RUS Administrator Jonathan Adelstein Keynotes 'Challenges to Rural Broadband Availability and Adoption'

To register for this for future Broadband Breakfast Club events click here.

Challenges

to

Rural Broadband Availability and Adoption

Please note: the Keynote Address for this event will begin at 8:15 am sharp

Among the thorniest question to be addressed in the realm of broadband adoption is how to reach rural areas. When it comes to high-speed internet services, in many cases there is both a supply problem and an adoption challenge. What are the particular tools that have aided in the availability and usage of broadband? Are there best-practice models in particular states? This panel of experts and practitioners from rural areas will explore and assess ways at helping rural areas become truly connected.

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. 

Event Details

Title: Challenges to Rural Broadband Availability and Adoption

Date: Tuesday, June 15th, 2010, 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. KEYNOTE BEGINS AT 8:15 AM SHARP

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.

Keynote Speaker:

• Jonathan S. Adelstein, Administrator, Rural Utility Service (RUS), US Department of Agriculture

Jonathan Adelstein was nominated by President Obama to serve as the 17^th Administrator of USDA’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS).  Adelstein previously served as Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission from 2002 to 2009.  A life-long public servant, Adelstein has dedicated his career to fighting for the public interest.  Adelstein continues to work to ensure that all consumers have access to the latest telecommunications services no matter where they live.  Before joining the Commission, Adelstein served for fifteen years as a staff member in the United States Senate.  Born and raised in Rapid City, South Dakota, Adelstein lives with his wife and two children in the Washington, D.C. area.

Panelists:

• Curtis Anderson, Vice President & General Counsel, MELE Associates, Inc.

Curtis Anderson’s portfolio at MELE includes activities at the Departments of Energy and Commerce, including nuclear safety, renewable energy and telecommunications. Previously, Mr. Anderson was Deputy Administrator of the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), where he served for seven years. Before that, he served as Acting Administrator of RUS for one year. Mr. Anderson was Secretary to the Board of the Farm Credit Administration and at the Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation for four years before working for the Hon. Barbara Vucanovich of Nevada on Capitol Hill. Subsequently, he was made Chief Financial Officer, General Counsel, and Assistant Secretary-Treasurer of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA). Earlier in his career he was at Tulsa, Oklahoma law firm of Huffman Arrington Kihle Gaberino & Dunn and the Solicitor's office of the U.S. Department of Interior. Mr. Anderson received a B.S. in Accounting (Wharton School), a B.A. in Economics from the University Pennsylvania and a J.D. from Southern California School of Law.

• Jeffrey Arnold, Deputy Legislative Director, National Association of Counties

Jeff Arnold serves as Deputy Director of the Legislative Department for the National Association of Counties where he is chief lobbyist on Telecommunications and Technology policy. He is also responsible for managing NACo's policy development and the administrative functions of the department. He has over twenty-five years of experience in Washington, working on and with Capitol Hill. Prior to joining NACo, he served as the Deputy Director of the Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs and Senate Liaison at the U.S. Department of the Interior.  Jeff's early career in Washington was spent on Capitol Hill including two years as a Professional Staff Member for the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and six years as a Senior Legislative Assistant to U.S. Senator Mark O. Hatfield of Oregon.

• Steven K. Berry, President & CEO, Rural Cellular Association

Mr. Berry is 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 RCA, Berry served as Director Governmental Affairs (Global) at Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc., New York and Washington, DC.

• Jennie B. Chandra, Regulatory Counsel & Director, Federal Government Affairs, Windstream

Jennie Chandra is a regulatory counsel and director of federal government affairs at Windstream Communications, where she engages in advocacy on broadband, telecommunications, and entertainment issues before the FCC and Congress.  Previously, Jennie was appointed an advisor on policy and planning at the California Public Utilities Commission.  There, she led drafting of Governor Schwarzenegger’s Executive Order on Twenty-First Century Government:  Expanding Broadband Access and Usage in California - the PUC decision that created California’s first-ever state video franchise regulatory regime, and that instituted the state’s wireless consumer protection initiative. Jennie holds a J.D., M.A. in Sociology and B.A. in Information Economics and Policy all from Stanford. Jennie’s prior experience includes serving as a Gardner Fellow in the office of FCC Commissioner Kathleen Q. Abernathy and a Sand Hill Fellow at the Kaiser Family Foundation.

• Claiborn Crain, Senior Professional Staff, House Committee on Agriculture

Mr. Crain has been an advocate for rural America for over 30 years, including more than 12 years as an advisor to the Administrator of the Rural Utilities Service. There, he worked on the financing of rural infrastructure for electric, telecommunications and water. During that time, he also served as acting State Director for Rural Development in Texas. Before that, Mr. Crain worked for Texas Congressmen the Hon. Graham Purcell and the Hon. Jack Hightower. He also served as legislative staff member of US Senator Paul Wellstone of Minnesota and as agriculture policy advisor to the Hon. Mark White, Governor of Texas. Previous to that, he served as Executive Vice President of an export development association of farmer owned cooperatives and the Agriculture Council of America. A native of Texas, Mr. Crain worked for the Texas State Senate and on the constitutional convention for the State of Texas. Mr. Crain received his education at West Texas State University (now West Texas A & M University) in Canyon, Texas.

The event is hosted by Sylvia Syracuse, Director of Marketing and Events for BroadbandBreakfast.com, and moderated by Sharon McLoone, Managing Editor of BroadbandBreakfast.com. Sharon has been a journalist for 20 years, with most of her work focusing on technology, business and politics. Her work has appeared in CNN Money, The New York Times, The Washington Post and Science, as well as smaller, more specialized publications. Just prior to her work with BroadbandBreakfast.com, she worked as a business reporter at WashingtonPost.com and as an editor at National Journal’s Technology Daily, a publication covering politics and policy of interest to the high-tech and media communities. Join the conversation for an engaging and in-depth examination of broadband - one of the most vital topics of our day.

TO REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT PLEASE CLICK HERE

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.

-----

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.

The Broadband Breakfast Club is Sponsored by:

International Broadband Electric Communications, Inc.