Oregon Connections 2024 – Program
THEME: Delivering Oregon’s Connected Future
DATES: October 31st – November 1st, 2024
| Time | Track 1 | Track 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 10:00 am | ||
| 3:00 pm | Registration Desk & Exhibitor setup | |
| 5:30 pm | ||
| Time | Track 1 | Track 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 am | Registration, Coffee and Breakfast, Sponsored by Core Telecom & Right! Systems Inc./Nokia& R.M. Brown Trucking, & DOWL | |
| 8:45 am | Welcome and Introductions with Joe Franell, Blue Mountain Networks | |
| 9:30 am | Keynote – Steve Brown, AI Futurist
Steve Brown
AI Futurist
| |
| 11:00 am | Break / Room Transition | |
| 11:15 am | General Session Panel #1- AI- Friend or Foe
Jim Teece
CEO, Project A, Ashland Home Net & Rogue Broadband
K S "Venkat" Venkatraman
Panelist, NVIDIA
Alan DiCicco
VP of Product & Marketing, Calix
| |
| 12:15 pm | Break / Room Transition | |
| 12:30 pm | Oregon Connections Award Luncheon – Sponsored by Astound Broadband | |
| 1:50 pm | Break / Room Transition | |
| 2:15 pm | Session – Joint Ventures – Heritage Room
Rachael Maddock-Hughes
Rural Prosperity
Brent Bischoff
CEO, Coos-Curry Electric and Beacon Broadband
Steve Corbato
CEO, Link Oregon
Deborah Simpier
CEO and co-founder, Althea
| Session – Around the State – Landmark Room
Matt Updenkelder
VP, Infrastructure Development, Astound
Rick Peterson
CEO, Peak Internet
Stuart Taubman
Head of Network Services, Zayo
Bill Gerski
VP of Marketing/Sales, Beacon Broadband
Blake Lawrence
CEO, Windwave
Keith Grunberg
Director of Carrier, Government & Wholesale, Hunter Communications
|
| 3:30 pm | Break / Room Transition | |
| 3:55 pm | Session – Permitting Challenges & Processes – Heritage Room
Eric Forsch
Federal Program Officer (FPO), National Telecommunications and Information Administration
Jennifer Whyte
National Broadband Project Manager, USFS
Joel Krestik
Realty Specialist, BLM
Nick Batz
Director, Oregon Broadband Office, State of Oregon
Daniel Soto
Development & Infrastructure Tech, City of Eugene
Sam Ackley
Oregon Joint Use Association board member and COO, Hunter Communications
David Soloos
Oregon Department of Transportation
| Session – Marketing & Sales – Landmark Room
Jason Saunders
Sales & Marketing Manager, Minet/Willamette Valley Fiber
Remy Soubry
Success Account Manager, Calix
Jay Tapp
Principal Partner, Laser Marketing
Bill Gerski
VP of Marketing/Sales, Beacon Broadband
|
| 5:25 pm | Break / Room Transition | |
| 5:30 pm | ||
| 6:30 pm | ||
| Time | Track 1 | Track 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 7:30 am | Registration, Coffee and Breakfast, Sponsored by Core Telecom & Right! Systems Inc./Nokia& R.M. Brown Trucking, & DOWL | |
| 8:30 am | Keynote Presentation – Rural Development in Oregon
Margaret Hoffmann
State Director, Oregon USDA Rural Development
| |
| 9:30 am | Break / Room Transition | |
| 9:45 am | General Session Panel #2: Workforce Gaps
Shannon McGivney
Senior Director of Education, Machinists Institute
Erik Hunsinger
President & Chief Operating Officer, Golden State Net
Damon Runberg
State Economist, Business Oregon
Larry Johnson
President, FiberStory
Seth Thompson
Broadband Project Coordinator, Business Oregon
Rebecca Jensen
HR Director, SHRM-SCP, Hunter Communications
| |
| 10:45 am | Break / Room Transition | |
| 11:00 am | General Session Panel #3: Digital Equity
Juan Muro
Executive Director, Free Geek
Rebecca Brown
Comcast Pacific NW Region
Pam Marsh
Oregon State Representative
Leina Gonzalez-Baird
Digital Equity Program Coordinator, Business Oregon
| |
| 12:00 pm | Conference Wrap-up and Prizes Drawing | |
| 12:30 pm | Adjourn | |