The Intersection of Research & Education Networks and Sustainable Digital Equity Initiatives

California, the world’s fifth biggest economy, is 20 months into the first element of the state’s $6.8B digital equity initiative, the $3.8B middle mile component. Join the Marconi Society and community and broadband leaders from California for a conversation about creating the state’s middle mile network to learn about key strategies, lessons learned and next steps in creating digital opportunities in the world’s fifth-largest economy.

This panel will address the following topics:

• Successful strategies that are applicable in other environments
• Braiding together funding and programs from multiple sources
• Strategies for sustainability beyond federal and state capital funds
• Approach of the state’s Indigenous Tribes
• The roles and relationships between public and private entities to cover the country’s most populated state

Panelists include:

• Louis Fox, Moderator, President & CEO, CENIC; Founding CEO, GoldenStateNet
• Kevin G. Harbour, Sr., President, BizFed Institute
• Rachelle Chong, Consultant, Government Relations, GoldenStateNet
• Sylvie Wong Cosgrove, Executive Director for IT Infrastructure, Stanford University
• Barbara Hayes, Chief Economic Development Officer, Rural County Representatives of California
• Erik Hunsinger, VP, Infrastructure, GoldenStateNet
• Tony Naughtin, President & Chief Operating Officer, GoldenStateNet
• Matthew Rantanen, Director of Technology, Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association
• Connie Stewart, Executive Director of Initiatives, CalPoly Humboldt, & Chief Policy Advisor, California Center for Rural Policy