necessary components and optimal automation strategies for operators.

The closing discussion of this event will review the hurdles and roadblocks identified by communities in our opening session. In what ways did participants discover solutions to their largest network hurdles? Outstanding questions will be answered by the day's presenters.