Evaluating the Broadband Stimulus

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Evaluating the Broadband Stimulus

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Rural Utilities Service have obligated nearly $7.2 billion for broadband-related activities under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Final funds were dispensed by September 30, 2010. This panel will consider how well the agencies performed their tasks - and set the stage for identifying the factors that will help provide rigorous evaluation of program results.

Telecommunications advocates, policy-makers, journalists, top officials and the general public, all seeking to trade insights on these important issues, are invited to attend this event of the Broadband Breakfast Club, which includes full American and Continental breakfasts, for as little as $45.00, plus a modest registration fee.

This event is on the record and open to the public. 

For News and Events on BroadbandBreakfast.com follow us at http://www.twitter.com/broadbandcensus

Event Details

Title:  Evaluating the Broadband Stimulus

Date:  Tuesday, October 19, 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. 

Where:  Clyde's of Gallery Place, 707 7th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001

The breakfast begins at 8 a.m., followed by a discussion, beginning shortly after 8:30 a.m. and ending by 10 a.m.

Panelists:

• Charles Benton, Chairman, Benton Foundation

Charles Benton has served as Chairman of the Benton Foundation. Charles has also had a long career in the media education and entertainment businesses, including Public Media Inc. He has led the Foundation to articulate a public interest vision for the digital age. In 1978, President Carter appointed Charles as chairman of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science and as chairman of the first White House Conference on Library and Information Services. In 1997 and 1998, Charles was a member of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Public Interest Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters. In August 2010, Charles was unanimously elected Chairman of the Partnership for a Connected Illinois, Inc., the non-profit designated entity under the State Broadband Data and Development grant program.

• Jacquie Jones, Executive Director, National Black Programming Consortium
  

Jacquie Jones is the Executive Director of the National Black Programming Consortium, a 30-year-old media arts organization that funds, distributes and produces public interest media for all platforms. Since taking over leadership of NBPC, Jacquie has established herself as a leader in the evolving next-media landscape through innovative partnerships and initiatives such as the Katrina Project in 2005, the ground-breaking New Media Institute, which she founded in 2006, and the portal www.blackpublicmedia.org. Currently she is piloting the Public Media Corps, which was submitted as a proposal to BTOP, to use public media assets in a high-touch campaign to drive adoption.

• Craig Settles, President, Successful.com and Independent Industry Analyst

For over 20 years Craig Settles' workshops, consulting services and books have helped organizations worldwide use technology to cut costs, improve business operations and increase revenue. His many in-depth analysis reports and books, including Fighting the Next Good Fight: Bringing True Broadband to Your Community, establish Mr. Settles as a prominent thought leader on executing effective strategies to deploy broadband. His public-sector clients include Benicia, CA and the State of California, with Microsoft and Symantec on his private sector client list. Mr. Settles is also Co-Director of Communities United for Broadband, a national grass roots effort to assist communities launch their networks.

• Lori Sherwood, Inter-County Broadband Network, Maryland

Lori Sherwood is the Broadband and Cable Administrator in Howard County Maryland where she helped lead the 18 month effort for the $115 million dollar BTOP middle mile infrastructure grant recently awarded to the One Maryland Broadband Network. Howard County, under Lori’s direction, will be managing 72 million dollars of the BTOP grant on behalf of the 10 Central Maryland jurisdictions that comprise the Inter-County Broadband Network. ICBN will utilize grant funds to directly connect 715 community anchor institutions, interconnect government networks for shared resources, spur economic development with public and private partnerships and improve interoperability for public safety. Lori has over 15 years of experience in government affairs on the federal, state and local levels including extensive experience in strategic and political consulting, coalition building and community organizing. She has an undergraduate degree in anthropology from the American University and is an honors graduate of the University of Baltimore School of Law.

• Other speakers have been invited

The event is hosted by Drew Clark, Chairman and Publisher of BroadbandBreakfast.com and moderated by Bernie Arnason, Managing Partner & Founder, Pivot Media. Bernie Arnason provides strategic direction and leadership to Pivot Media, where he follows the telecom industry and conducts industry research and analysis. He is also managing editor of Telecompetitor, Pivot Media’s leading telecom industry blog. Previously he co-founded the TelcoTV Conference and Expo. Prior to Pivot, Bernie spent seven years with the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association as the vice president of business development. Prior to his work with NTCA, Bernie worked for Bell Atlantic (now Verizon Communications) in network operations. Bernie holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of the District of Columbia and a M.S. in Telecommunications from the Johns Hopkins University.Join the conversation for an engaging and in-depth examination of broadband - one of the most vital topics of our day.

The Broadband Breakfast Club is a "widely attended event" under House of Representatives Rule 25, clause 5(a)(4)(A).

PLEASE NOTE: The Broadband Breakfast Club has moved to Clyde's of Gallery Place, at 707 7th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001, conveniently located adjacent to the Gallery Place Metro Station on the Red Line.

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For individuals outside of Washington, or those whose schedule doesn’t permit attendance in person, archived webcasts of the Broadband Breakfast Club are available for free on BroadbandBreakfast.com.

The Broadband Breakfast Club seeks sponsorship of our events from interested companies and organizations. We especially encourage organizations to sponsor a package of multiple events — such as one of our upcoming topical series. For details on sponsorship opportunities, please contact Sylvia Syracuse at 646-262-4630 or sylvia@broadbandcensus.com. The Broadband Breakfast Club is produced by Broadband Census News LLC. 

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