Biography for Joanne C. Wilson

An electrical engineer with over 35 years of experience in telecommunications, including over 30 years of involvement in the International Telecommunication Union.

Ms. Wilson is currently the Deputy to the Director of ITU Radiocommunication Bureau & Chief of the Informatics, Administration &Publications Department. She led the ITU’s conference preparations and was the Executive and Plenary Secretary of the 2019 and 2023 World Radiocommunication Conferences.

Before joining the ITU, Ms. Wilson represented NASA on US delegations to world conferences and meetings across all sectors of the ITU from 2010-2019. From 2015 – 2018, Ms. Wilson was a Member of the Radio Regulations Board (RRB), including serving as the 2018 Vice Chair of RRB.

From 2001 – 2007, as VP of Standards (ArrayComm), Ms. Wilson and her team developed and executed successful standardization strategies for commercial mobile broadband wireless systems in nationally and internationally recognized standards bodies.

For much of her career, Ms. Wilson represented various companies (AT&T, Lucent Technologies, and ArrayComm) in the ITU-R, in US regulatory proceedings and international negotiations on spectrum management, wireless standards, and other regulatory and market access issues.

Ms. Wilson holds a BSEE degree from Southern University (1981), an MS degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University (1982), along with further graduate study from Princeton University (1986)

Gerasimos Sofianatos is the Deputy Head at the European Commission, DG CNECT Unit B5, “Investment in high-capacity networks”. He has been a Commission official since 2011 and worked in different roles related to policy and implementation of the EU Regulatory Framework for Electronic Communications.
Gerasimos led the team monitoring and implementing EU law and the European Electronic Communications Code. Before joining the Commission, Gerasimos worked as a legal officer at the Cypriot National Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications (OCECPR). He is a Member of the Athens Bar Association, where he practiced competition law after completing his master’s in business law and a Ph.D. in competition law at the Paris 1- Sorbonne University.
He also holds a law degree from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and a post-graduate degree in Economics for Competition law from the King’s College London.

Alan Rosner is the Director of the Spectrum National Security Systems Program in the NTIA Office of Spectrum Management, having joined in 2023. Previously, Rosner worked for the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) from 2003-2023 in various technical and programmatic capacities. Prior to joining NTIA he served as Program Manager for the Thunderdome Zero Trust project within the DISA Cyber Security and Analytics Directorate. Most of Rosner’s DISA career was spent working for the Joint Spectrum Center (JSC) within DISA’s Defense Spectrum Organization (DSO). He served as the Chief of the Spectrum Enterprise Services Branch at JSC and was the Program Manager for the Global Electromagnetic Spectrum Information System (GEMSIS) and Electromagnetic Battle Management (EMBM). He has significant experience in the management and development of software capabilities to enhance the government’s ability to operate and evolve their use of the electromagnetic spectrum. Prior to DISA he was a consulting engineer for 15 years working on engineering regulatory matters before the Federal Communications Commission and has been involved in numerous projects including high-definition television, digital radio, satellite earth stations, cellular, radio-frequency radiation exposure, land mobile and terrestrial microwave systems. Rosner has a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) from The Catholic University of America and is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the District of Columbia.

Alessandra Lustrati is the Head of Digital Development in the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). As part of her role, Alessandra leads the team responsible for the Digital Development Strategy (2024-2030) and oversees the global Digital Access Programme. Her work is focused on supporting the inclusive, responsible and sustainable digital transformation of developing and emerging countries. Alessandra is a development economist by background, and an accredited Senior Private Sector Development Adviser within FCDO. Before joining the UK Government, she worked with the United Nations, the European Commission, and in the non-profit and private sectors - with an emphasis on inclusive and sustainable economic growth, and a deep interest in the role of digital technologies for the reduction of poverty and inequality. Alessandra has lived and worked extensively across Africa, Asia and Europe, and speaks seven languages.

David Willis is Group Director for Spectrum, responsible for leading Ofcom's work managing the UK's airwaves.

David has 30 years of technology and telecoms experience in government and industry. Before joining Ofcom, he was President of the Communications Research Centre, the Government of Canada's research centre for advanced wireless telecommunications, spectrum management and helping to improve broadband services for Canadians.

Before this, David led the Spectrum Engineering and Planning team at Innovation Science and Economic Development Canada. Here his work included international spectrum standards; wireless spectrum engineering and planning; satellite spectrum policy, licensing and coordination; and leading the Canadian delegation at the 2019 World Radiocommunication Conference.

David has also held leadership roles in product management, operations and engineering at BlackBerry and Nortel Networks.

Mr. Masanori Kondo, Secretary General of the APT, brings to his post over 25 years of eminent experience and expertise both in national and international stage.

Before joining APT, Mr. Kondo had long tenure with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan. His international experiences include working as a diplomat at the Japanese Embassy in Jordan (1996-1999), and as a policy maker for bilateral and multilateral issues for G7, OECD, APEC, ITU etc. (2002-04, 2008-2014). He also implemented many projects under PPP in ICT field and collaborated with many international organizations and private sectors.

Mr. Kondo holds B.A. in Economics from Keio University in Japan and MSc. in Economics from the London School of Economics (LSE) in the United Kingdom. He was also a visiting scholar at Harvard University (Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, 2003-04) in the United States.

Omneya Issa is the Director of Dynamic Spectrum Access at Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada. In her current role, she is responsible for developing policies that support automated spectrum management and alternative forms of spectrum allocation, addressing growing demand from a variety of stakeholders, including rural providers and innovators outside the traditional mobile industry.
Previously, she was Section Head of Business Strategies for future Information Capabilities with the Department of National Defence. She was also Manager at Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada, responsible for public safety spectrum planning. Earlier, she was a Senior Research Scientist with Communications Research Centre (CRC) Canada, where she led initiatives for efficient use of spectrum. She also worked in the private sector on wireless and mobile technologies for main Canadian operators and manufacturers. She holds a BSc and MSc in Computer Engineering and Ph.D. degree in Telecommunications from INRS-EMT, Montreal, QC, Canada.

Eng. Glenn Fallas Fallas
General Director - Quality of Service and Spectrum Department


Glenn Fallas Fallas is an Electronic Engineer, with a degree on Telematics and Telecommunications Project Management.

Mr. Fallas has more than 18 years of experience in the regulation of the telecommunications sector, including the areas of quality of service, end-user rights protection and spectrum management.

He has been involved in the quality-of-service regulation and measurement, including mobile, wireless, and fixed services. He is in charge of the team that proposed and established the current telecommunications regulations in Costa Rica, as the end user rights protection, quality of service (including KPIs, thresholds and measuring methodologies establishment), among others. His team also executes the nationwide quality of service measurements enforcing the QoS regulations and resolves end-user complaints

In the spectrum area, he 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.

He headed 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.”

Ms. Bernadette Lewis was appointed as the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation in August 2020. This is a historic appointment as she is the first female Secretary-general in the 120-year history of the CTO. This is indeed a major accomplishment that should encourage women everywhere to strive for the mastery of whatever profession they may choose and especially in science and technology.

Breaking the glass ceiling is not new to Ms. Lewis; she was also the first female Secretary-General of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) and she is credited for making the CTU the foremost information and communication technology (ICT) inter-governmental institution in the Caribbean.

A national of Trinidad and Tobago, Ms. Lewis brings to the CTO a wealth of experience in public and private sectors and is knowledgeable in national and regional ICT issues. The 4th Industrial Revolution, the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated financial contagion, is changing the world irrevocably, ushering us into an environment of unprecedented uncertainty. For the CTO, surviving, indeed thriving in this environment will necessitate innovative leadership, a deep understanding of ICT and faith and courage to deviate from the beaten paths of 20th Century thinking to build a 21st century organisation that is relevant and serves its members with integrity and excellence. Ms. Lewis brings these qualities to the CTO.

Ira Keltz

Ira Keltz is Deputy Chief of the FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology.
OET is the Commission’s primary resource for engineering expertise and provides technical support to the Chairperson, Commissioners and FCC Bureaus and Offices. Mr. Keltz is responsible for developing national spectrum policies for the United States telecommunications industry. This includes allocating spectrum for licensed services, setting technical rules for unlicensed devices, and implementing procedures for equipment certification.

Mr. Keltz has totaled over 27 years at the FCC spanning two separate stints. In addition to positions in OET, he has held various positions in the Commission’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. Mr. Keltz has also worked for the law firm DLA Piper as well as Loral Advanced Projects and LSA, Inc. He earned a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from the George Washington University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan.

Jonas Wessel is Director of the Spectrum Department at the Swedish Post and Telecom Agency (PTS).
He was also Chair of the Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG) for the 2018-2019 period. The RSPG is a high-level advisory group that assists the European Commission in the development of radio spectrum policy. Jonas holds a MSC from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Industrial Engineering and Management. Jonas started his professional career as a strategy consultant, working mainly with business development in the telecoms and IT-sector.
In 2003, he joined the PTS as advisor on radio spectrum policy issues. After several positions within the Agency, including responsibility for auctions, he was assigned Director of the Spectrum Department in 2014. Jonas has been one of the driving forces behind the transformation of spectrum management in Sweden and has also been working with these issues internationally, mainly through the RSPG where he has been a delegate since 2004. He was Vice Chairman of the RSPG for the 2016-2017 period.

Dr. Waldon Antonio Russell, DBA, is an accomplished executive leader with over 20 years of experience in the telecommunications regulatory sector. As the Chief Operations Officer at the Utilities Regulation & Competition Authority (URCA) in Nassau, Bahamas, Dr. Russell plays a pivotal role in shaping the national spectrum policy and guiding the organisation's strategic direction.

Dr. Russell holds a Doctor of Business Administration in Strategy & Innovation, an MBA in Finance, and a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering. He has further distinguished himself with advanced leadership and management certifications from prestigious institutions such as Yale and Oxford. This strong educational foundation has enabled Dr. Russell to develop extensive expertise in strategy and policy formulation, process redesign, change management, and relationship management. His leadership has been instrumental on the global stage, where he has represented the Bahamas by leading delegations at the World Radio Conferences and Meetings of the Inter-American Telecommunications Commission.

Beyond his executive roles, Dr. Russell is a seasoned educator, having served on the faculties of Mary Baldwin University, Southern College, and the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Training Institute. Known for his progressive and practical leadership approach, he emphasises effective communication, resource allocation, and organisational advocacy. Throughout his career, Dr. Russell has excelled in navigating complex regulatory environments, fostering stakeholder relationships, and driving significant operational improvements.

Dr. Tassos Lyratzis is an Electrical & Computer Engineer and holds a PhD in the field of Telecommunications & Computer Networks (1994). During his PhD studies, he worked as a specialist in Telecommunications in various European research projects.

He is currently working in the Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission (EETT) since 2001, in the Spectrum Directorate. He has been the Head of the Spectrum Management Department (2003-2006) when EETT was involved in the Spectrum Management of the Olympic Games of Athens in 2004. Since 2011 he is Head (Director) of Spectrum Division of EETT.

He participates in international activities in CEPT (WGFM and ECC) as well as in European Union groups like the Radio Spectrum Committee (2003-2006), and the Radio Spectrum Policy Group (2011 – today). Since 2016 he has been co-chair of the RSPG sub-Groups working on 5G and 6G topics.

Mr. Bharat Bhatia has over 45 years of experience in Telecom and ICT policy, regulations and spectrum management. He is the President of ITU-APT Foundation of India and Vice Chairman of the World Wireless Research Forum (WWRF) for the Asia Pacific. Mr. Bhatia also chairs the PPDR working groups under ITU and APT. Earlier he was also the President of TEMA – India’s Telecom Equipment Manufacturers Association and Vice President of ATIS -Association of Telecom Industries of Singapore. Mr. Bhatia was earlier heading the international spectrum team of Motorola Solutions Inc. where he worked for over 20 years. Prior to that, he was a senior regulator with the Indian Government for 22 years as a spectrum regulator and Telecom policy specialist and was actively involved in opening of the Indian telecom to the private sector, including the licensing of first ever GSM metro cellular in India through a beauty contest in 1992. He was also a key architect of India’s first ever National Frequency Allocation Plan (NFAP) in 1981 and the first ever published NFAP in 2000. Mr. Bhatia actively participates in various ITU and APT meetings and has attended all World Radio Conferences during the last 20 years.He was the key originator of ITU World Radio Conference Resolutions on PPDR, which were adopted at WRC-2003 and WRC-2015.Mr. Bharat Bhatia holds a B. E. degree from University of Delhi in Electronics and Telecommunications and is a fellow member of IETE, the Institution of Electronics & Telecommunications Engineers. He did his Foundational Course from Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in 1976.

Ms. Thabisa Faye has 10 years of experience in the ICT sector across the African continent, having worked in over fifteen (15) countries. She has contributed to policy formation projects across the ICT sector, including leading the task of drafting the Postal Service Policy Green Paper in South Africa.
Ms Thabisa has experience in ICT regulatory Analysis, Economic Advisory, Renewable, Trust Management, Strategic Repositioning, Public Policy, and Project Management.
Throughout the years, she has played a critical role in the country's technological advancements over the years; where she also served as the company representative to the ICT industry body, South African Communications Forum, by serving on the Policy and the Finance Committee and held two terms on the Board.
Ms. Faye holds a Master's degree in International Development Management from the University of Westminster Business School, an Honours Degree in Development Studies from the University of the Western Cape and a Project Management Certificate from the University of Witwatersrand.

Chris Woolford is Ofcom’s Director of International Spectrum Policy where his responsibilities cover the UK’s international spectrum interests, especially in relation to the ITU and CEPT. Chris has closely engaged for the UK on key European regulatory initiatives in the field of electronic communications and has participated for many years in various European spectrum groups. Chris also leads UK engagement with the ITU and led the UK delegation to WRCs in 2023, 2019, 2015 and 2012.

In 2019 Chris took on the role of Chairman of the Electronic Communications Committee (ECC) of CEPT and was re-elected for a second term in 2022. He is also a Director of the International Institute of Communications (IIC).

Chris has 25 years’ experience of working on spectrum and communications regulation, both at Ofcom and its predecessor (Oftel). He has a degree in mathematics and statistics from Manchester University.

Eng. Noel A. Smith
Spectrum Management & Monitoring

Electric and Electronic engineer, specialized in Wireless Telecommunication with an MBA degree. He has been worked for more than 15 years in regulation, with a wide experience in spectrum management and wireless systems.
Mr. Smith has represented Panama as a delegate in telecommunications regulations forums and meetings related to spectrum management, monitoring, and broadcasting in ITU Region 2.
He supervises the monitoring department, which have the responsibility to verify technical issues about telecommunication and broadcasting systems deployments, according to nationwide law.
Also, he has worked as team leader and member of different national’s study commission about telecommunications, spectrum planification, infrastructure and broadcasting.

PAVEL ŠÍSTEK
Head of Policy and Strategy Unit at the Czech Telecommunication Office

Pavel Šístek is head of the Policy and Strategy Unit of the Czech Telecommunication Authority. His role also includes strategic planning of radio frequencies and technological and regulatory innovations.
He represents the Czechia in several organisations, including the European Commission’s Radio Spectrum Policy Group and the Radio Spectrum Committee. He participates in the preparations of the ITU-R World Radio Conferences.
Pavel is also the author and co-author of several professional articles in the field of electromagnetic engineering and computational electromagnetics.

President of the Communications Services Regulatory Unit (URSEC) and of the National Council for Innovation, Science and Technology (CONICYT) of Uruguay.
PhD in Legal Sciences from the University of Granada (outstanding cum laude), Spain; LLM in Law, Technology and Entrepreneurship from Cornell Law School (Cornell Tech), United States; MBA from EAE Business School, and Master in Management, Administration and Business Organization from Camilo José Cela University, Spain; Lawyer and Master in Economic Administrative Law from the University of Montevideo, Uruguay.
Professor and Director of the Postgraduate Course on Digital Transformation and the Law at the University of Montevideo.

Alexander Kühn is the Head of Section on International and National Spectrum management at the German regulatory authority - BNetzA. The Section is responsible for spectrum strategy in the European Union and the authorization for experimental spectrum use. He is based in Bonn, Germany.
Alexander has over 15 years of professional experience in national and international spectrum regulation. Since 2004, his activities focused on international spectrum aspects, in particular participating in CEPT and ITU-R meetings. He chaired the WRC preparation of CEPT from 2013 to 2019 and is currently a Vice-Chairman of the ITU conference preparatory meeting to WRC-23 (CPM).
His career started in 2002 in the German NRA in the area of electronic signatures and the governance of relevant service providers. He holds second level degree in law.

Juan Sebastián Henao Parra
Economic Advisor, General Directorate
Economist with over 12 years of experience in the public sector (9 years in telecommunications), specializing in regulatory impact analysis, spectrum valuation through technical-economic analysis, and leading multidisciplinary teams. He is dedicated to innovation and data analytics, with strong technical skills, public policy experience, and strategic vision.
Juan Sebastián holds a Master's in Economics and a Master's in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science. He has served as a technical-economic advisor at the Communications Regulation Commission and, since 2020, at the General Directorate of the National Spectrum Agency, where he has contributed to developing new regulations and public policies in the telecommunications sector.

Since 2016, Dr. Ismail had held the esteemed position of Director General of Resources Management and Equipment of Post and Informatics at the Ministry of Communication and Informatic. In this role, he oversees the crucial tasks of ICT infrastructure development and ICT equipment standardization in Indonesia, leveraging his 30 years of experience as a government official.
Dr. Ismail’s professional dedication is evident in his pursuit of practical, efficient, dynamic, and optimum spectrum management. HE is committed to encouraging innovative technology that meets technical requirements, all while leading a team of 2.200 civilian officials nationwide.
He is actively involved in how the government could drive the ICT ecosystem; thus, Indonesia could harness its full potential through digital transformation, the digital economy, and Industry 4.0. He oversaw Indonesia’s Analog Switch Off (ASO) and International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) Control Policy.
Before this current role, he was one of the initiators of Palapa Ring, a pivotal project to connect all provinces and municipal districts with a high-capacity national backbone.

Cary Ingram is a Senior Analyst and Policy Advisor for the U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration. Cary advises senior Department of Commerce officials on international economic and trade policies concerning the information and communications technology (ICT) industry with specific expertise in telecommunications technologies. With over 18 years of experience in the technology sector, Cary is an advocate for global policies that increase international commerce and investment, promote innovation, and advance interoperability in the global technology ecosystem. Cary is also a leading expert within the Department of Commerce on policy and business development strategies to support tech startups, entrepreneurs, and high-growth companies in the global ICT market.

Prior to his work at the Department of Commerce, Cary worked in corporate strategy development for multi-national companies in the consumer goods, bio-technology, and financial services industries. Mr. Ingram also served as a consultant to the United Nations Office of the Secretary General on promoting corporate social responsibility and sustainable business practices.

Cary received a B.S.B.A in International Business and a B.A. in Economics and International Relations from Drake University. He went on to earn a Master’s in International Affairs from Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs.

Mr. Nikolai Vassiliev is the Chief of the Terrestrial Services Department in the Radiocommunication Bureau of the International Telecommunication Union.
He obtained his Master’s degree in radiocommunications in 1985 and MBA in management in 19992. From 1985 to 1996 he worked at different positions for the Russian Ministry of Telecommunications. In 1996 he joined the ITU. His current responsibilities cover spectrum management for terrestrial services, including mobile broadband, RLANs, broadcasting, maritime and aeronautical radiocommunications. He participates in ITU studies of emerging wireless technologies and provides regulatory and technical assistance to the ITU’s administrations.
At the international level, he participated in twelve ITU world and regional radiocommunication conferences since 1992 and numerous meetings, seminars and conferences on wireless communications in various regions of the world.

Olivia Trusty is a Professional Staff Member on the Senate Committee on Armed Services. In this role, she leads the cybersecurity subcommittee and handles the committee’s science and technology, artificial intelligence, and spectrum management portfolios. Prior to joining Armed Services, Trusty was policy director for two subcommittees at the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and worked in Senator Wicker’s personal office. In these roles, Trusty worked with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, as well as the Federal Communications Commission, on a variety of issues impacting federal and non-federal uses of electromagnetic spectrum. Before coming to the Senate, Trusty worked on the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee and served as legislative assistant to Congressman Bob Latta from Ohio where she handled the Communications and Technology policy portfolio. Prior to her work on Capitol Hill, Trusty was in the private sector where she worked in the telecommunications industry. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master’s degree in American Government from Georgetown University.

Dr. DORIANA GUIDUCCI is a spectrum expert at European Communications Office, the permanent office of the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT), based in Copenhagen. Her areas of expertise include mobile broadband, as well as spectrum engineer and frequency regulatory studies on various matters, including WAS/RLAN in the 6 GHz band. She has been the supporting spectrum expert for CEPT in the last two cycles of the World Radiocommunications Conferences.
She is also responsible within ECO for cooperation and liaison with academia and research bodies and is part of the coordination team of the CEPT Network of Women.
Her previous experience was with Fondazione Ugo Bordoni, the Italian research institution supporting the Public Administration in spectrum matters and ICT policies. She was head of the competence centre on ICT Policies and responsible for several research activities and projects, including pilot experiments for the shared access to spectrum. She completed her master degree and PhD in electronics and computer science at the University of Bologna.

Vincent Garnier, Director General – FTTH Council Europe

Vincent Garnier is the Director General of the FTTH Council Europe since July 2020. In this executive capacity, Vincent manages and shapes the FTTH Council’s agenda and ensures the continuous implementation of its mission to advance ubiquitous full fibre-based connectivity to the whole of Europe.

Vincent brings to this position 25 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, in Marketing and Business Development in EMEA and Asia for BtoB companies. Most recently he was Marketing Director responsible for defining the marketing strategies for the broadband solutions at CommScope, a global network infrastructure provider company. Prior to joining CommScope, Mr Garnier worked in international business development at TKH Group N.V. and as a Marketing Manager at Prysmian Group & Exide Technologies. Vincent Garnier has been actively involved in the FTTH Council Europe activities for several years. He became a Member of the Board of Directors and Treasurer in 2019.

Kevin Robinson is a 15-year veteran of Wi-Fi Alliance and became CEO of the organization in October 2022. Kevin is focused on securing sufficient, harmonized global Wi-Fi spectrum, deepening engagement and cohesion across the Wi-Fi ecosystem, and evolving the organization to ensure it remains as nimble as the industry it serves.

Serving as Wi-Fi Alliance’s Vice President of Marketing for the last seven years, Robinson has led many of the organization’s most transformative initiatives and has been a leading ambassador for promoting Wi‑Fi and Wi‑Fi Alliance as a collaboration forum worldwide. Kevin oversaw branding, communications, market development, product management, program marketing, and public relations for the organization. He was also responsible for driving the development of Wi-Fi Alliance corporate strategy.

Before joining Wi-Fi Alliance in 2008, Kevin enjoyed working with early-stage technology startups on business strategy consulting and technology market research. Kevin is a veteran of the United States Army, where he served as a Captain in the Infantry. Kevin holds a BS in Computer Science from the United States Military Academy at West Point and an MBA with a specialization in Entrepreneurship from The University of Texas at Austin. He lives with his family in Austin, Texas.

Michael A. Calabrese directs the Wireless Future Program at New America’s Open Technology Institute, a non-profit think tank based in Washington, D.C. He develops and advocates policies to promote ubiquitous, fast and affordable wireless broadband connectivity, including the reallocation of prime spectrum for unlicensed access, next generation Wi-Fi, and dynamic spectrum sharing.

Calabrese has served on the U.S. Department of Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee (CSMAC) since 2009 and as an Invited Expert on President Obama’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) spectrum reform working group during 2011-2012.

Calabrese has previously served as Vice President of New America (2003-2010), General Counsel of the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee, director of domestic policy at the Center for National Policy, and as a counsel at the national AFL-CIO. He is a graduate of Stanford Law and Business Schools (JD/MBA) and of Harvard College.

Guillaume Lebrun (Dr)
Global Connectivity Policy Manager, Meta
Dr Guillaume Lebrun has been an active member of the spectrum community for more than 15 years, working for Orange, Qualcomm, Airbus and now Meta. Dr Lebrun contributed to key international spectrum projects such the opening of the 6 GHz band to Wi-Fi 6E and the 3.6 GHz for 5G.
Dr Lebrun is a member of the Global Connectivity Policy team at Meta where he is working on several spectrum initiatives to improve connectivity. Raising spectrum efficiency and availability is at the core of Guillaume’s mission.
Dr Lebrun holds an Engineering degree from ENST, Paris, France and a PhD in telecommunications from Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia.

Michael Feldman

Manager, International Public Policy, Amazon

Michael Feldman is an International Public Policy Manager at Amazon, based at its Seattle headquarters. In this role, he supports senior-level corporate engagement with policymakers and government officials across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific. Michael joined Amazon in 2023 after 11 years in the U.S. Department of State, where he served as a diplomat overseas in Beijing, China; Berlin, Germany; and Edinburgh, UK. He also held various roles in Washington, DC, including in the Bureau for European and Eurasian Affairs and in the office of the U.S. Secretary of State. He holds a BA from Rice University.

Philippe Defraigne is a founding director of Cullen International, a company monitoring regulatory developments in telecommunications, digital economy, media, postal, competition law and sustainability. He is an economist by training and has spent the last 30 years analysing telecommunications regulation and market developments. He is a regular fixture on the conference circuit, frequently speaking at and chairing events in Europe, Latin America and MENA.

President and CEO
Tiago Rodrigues is the President & CEO of the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA). Tiago is responsible for leading the overall strategy, together with the WBA Board, and the operational planning for the WBA. As well as overseeing the day to day management, Tiago takes a leadership role in understanding industry challenges and working with membership to agree the key focus areas and programs that need to be developed to ensure the wireless industry optimises market opportunities for Wi-Fi and works to resolve any business issues that impede the success of the industry overall.

Before he joined the WBA, Tiago spent 15 years at the Portugal Telecom Group. In his previous role as Head of Business Innovation, he collaborated with various departments within the company to identify and develop new business opportunities. Prior to this, he managed the Public Wi-Fi sector of Portugal Telecom Group where he was responsible for service management, development, strategy and internationalisation of the Wi-Fi service. He was also involved in strategic marketing, regulatory affairs, pricing, product development and roaming.

Tiago holds an M.Sc. in Economics and Management of Science and Technology, and a degree in Business Administration from the Higher Institute of Economics and Management at The Technical University of Lisbon He also has a BA. Honors Degree in Business Administration from Humberside University, UK.

Tom Smith is currently responsible for all technology and policy in Wireless Connect. Wireless Connect provides without any government subsidy;
- Fixed Wireless Internet services in the midlands of Ireland,
- Network Training and Consultancy services for ISPs and other Internet network dependent companies
- Custom Connectivity solutions to Businesses who need connectivity where other larger operators have failed to deliver
- Custom X86, BSD / Linux based performance network appliances.

His specialities are:
- TCP/IP Network Implementation.
- WISP Network Design and Implementation.
- Network Firewall Design and Implementation.
- Proxy Implementation
- Policy development and analysis.

Alan Norman joined Facebook’s connectivity policy team in August 2016 and actively supports Facebook’s Connectivity initiatives. Alan is a long-time advocate for improved broadband and internet access, shared infrastructure, and spectrum for next generation technologies. Recently Alan has been actively engaged on Rural Access, Wi-Fi, mmWave, and 5G.
Alan holds a BS in Mathematical Sciences from Stanford University and an MS in Management from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business where he was a Sloan Fellow.

Matt MacPherson is Cisco’s Wireless CTO. Matt’s group has world-wide responsibility for Cisco’s Wireless thought leadership through analyzing technology and industry trends and providing direction to product and engineering teams.

The Wireless CTO team manages the innovation pipeline from idea to proof-of-concept, and eventually, to execution decisions. The team has strong insights into market evolution and disruptions in the start-up ecosystem. They ensure Cisco has the leading wireless portfolio through build, buy and partner strategies. Domains include driving strategy for both Service Provider and Enterprise markets for a broad range of wireless solutions across licensed, unlicensed and shared spectrum.

The Wireless CTO team engages at the executive level with customers and key technical influencers to partner and drive Cisco’s innovation activity. Matt’s team also works directly with Cisco’s world-class development engineering group for prototyping new technologies.

Christopher Szymanski
Director of Product Marketing and Government Affairs for the Mobile Wireless Connectivity Division at Broadcom Inc.

Christopher Szymanski is Director of Product Marketing and Government Affairs for the Mobile Wireless Connectivity Division at Broadcom Inc., where he is responsible for leading Broadcom’s development, and regulatory affairs. Before joining Broadcom, Mr. Szymanski worked for Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) at its headquarters in Shanghai. He also served as a congressional aide focused on policies related to economic competitiveness, telecommunications, foreign relations, national security, and trade.

Director, Disruptive Analysis & Disruptive 6G
Mobile Technology & Futures Analyst / Consultant

Dean Bubley (@disruptivedean) is the founder of Disruptive Analysis, an independent technology industry analyst and consulting firm based in London. He also jointly runs the Disruptive 6G initiative. An outspoken analyst & futurist with over 25 years’ experience, he specialises in mobile / telecoms fields, with an eye on the broader technological, governmental and societal contexts. He is one of the leading market observers and forecasters covering 5G, 6G, Wi-Fi, spectrum & broadband policy, edge/cloud compute, enterprise private networks, IoT, new telecom business models, and voice/video communications.

He is known as a contrarian and visionary, often with challenging opinions that go against industry consensus. Speaking at over 30 conferences and other events per year, and quoted by publications such as The Economist, FT & Wall Street Journal, he is an authority and provocateur. He regularly appears in technology industry videos, podcasts and blogs.

His clients include many of the world’s leading telecom operators, vendors, regulators and industry associations, conducting advisory projects & internal workshop exercises. He provides clients with advice and analytical opinion on topics such as emerging trend “myth-busting”, business model validation, technology innovation and go-to-market strategies, "addressable market sizing", planning and due diligence.

Mr Bubley was formerly an equity analyst, covering communications stocks, with the UK arm of investment bank Robert W. Baird. Prior to that, he spent eight years at UK research firm Datamonitor, where he co-founded the company's Technology business, managed the Internet & Networking area and custom consulting operations, with roles of Chief Analyst & Director of Consulting. He holds a BA in Physics from Keble College, Oxford University.

David Redl is the Founder and President of Salt Point Strategies, a strategic advising firm focused on the technology and telecom sectors. David is an attorney and former government executive with experience in both the legislative and executive branches of the U.S. government in the telecommunications, media, and technology fields where he has focused on the intersection between technology and policy.

David is a recognized expert in spectrum policy, having advised industry and policymakers on a range of spectrum issues, authored multiple pieces of spectrum legislation for Congress, and led the U.S. government’s expert agency on Federal spectrum.
David previously served as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and the Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration. During his tenure, he led U.S. efforts to ensure American leadership in 5G, to bring broadband to more rural Americans, and to promote a free, open, and secure Internet around the world.

David also represented the United States in international forums, including leading U.S.
efforts before the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, the Inter- American Telecommunication Commission, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the International Telecommunication Union.

In the legislative branch, David served as Chief Counsel for Communications and Technology on the majority staff of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce. While at Energy and Commerce, he worked extensively on telecommunications, media, and technology laws, including the successful passage of laws
authorizing the first-ever spectrum incentive auction, the creation of the First Responder Network Authority, and reauthorization of the satellite television laws.

Prior to his government service, David started his career as Director of Regulatory Affairs at CTIA, an international trade association of the wireless communications industry.
Mr. Redl received his B.A. in Journalism and his B.A. in Political Science from the Pennsylvania State University and his J.D. from the Catholic University of America with a certificate from the Institute for Communications Law Studies. He is a member of the New York and District of Columbia Bars.

Andy Gowans
Spectrum Regulatory Policy Lead, Cisco
Andy works for Cisco Wireless CTO office as an advisor on Wireless regulatory issues and has almost 30 years’ experience in Wireless industry.. He was previously with Ofcom (UK) representing the UK in various International Wireless regulatory and standardisation fora ITU-R, CEPT, EU, ETSI, IEEE 802 etc. This included in various roles sometimes heading UK delegations or as a Chairman and/or vice chair of various project teams and working groups of ITU/CEPT/ECC?ETSI working groups and project teams including WGFM, and project teams on Short Range Devices and various groups looking at RLAN harmonisation and co-existence issues.
Specialties: UK WT act primary and secondary legislation, European and International government liaison. various European and worldwide Wireless standards. Benefits and impact assessment, team leader, sharing analysis, project management.

Detlef Fuehrer is Senior Manager, Spectrum Management and Regulatory Affairs, EMEA in the CTO Office at Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company. His main responsibility is to set and drive HPE’s legislative & regulatory priorities for radio spectrum in EMEA and to execute all aspects of HPE’s EMEA strategy. Prior to Aruba, Detlef managed the Spectrum Engineering activities of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre where he established the Radio Spectrum Lab. Holding a diploma in Electronics Engineering from Dortmund University, he worked in the semiconductor industry for almost 20 years, predominantly in the communications domain, at Alcatel, Texas Instruments, and Hitachi Electronic Components. Detlef authored the first German-language expert book on ADSL and published numerous studies on spectrum sharing and wireless coexistence.

DR. RAUL L. KATZ

Raul L. Katz is President of Telecom Advisory Services (www.teleadvs.com), a firm that advises digital technology clients in the fields of strategy, regulation and business development. He is also Director of Business Strategy Research at the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information at Columbia University and Visiting Professor at the Universidad de San Andres (Argentina). In 2004, Dr. Katz retired as a Lead Partner at Booz Allen Hamilton, where he was a member of the firm’s Leadership Team and Head of the US and Latin America Telecommunication practices. During his career, he has worked extensively in the planning and development of digital businesses, particularly telecommunications worldwide. In the last fifteen years, Dr. Katz has been focused on analyzing the economic impact of broadband, and the development of national broadband plans as well as national digital agendas. Dr. Katz has published over 50 articles and six books. He received his Ph.D. in Management Science and Political Science and an M.S. in Communications Technology and Policy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a Licence and a Maîtrise (with honors) in Communication Sciences from the University of Paris as well as a Licence in History and a Maîtrise in Political Science from the University of Paris-Sorbonne.

Mr. Wahome is the CEO and Founder of Aegir Consult Ltd, a vibrant technology firm based in Nairobi, Kenya. With a strong background in Geomatic Engineering and Geospatial Information Systems, he plays a pivotal role in advancing innovative solutions within the telco space, particularly in collaboration with Kenya's telecommunications regulator and African Advanced Level Telecommunications Institute (AFRALTI). He has over 10 years' experience in offshoring location intelligence services and enterprise systems implementation locally, regionally, and internationally. Mr Wahome has spearheaded projects that have positively impacted government organizations, not-for-profits, and private owned businesses in different capacities as a Lead Consultant. He is also a World Bank Group Consultant working to support developing countries in eradicating poverty.
Victor operates within the private sector, supporting research and development in the telecommunications field. His work is closely aligned with regulatory frameworks, yet he maintains a distinct role separate from any official regulatory body. This unique positioning allows him to offer valuable insights and practical perspectives on spectrum sharing, national spectrum policies, and the development of sandboxes for spectrum innovation.

Tim Genders is the Head of Commercial at Project Isizwe and passionate about bring the next billion online in Africa.

He has been with Isizwe for the last 8 years taking responsibility for the sustainable development of Wi-Fi connectivity.

Tim graduated from Oxford University (St Peter’s College) in 1989 with a 1st class honours degree in Engineering Science. Tim came to South Africa in 1994 and developed a career in IT. He was one of the founders of BCX in 2000.

In 2006 Tim set up a Airband, wireless ISP business in Durban and sold to HeroTel in 2015. Tim is the chair of WAPA (Wireless Access Providers Association) South Africa between 2016 and 2021 and 2023 to date.

Juan Peirano works as the Director, Technical Policy at the Internet Society, focusing on policy issues related to interconnection infrastructure, innovative access solutions, and sustainable connectivity models. I aspire to help connect as many people as possible to the great resource that it is the Internet.

He have been an active participant in the Internet ecosystem and telecommunications industry, working for LACNIC, the Latin-American Regional Internet Registry, as policy officer and resource analyst, and holding engineering roles at Telefonica Moviles, back in my home town in Uruguay.

Juan is a Telecommunications Engineer from ORT University in Montevideo, Uruguay, and have a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom, where I currently and happily live.

Dr Martha Suarez is President of the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance and has over 15 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. In her current role at the DSA she advocates for laws and regulations that will lead to more efficient and effective spectrum utilization, which is essential to addressing key worldwide social and economic challenges.

She spent over three years as General Director of the National Spectrum Agency in Colombia, having originally joined the ANE in 2013. Before that, she was awarded with a Marie Curie Fellowship and worked at the Instytut Technologii Elektronowej ITE in Poland for the Partnership for Cognitive Radio Par4CR European Project.

Suarez is an electronics engineer, with a master degree in high frequency communication systems and is Doctor in electronics from the University Paris-Est.

Mr. Dennis Sonoiya, a part-time research student at the University of Strathclyde Glasgow, Scotland, is passionate about exploring new ways to manage radio frequencies that can help improve internet access for everyone. At the university, Dennis is involved in researching dynamic spectrum management and applications to make the most out of limited radio frequency resources.

In his full-time role, he serves as the Principal Research Officer at the Communications Authority of Kenya. Over his 10-year carrer with the regulator, he has led projects that focus on creating better regulatory strategies to make a significant impact, helping provide internet access to communities in remote and underserved areas. With his friendly demeanour and ability to explain complex concepts in a relatable manner, Dennis is excited to share his insights and experiences at the 2023 DSA Summit in Rio de Janeiro.

Leonard Mabele is a Research Fellow at Strathmore University. He is also the current Manager of the Internet of Things (IoT) Research Group at the iLabAfrica Research Centre of Strathmore University. He holds a B.Eng. degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and a MSc. in Telecommunications and Innovation. He is currently pursuing his PhD in Computer Science within the umbrella of Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) with a focus of Interoperability and Efficiency of Cognitive Radios for DSS. Under his research studies, Leonard has led the collaboration between Strathmore University (SU) and the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) on contextual studies of Radio Frequency Spectrum Innovation and Policy. In 2019/2020, he was part of the core team from Strathmore University that worked with CA to develop and validate the regulatory framework for TV White Spaces, which was published in 2021. Leonard has also led the ITU-funded Research Competition on Connect2Recover which has been a project to map the infrastructure needs and connectivity technology options for two rural counties of Kenya while defining models of connectivity for pandemic recovery. Presently, he is at the forefront of executing the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance study track for Kenya on Enhancing Affordable Broadband Connectivity through Spectrum Sharing and Facilitating Inclusive Growth of Local Digital Ecosystem. His oversees engagements has involved presentations on TVWS studies at the University of Strathclyde, Scotland, UK and his early PhD research exchange at Brno University in Czech Republic