2020 Webinars

Hosted by Public Safety Broadband Technology Association

2020 Webinars

Hosted by Public Safety Broadband Technology Association

The PSBTA presents:

Critical Public Safety Spectrum Preservation Discussion

Aired Thursday, December 17, 2020 9:00 a.m. PST/10:00 a.m. MST/11:00 a.m. CST/12:00 p.m. EST

Please join us for our panel discussion on the future of public safety wireless spectrum use and access. As first responders, it is critical to know and understand the wireless spectrum landscape, how current activities within the FCC directly impact public safety spectrum access, and how that all translates to being highly connected and situationally aware in our work. Broadband use for public safety is growing rapidly. The current and emerging technologies will be critical as service demands grow for first responders. Without ample and diverse spectrum availability exclusively assigned to first responders, the reliability of life-saving hardware and software could be compromised. Our panel of public safety professionals will discuss use-case scenarios that demonstrate the expanding spectrum needs and speak to the criticality of preserving all of the broadband spectrum which has been allocated for the sole use of first responders.

Moderator

Division Chief Martha Ellis, Executive Director for the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association

Chief Ellis has twenty-three years’ experience as a wildland and structural firefighter. She served as the Salt Lake City Fire Marshal for over 5-years and concluded her career as the Division Chief over the Logistics, Emergency Management, and the Fire Intelligence Liaison programs. She holds an Associate’s degree in Fire Science, a Masters in Homeland Security from the Naval Postgraduate School, a Graduate certificate in Conflict Resolution and Mediation and a Masters in Legal Studies from the S.J. Quinney School of Law and the University of Utah.

Speakers

Chief Jeff Johnson (Ret.)

Chief Jeff Johnson has an extensive public safety background, with broad experience at the local, national and international level. Chief Johnson rose through the ranks to become the Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue Fire Chief for 15 years retiring in 2010 after a 32-year career. Chief Johnson has authored 2 books: Making the Pieces Fit – A book on merger and consolidation and Recruiting, Training and Maintaining Volunteer Firefighters, both with Jones and Bartlett publishing.

Chief Johnson served as the Vice Chairman of FirstNet who is deploying the world’s first nationwide wireless broadband network dedicated to public safety and national security users. Chief Johnson has served as President of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), President of the Western and Oregon chiefs and is currently the CEO of the Western Fire Chiefs Association which serves fire chiefs in the 11 western states from Guam/Saipan to Utah. Chief Johnson also has an extensive private sector background serving as an advisor or board member to numerous technology companies. Chief Johnson is also the principal at Sisters Meat and Smokehouse which launched in August of 2016. Chief Johnson is a graduate of Concordia University and the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer program.

Karl Wilmes, Chief of Police (Retired), Federal Heights, Colorado

Karl Wilmes, FBINA Session 187, will discuss real-world examples of how a high-technology body camera solution can provide significant value to an agency, far beyond just the recording of video and audio. He will share his experiences in how a body worn camera can increase officer safety, operational efficiency and accountability, improve community relations, and decrease liability — all while providing a multi-function productivity tool.

Robert Horton, CEO/Fire Chief

Bob Horton is the CEO/Fire Chief for a special district in Southern Oregon. Jackson County Fire District 3 serves a population of 54,000 residents dispersed over 167 square miles the beautiful Rogue Valley. Chief Horton was appointed Fire Chief in 2017 and had previously served as the Assistant Fire Chief for Las Vegas Fire & Rescue where he started as a Firefighter in October of 2000. Chief Horton has served in various positions and on numerous committees in his 20 year public safety career. His leadership and direction has led to advancements in community risk reduction, EMS service delivery, improved operations in the 911 center, as well as numerous employee health and wellness programs.

Bob has earned a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Oklahoma. Also, Bob is a Certified Public Manager, a Six Sigma Green Belt, recognized by the Center for Public Safety Excellence with both the Chief Fire Officer and Chief EMS Officer designations, as a recent graduate of the IAFC’s Fire Service Executive Development Institute. Bob has studied leadership at the Disney Institute and the Harvard Kennedy School. His research interests include applied behavioral economics, collaborative networks, and public policy.

Christopher Lombard, Battalion Chief, Seattle Fire Department

Battalion Chief Chris Lombard has been active in the fire service for almost 30 years, primarily with the Seattle Fire Department. During that time, he has responded to all manner of significant incidents including New York City on 9/11 the Oso (Washington State) landslide, hurricanes throughout the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and the Pacific – all where he supported incident communications and information management. In addition to working assignments in SFD’s Operations Division and 9-1-1 center, he manages a several on-going projects, including communications coordination for the department’s specialty teams and as liaison for the department’s interoperability with other jurisdictions. Current responsibilities include coordinating the use of, designing the training on, and assisting with the maintenance of communications equipment and policies for Seattle Fire Department, including support of its special operations teams (e.g. Urban Search and Rescue, Metropolitan Medical Response Systems, EMS, etc.).

He has a B.S. in Geography from Oregon State University, has lectured and taught Emergency Response classes at Dartmouth College and at Texas A&M University. He has testified before Congress on national, first-responder, communications-related needs/issues. He remains involved in active communications-related roles such as NFPA 1221 (the standards committee for Public Emergency Service Communication), the InterAgency Board for Equipment Standardization, and FEMA’s US&R teams.

Charles Laird, NC Department of Information and Technology

Charles is a public safety professional and an asymmetrical technologist who has 14 years of experience and knowledge in the public safety industry as well as with various types of technologies. Charles’s experiences with coordinating and deploying hundreds of search and rescue personnel during Hurricanes Matthew, Harvey, Michael, Irma, and Florence has given him a unique perspective on how agencies and governmental agencies respond to large scale disasters. Charles is also a volunteer firefighter at the Youngsville Fire Department. He is the Program Specialist of NC’s First Responder Emerging Technologies Program and is charged with exploring how technology is researched, developed, and implemented in the Public Safety space. Charles aims to be a staunch advocate for North Carolina’s First Responder community in the technology field.

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The PSBTA Technical Solution Webinar Series presents:

FirstNet, built with AT&T Lean-In Webinars

Deploying Smartphones as Body Cameras: An All-in-One Solution

Tuesday, November 10, 2020 11:00 am PDT, 12:00 pm MDT, 1:00 pm CDT, 2:00 pm EDT

We are all facing challenging times in many ways, and agencies are looking for creative solutions to minimize expenses while enhancing public safety. By leveraging technology, agencies can not only satisfy accountability concerns of the community, but can also increase productivity and operational efficiencies. All this can be accomplished by selecting the right body worn camera solution.

With many automatic activation features, and automatic upload of footage to a secure cloud environment, the Visual Labs smartphone body camera solution provides a cost-effective, CJIS-compliant body camera solution using fully functioning smartphones.

Moderator

Division Chief Martha Ellis, Executive Director for the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association

Speakers

Karl Wilmes, Chief of Police (Retired), Federal Heights, Colorado

Alexander Popof, Chief Operating Officer of Visual Labs

Alexander Popof, Chief Operating Officer of Visual Labs, will discuss trends in body camera technology and will provide a real-time demonstration of how a smartphone can be utilized as an all-in-one solution — a body camera, a digital camera, an audio recorder, a personnel locator and a fully-functioning smartphone.

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The PSBTA Presents:

Public Safety’s 4.9GHz Network at Imminent Risk

First Responder Call To Action

Aired Wednesday, September 16, 2020 10:00 am PDT, 11:00 am MDT, 12:00 pm CDT, 1:00 pm EDT

While first responders across this country are battling hurricanes, wild fires and Covid 19, the FFC is proposing a significant diminishment of our broadband spectrum. Public safety’s 4.9 GHz spectrum, allocated specifically to first responders in 2002, is coming under attack. Recent statements from Ajit Pai, Chairman of the FCC, solidify his intentions to bring changes before the FCC for vote on September 30th. These changes would forever impact how the spectrum is managed and leased. Public safety’s influence and full use of this invaluable spectrum would be diminished going forward. These changes would include “leasing for commercial entities, electric utilities and others,” which would compromise the integrity of the network and reliable priority and preemption for emergency transmissions. He further proposes “a new state-based licensing regime for public safety operations in the 4.9 GHz band,” drawing us back to a patchwork quilt of communication systems and creating interference challenges at our state boarders. Please join us for this informative webinar on how this will impact public safety wireless communications and learn what you can do to preserve your 4.9 GHz spectrum.

Moderator

Division Chief Martha Ellis, Executive Director for the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association

Speakers

Richard W. Stanek, Sheriff (Ret.)

Rich Stanek is co-founder and Principal Consultant with Public Safety Strategies Group, LLC., bringing his wealth of knowledge from 36 years of public safety experience to clients across the country, including organizational leadership, agency management, national law enforcement best practices, crime reduction strategies, public policy advocacy, corporate security, and expert testimony.

Rich served as the 27th Sheriff of Hennepin County, Minnesota for 12 years, with responsibility for the safety and security of 1.2 million residents. He managed over 1100 employees and volunteers, a budget of $125 million, and provided care and custody for inmates in the largest Jail and Sheriff’s Office in the Upper Midwest.

He is the author of numerous publications providing education for residents regarding emerging public safety and justice issues: Mental Illness among Jail inmates, Opioid Abuse and Addiction, the nexus between Mass Shootings and Mental Illness, the Collapse of the 35W Bridge, Intelligence-led Policing, and FirstNet, the dedicated National Public Safety Broadband Network for First Responders.

Rich served two terms on the Board of Directors for FirstNet: its mission is to develop, build and operate the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network that equips first responders. FirstNet operates within the U.S. Department of Commerce with a nonpartisan Congressional authorization and $7 billion appropriation. Rich was first appointed in 2014 and in his second term, Rich served as FirstNet’s Chair of Outreach and Advocacy efforts nationwide.

Rich started his policing career in 1983, with the Cottage Grove Police Department and joined the Minneapolis Police Department in 1986; he rose through the ranks to Captain and led the Criminal Investigations Division (Homicide, Burglary, Robbery, Rape, Gangs & Narcotics). During those years, Rich developed strong relationships with residents, pastors, business owners, community groups and local elected leaders; they developed strategies to fight and lower violent crime in Minneapolis. They worked to elect Rich as Hennepin County Sheriff and he re-prioritized Agency personnel and resources for three proven crime fighting initiatives: a Violent Offender Task Force, Criminal Information Sharing & Analysis Unit (CISA) to serve the Sheriff’s Office and 36 local Police Departments in Hennepin County and 7 Counties regionally; and new Crime Lab technology (DNA testing, firearms testing, and Property Crime initiatives). As a result of his leadership, these efforts, and new partnerships, violent crime in Hennepin County dropped by 38% from 2006-2018.

Prior to serving as Sheriff, Rich was appointed by Governor Tim Pawlenty as the State’s Commissioner of Public Safety, and Director of Homeland Security, overseeing nine State Agencies with over 2200 employees; including the Minnesota State Patrol, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Emergency Management, Office of Justice Programs and State Fire Marshal.

Rich came to the forefront of State leadership when he was appointed Chairman of the State Peace Officer Standards & Training Board (POST) and then elected as a State Legislator; he served for 5 terms while also working as a Minneapolis Police Officer. He chaired the House of Representatives Public Safety Policy & Finance Committees and authored numerous key legislative initiatives, including Minnesota’s entry into the Nation’s Emergency Management Assistance Compact (“EMAC”), and post-9/11 information sharing and communications initiatives to better equip First Responders.

At both the state and national level, Rich has become well-known for his strong and visible advocacy for advancements in law enforcement public policy, technology, education, and best practices, through his elected and appointed leadership roles. As a result, Rich is a much sought-after media spokesperson, faculty presenter and keynote speaker.

During his service as Sheriff, Rich served as President of the Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA), Vice President of the National Sheriffs Associations (NSA); and President of the Minnesota Sheriff’s Association (MSA). He served as a Law Enforcement Senior Advisor to the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Secretary of Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); He is the Past President of the Leaders in National Counterterrorism (LinCT); and served on the Criminal Intelligence Coordinating Council (CICC) and FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), where he held a top-secret national security clearance. Rich has testified numerous times before Congress regarding community policing strategies, 21st century Policing, countering violent extremism and community engagement.

Rich’s educational background includes an M.A. in Public Administration from Hamline University and a B.A. in Criminal Justice from the University of Minnesota. Additional professional training includes; the Southern Police Institute in Louisville, PERF’s Senior Management Institute for Police at Cambridge University, the U.S. Army War College in Pennsylvania, FBI National Executive Institute in Virginia and the Leaders in National Counterterrorism Training in Australia and the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA) in Israel.

Rich lives in Maple Grove, Minnesota, and has been married to his wife, Sally for 36 years; they have 2 adult children and a dog named Teddy. Rich is an avid Northwoods outdoorsman; where he enjoys time at his northern Minnesota cabin; hunting, fishing, boating, hiking and snowmobiling.

Chief Kim Zagaris (Ret.)

Kim Zagaris or Chief Z as some call him is currently the Wildfire Policy and Technology Advisor for the Western Fire Chiefs Association. His position is new, create in response to the destructive wildfires that have unfolded across the west.

Chief Zagaris retired as State Fire and Rescue Chief for the State of California, Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) a position he held for 18 years. Chief Zagaris has extensive background in fire service, emergency management, and homeland security which includes working with local, state, federal and international agencies over his 42 years fire service career. During his time he served under six Governor’s and has been actively involved in every major and catastrophic emergency in California as well several in the nation.

Chief Zagaris also served as the Executive Coordinator for Cal OES Fire and Rescue Services Advisory Committee/ FIRESCOPE Board of Directors provides a State level forum for addressing Statewide Mutual Aid, Incident Command System, Multi-Agency Coordination, Resource Typing, Training, Certification, Safety, Standardization and Fire Protection issues of statewide concern. Chief Zagaris was responsible for managing the FIRESCOPE Program, California Incident Command Certification System, the California Fire Assistance Agreement, and the State Assistance for Fire Equipment Program, as well as, serving on numerous state and national committees, associations and programs.

During his time with Cal OES he was able to expand the fire apparatus fleet from 106 Fire Apparatus to 300 Fire Apparatus. Chief Zagaris was responsible for several major program elements including the day-to-day management of the California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System, which includes over 1,100 fire agencies, and some 55,000 professional and volunteer firefighters that operate approximately 6,000 fire engines Statewide.

In September of 2007 he was recognized by the California Fire Chiefs Association as the Fire Chief of the Year. On January 2010 James Lee Witt, the former Director of the FEMA and the Co-Chaired of Protecting America.orgthe nation’s largest coalition of first responders, emergency management experts, businesses and insurers awarded the American Hero Award to Kim in recognition of his significant contributions made to better prepare and protect American families from the devastation of massive natural catastrophes.

On August of 2010 he was award the IAFC President’s Recognition Award by IAFC President Jeff Johnson “in recognition and honor of his willingness to apply his knowledge and experience to the improvement of the fire and emergency service’s understanding and capabilities in large-scale incident response. His straight forward leadership style, combined with vast field experience and his willingness to share what works with others, makes him a national leader on incident operations and command. He’s a tremendous resource and the voice of reason for many chiefs seeking solutions to both the natural and manmade threats facing our communities today”.

In October of 2016 he was recognized by the California State Fire Association, CSFA Presidents Hall of Fame Aware honoring him for “For Exceptional Contribution”.

Andrew Seybold

Andrew Seybold heads Andrew Seybold, Inc. a wireless consulting, education, and publishing company founded in 1991. Mr. Seybold publishes a weekly column known at The Public Safety Advocate which appears on the allthingsfirstnet.com web-site. Clients of the firm include both commercial and public safety entities around the world, and Mr. Seybold’s articles, commentary’s blog are widely read by both wireless sectors.

Mr. Seybold has served on the Motorola Research Visionary Board and IBM’s Mobile Computing Advisory Board, among others. Mr. Seybold is a Fellow in the Radio Club of America for his contributions to the wireless industry, recipient of the Radio Club of America Sarnoff Citation. He was recently honored with two awards from APCO, the Associated Public Safety Communications Officials organization: The President’s Award and a special recognition award. He also received the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA) President’s Award for his contributions to Public Safety communications and has been recognized by the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPTSC) for his contribution to Public Safety Broadband communications and the Public Safety Spectrum Trust (PSST).

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The PSBTA Technical Solution Webinar Series presents:

FirstNet, built with AT&T Lean-In Webinars

Protecting your Public Safety Network from Hackers

Aired Thursday, September 10, 2020 9:00 am PDT, 10:00 am MDT, 11:00 am CDT, 12:00 pm EDT

This 60-minute webinar session will provide FirstNet customers with the knowledge and tools needed to help keep their agency safe from hackers. The session will consist of:

1. Social engineering lesson
2. Malware and Ransomware discussion with a security analyst
3. Overview of the FirstNet Cybersecurity Aware App
4. Information about FirstNet Security and the GNOC

Moderator

Division Chief Martha Ellis, Executive Director for the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association

Speakers

Pamela Heatley, Security Architecture – Cybersecurity Consultant, FirstNet Built with AT&T

Pam Heatley is a cybersecurity consultant working with the AT&T Chief Security Office. Pam fulfills a variety of roles as the program lead for FN cybersecurity awareness and training. As a project manager she has overseen the creation of the FirstNet Cybersecurity Aware App and it’s numerous materials. As a writer and producer Pam has created various video training series, cybersecurity lesson modules and training session designed to educate FirstNet customers through the FirstNet certified Cybersecurity Aware app.

Ken Walsh, Security Platforms – Principle-Cybersecurity, FirstNet Built with AT&T

Kenneth Walsh has worked in several positions over his career with AT&T. He currently works as a security analyst covering Mobility and FirstNet within the AT&T Chief Security Office and is part of the Threat Analytics Team. Kenneth holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Information Systems from Ramapo College of New Jersey and a Master’s of Engineering Management from Penn State University.

Max Colson, Security Architecture – Senior-Technology Security, FirstNet Built with AT&T

Max Colson is a Senior – Technology Security employee at the AT&T Chief Security Office. Max fulfills a variety of roles at AT&T, but is dedicated primarily to creating visual content and graphics for FirstNet’s cybersecurity awareness program. As an animator and artist Max has worked on numerous video series designed to educate FirstNet customers through the FirstNet certified Cybersecurity Aware app.

Steve Moser, Network Visitor Program Manager – AT&T Business Solutions, AT&T

Since, 2000, Steve Moser has been the principal spokesman for the AT&T Global Network Operations Center. The GNOC is the largest facility of its kind in the world. It is the command center of AT&T’s worldwide network, keeping track of petabytes of video and data traffic and billions of voice calls and text messages. As manager of the GNOC Network Visitor Program, Steve is responsible for the content and delivery of GNOC briefings to companies, healthcare systems, government agencies, universities, etc. He frequently presents to student groups as part of AT&T’s Aspire Mentoring Program and its University Relations Program.

Steve Devine, FirstNet Director for FirstNet Strategy and Policy

Stephen Devine is a Director for FirstNet Strategy and Policy providing public safety support and advocacy to the FirstNet Built With AT&T implementation. This includes: Ensuring that the public safety user base is educated and aware as to the value proposition of FirstNet public safety broadband offerings; To make public safety aware of the efficiencies, value and new capabilities inherent in the FirstNet technologies, applications and services developed to support public safety needs; To promote internal discussions between public safety jurisdictions and disciplines focused on compatibility and consistent use of new and evolving public safety broadband resources.

Stephen first joined AT&T in May 2017 after a lifelong career in public safety communications in positions where he addressed a number of topics including public safety technologies, operations, spectrum use and regulatory issues. His longtime focus has been on outreach to public safety agencies to ensure their communication needs were being met with standardized technologies and policies.

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Apps that can save first responder lives!

Aired Thursday, August 27, 2020 9:00 am PDT, 10:00 am MDT, 11:00 am CDT, 12:00 pm EDT

As a first responder, you often arrive on-scene well before the environmental hazards are known or before back-up is in place. Now, with always-on access to voice, data and video in the field with FirstNet, you can be protected by innovative digital tools that make the invisible visible and the unknown known. Take 60 minutes to learn how the:

AskRail smartphone app can immediately let you know the contents of any railcar with details about how to handle hazardous materials;
GammaPix Command Pro and its partner simulation exercise apps can use a smartphone camera to immediately alert you to any ionizing radiation – something only rare and expensive equipment does today; and
Automatic Injury Detection app can trigger immediate alerts if the light-weight placed atop body armor is pierced or impacted.

Moderator

Division Chief Martha Ellis, Executive Director for the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association

Speakers

Andy Elkins, Association of American Railroad

In my current position as Manager of Hazardous Materials Compliance with the AAR, and in my previous experience in law enforcement, having served 27 years as a Special Operations Police Officer with the Metro Nashville, Tennessee Police Department, I have seen first-hand how First Responders rush toward incidents that most others are running from. I strongly support programs that provide information that keep these responders, and the communities they serve, safe. AskRail is a very powerful tool, created by the railroads to support the mission of our First Responders.

Dr. Eric P. Rubenstein, President, Image Insight Inc.

Dr. Eric Rubenstein is the President of Image Insight Inc., and as a Commander in the the Navy Reserve, he is the Executive Officer of the Navy Network Warfare Command Head Quarters unit. At Image Insight, he leads the company and provides technical direction to develop, field, and support GammaPix™ ionizing radiation detection software, which uses unmodified digital cameras to detect, measure, and track radiological sources for public safety, defense, and medical research applications. As a reserve officer, he works in a variety of space- and cyber-warfare capacities supporting active duty military activities.

He earned a doctorate in Astronomy from Yale University, served on the faculty there and at Smith College, and was a National Science Foundation International Research Fellow at the U.S. national observatory in Chile.

Glen Lay, Director of Safety Solutions, Datasoft

Glen has been at the forefront of the wireless industry for over 27 years with a focus on law enforcement and government. From the launch of the cell phone, the first wireless data network, and mobility solutions to the era of IOT Glen is a trusted advisor in all things wireless. With expertise in Public Safety, government and IOT, Glen has proven his ability to consult with agencies of all sizes.

As the Director of Safety Solutions for Select Engineering Services Glens main focus is on leading the development and education of government sales teams and partners as well as working closely with FirstNet to promote Automatic Injury Detection and educating channel partners and sales teams across the nation.

Steve Devine, FirstNet Director for FirstNet Strategy and Policy

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The PSBTA Technical Solution Webinar Series presents:

Untethering the First Responder with Apple and FirstNet

Aired Thursday, August 27, 2020 11:00 am PDT, 12:00 pm MDT, 1:00 pm CDT, 2:00 pm EDT

A panel of experts will describe how public safety agencies worldwide are benefitting from the deployment of private and secure Apple devices in the field, enabling them to do their jobs more efficiently. Use cases and examples will be provided that can be employed by your agency and augmented by use of the FirstNet network.

Featuring a panel of speakers by Apple, Inc.

Moderator

Division Chief Martha Ellis, Executive Director for the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association

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The PSBTA Presents:

A Look Inside the Governance of First Responders Network Authority: Why the FirstNet Authority is built to protect 4.9GHz

Aired Wednesday, August 26, 2020 12:30 pm PDT, 1:30 pm MDT, 2:30 pm CDT, 3:30 pm EDT

The First Responders Network Authority (FRNA) has been an unwavering steward of the FirstNet network. As public safety faces another challenge in preserving the allocated 4.9 GHz spectrum, it is critical for all first responders to understand the role public safety plays in preserving the current and future public safety broadband spectrum. It is equally important that the public safety community understand and have confidence in the governing agency that continually looks after their wireless interests. The Public Safety Broadband Association has invited three former FirstNet Board Members, who currently support the Public Safety Spectrum Alliance (PSSA), to join us in examining the rigorous oversight the First Responders Network Authority provides, and why it is the ideal entity to oversee 4.9 GHz. Register now for an in depth look at the governance framework, set in place specifically to the advantage of all first responders.

Moderator

Division Chief Martha Ellis, Executive Director for the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association

Speakers

Chief Jeff Johnson (Ret.)

Sue Swenson, Chair (ret), FirstNet Authority Board

Sue Swenson started her telecom career at Pacific Telesis in California. She spent several decades working in various leadership roles in both the wireline and wireless parts of the business. She subsequently spent the rest of her career in the wireless world running a joint venture for AirTouch and AT&T Wireless, joining Cricket Communications/Leap Wireless in its formative years and becoming T-Mobile’s first Chief Operating Officer. Before her retirement she ventured in to software and led Sage North America for Sage Group PLC. In 2012 she joined the inaugural board of The FirstNet Authority and was appointed Chair of the Board in 2014 and served in that capacity until August of 2018. She serves on the boards of Sonim Technologies, Harmonic Inc and Vislink Technologies.

Chief Charles Dowd (Ret.)

Charles F. Dowd spent 34 years as a member of the New York City Police Department. As an Assistant Chief he commanded the Office of Information Technology which included the NYPD’s Information Technology Group with 350 members and the Communications Division consisting of more than 1,500 members. He was responsible for the City’s 9-1-1 operation; the nation’s busiest receiving over 12 million calls per year and the N.Y.P.D. police radio operation dispatching 4.5 million radio runs annually. The N.Y.P.D. land mobile radio network has 300 sites, with over 6 voice frequencies, 1,200 receivers, 150 transmitters, and 40,000 radios. He was the police department’s lead representative on several major projects in the City of New Yok including a new digital recording system for 9-1-1. This system was used to run a successful pilot project for domestic violence cases to deliver 9-1-1 emergency calls electronically to prosecutors as evidence for initial court appearances. He was also the Department’s lead on NYC’s 3-1-1 citizen services initiative, and was instrumental in integrating the 3-1-1 system with the City’s 9-1-1 system. He was tasked with the responsibility of establishing the communications plan for public safety/interoperability for the 2003 Republican National Convention held in New York City. He was the NYPD’s lead on the initiative to merge police, fire, emergency medical communications, and 9-1-1 services into one consolidated Public Safety Answering Center, a 2 billion dollar project.

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Incorporating Responder Wellness Into the FirstNet App Ecosystem

Aired Thursday, August 20, 2020 9:00 am PDT, 10:00 am MDT, 11:00 am CDT, 12:00 pm EDT

The mental, physical, and spiritual demands of emergency response is well documented. With rates of PTSD, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress well above the national average, first responders are often asked to do more with less every day. One of the goals of FirstNet Health and Wellness is to support responder wellness by leveraging AT&T capabilities to put tools in the hands of first responders so that taking care of health and wellness is a part of the FirstNet ecosystem.

Moderator

Division Chief Martha Ellis, Executive Director for the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association

Speakers

Anna Courie, Lead Channel Manager – AT&T FirstNet, AT&T Services, Inc.

Anna leads AT&T’s commitment to First Responder Health and Wellness. Joining the team in May 2020, Anna is responsible for creating, developing, and implementing FirstNet marketing strategies, campaigns, and programs that will advance first responder health and wellness programs. Anna began her career as a clinical nurse in Bone Marrow Transplant and Medical/Surgical Intensive Care Nursing at Duke University Medical Center and Albemarle Regional hospital. Following a move with her active duty Army soldier, she transitioned to working as a Health Promotion Coordinator with the 1st Infantry Division and Würzburg Medical Hospital where she developed a strategic plan for addressing the community’s health and wellness needs. That experience cemented Anna’s love of working with people to improve a community’s health.

In 2005, she accepted a position to help design the Army Public Health Center’s strategic plan for community health coalitions. What began as a pilot with four Army installations grew to a program that served 50 Army and Joint installations worldwide where she served as the Evaluation and Policy Project Officer for over 16 years. To that end, Anna brings a wealth of experience in health and wellness coalition development, program management, strategic planning, systems monitoring, and evaluation. Anna holds a Bachelor’s in Nursing from Clemson University; a Master’s in Nursing Education from the University of Wyoming; and a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Ohio State University.

Michael Bostic

Mr. Bostic has demonstrated leadership skills that span the entire spectrum of leadership, problem solving, crime reduction, community policing, major capital projects, and information technology/communications systems. Mr. Bostic retired as an Assistant Chief in April 2007 and has been a part of the Raytheon team since May of 2008. In his role at Raytheon, Mike is a business development director and frequent writer for business publications on the future of technology in that market space. In 34 years with the LAPD, he held every significant command in the Los Angeles Police Department, including three assignments with communications and information technology. He also was a member of several steering committees that provided oversight of IT and major facility development. He was responsible for many significant investigations that required the resources of all City agencies on two occasions in his career and he demonstrated the leadership and people skills to develop comprehensive investigative reports and implementation plans that have reshaped most operations of the LAPD. He has a rich history of excellent relationships throughout City government.

Janell Farr, President, All Clear Foundation

Janell Farr spent the first 20 years of her career in corporate and agency marketing working for iconic brands such as the US Army, Envision Healthcare, McCann New York, Caesars Entertainment, Nike, Coca-Cola, Western Union, Miller Brewing and Mexico’s G20 Summit. During her tenure as Chief Marketing Officer of Envision Healthcare, whose nationwide staff included emergency room physicians, EMTs, paramedics and other clinicians working in emergency response, she became acutely aware of the burdens and daunting statistics these selfless individuals face as while serving their communities. In 2018, with the support of Global Medical Response, Janell led the founding of All Clear Foundation, a national 501c3 nonprofit focused on aggregating critical resources to improve the life expectancy and wellbeing of First Responders. Now, she uses her marketing and branding expertise to build collaborative and innovative programs that are available to all 3 Million+ current and former first responders – no matter their branch, location, resources or whether their service is career or voluntary.

Rhonda Kelly, Director, GMR Life (Health, Wellness, and Resilience)

Rhonda Kelly started her career in EMS as an expanded-practice EMT working aboard icebreakers for the U.S. Antarctic Program. While transitioning to land-based employment, she volunteered as an EMT for a rural ambulance service and worked fulltime for Rural Metro ambulance in Aurora, Colorado. Upon being hired as a Firefighter/Paramedic for Aurora Fire, she served 17 years with that agency. During that time, she also obtained her RN license and worked PRN as an ED and Psych ED nurse for Centura Health. The last few years of her career, she served as the Health & Safety Officer for Aurora Fire, developing physical fitness, nutrition, wellness, injury prevention, crisis response and mental wellness programs for the department. In 2016, pursuing a deep interest in what she saw as the unaddressed mental health impacts of emergency response work, she founded ResponderStrong, a collaboration between the National Mental Health Innovation Center at the University of Colorado Anschutz and emergency responders to build better mental health supports for responders and their families.

ResponderStrong’s approach was different in that it was driven by emergency responders from across branches: law enforcement, fire, EMS and dispatch working with their advocates including researchers, educators, clinicians and foundations. Rhonda left Aurora Fire to operate ResponderStrong fulltime in March of 2017, growing the initiative beyond Colorado. In January 2020, she transitioned ResponderStrong to its new home within the All Clear Foundation and accepted the position of Director of GMR Life with Global Medical Response where she focuses on overall wellness, encompassing the physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual domains.

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The PSBTA Technical Solution Webinar Series presents:

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Using technology to quicken life-saving care

Aired Thursday, August 13, 2020 9:00 am PDT, 10:00 am MDT, 11:00 am CDT, 12:00 pm EDT

We often ask for the impossible from our first responders. We want them to be on-scene within seconds. We want them to manage every type of extreme medical condition. And we want them to immediately identify and appropriately respond to individuals that require extra care. Of course, these desires make sense – they are is borne out of the realization that every second and one piece of vital information can often mean the difference between life and death. FirstNet has evaluated and approved three mobile solutions that help public safety agencies begin to make the impossible, possible. Take 60 minutes to learn about how:

PulsePoint Foundation can get lifesaving care to a cardiac victim within seconds instead of minutes.
General Devices’ e-Bridge solution can immediately connect a patient and remote medical expert via a telehealth solution
Vitals Aware can make sure first responders are immediately informed when they have encountered a vulnerable individuals who may respond in unexpected ways or need additional assistance

Moderator

Division Chief Martha Ellis, Executive Director for the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association

Speakers

Richard Price, President & Retired Fire Chief, San Ramon Valley, PulsePoint Foundation

Richard Price is President of the PulsePoint Foundation and is a member of the board. Price retired as the Fire Chief for the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District on December 31, 2012 after a distinguished thirty-three year fire service career. Price has a strong technical background and is well known for using technology to shape management processes and encourage civic engagement.

Price holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration (MPA) from California State University Hayward. He is a California State Certified Fire Chief and is an internationally certified Chief Fire Officer (CFO). In 2009 Price completed the four- year Executive Fire Officer (EFO) Program at the National Fire Academy in Maryland. Price is a graduate of the Harvard University Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program at the Kennedy School of Government and the Strategic Management of Public Organizations Program at the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley. In 2011 Price graduated from the Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) Executive Leaders Program at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. Price is also a Certified Special District Administrator (SDA).

Price is President of the San Ramon Valley Exchange Club and a member of the San Ramon Regional Medical Center Hospital Governing Board. Price is Past President of Leadership San Ramon Valley, Past President of the Contra Costa County Fire Chiefs Association and a past Incident Commander on both the Contra Costa County and East Bay Incident Management Teams.

Curt Bashford, CEO, General Devices

Curt Bashford: Chief Executive Officer & Protagonist of Responsive Innovation at General Devices. His experience at GD spans over 30 years & includes developing and marketing communications and telemedicine solutions for Emergency Medical Services, hospitals & health care providers. He has overseen hundreds of projects for organizations such as FDNY, LA County FD and major hospital systems across the country and has been involved in FirstNet projects since its inception. Curt is a board member of the NPSTC Foundation, and Career Advisory Board at NJIT. A member of NAEMSP and Entrepreneurs Name/Organization, he holds BSEE and MS in Biomedical Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology and is a former EMT. He also actively engaged in national panels and presentations sharing his experience.

Stan Alleyne, Chief of Communications, Vitals Aware Services

Previously the chief of communications for Minneapolis Public Schools and senior consultant at a premier Twin Cities communications consulting agency, Stan Alleyne offers over 20 years of experience in communications and public relations. At Vitals™, Stan oversees communications and partnerships with a heavy involvement in Vitals Network of Schools as he understands the large impact it will have on the educational experience.

Steve Devine, FirstNet Director for FirstNet Strategy and Policy

Web Archive

The PSBTA Presents:

Preserving 4.9 GHz Spectrum for Public Safety

Aired Wednesday, August 12, 2020 12:00 pm PDT, 1:00 pm MDT, 2:00 pm CDT, 3:00 pm EDT

Public safety is facing yet another challenge in preserving a dedicated broadband spectrum. Now is the time for us all to stand united to protect valuable 4.9 GHz spectrum that has been assigned to public safety for over 15 years. This spectrum is key to our technological advancements in the future, and as the FCC reviews how our spectrum could be shared with the public, public safety must stand together so our voice is heard. The FCC has already received comments from non-public safety organizations wanting to open up the spectrum for shared use. This webinar will introduce the new “Public Safety Spectrum Alliance” and discuss why it is important that public safety must once again band together to protect our future.

Moderator

Division Chief Martha Ellis, Executive Director for the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association

Speakers

Andrew Seybold

Andrew Seybold heads Andrew Seybold, Inc. a wireless consulting, education, and publishing company founded in 1991. Mr. Seybold publishes a weekly column known at The Public Safety Advocate which appears on theallthingsfirstnet.com web-site. Clients of the firm include both commercial and public safety entities around the world, and Mr. Seybold’s articles, commentary’s blog are widely read by both wireless sectors.

Chief Chris Moore (Ret.)

Chief Chris Moore is a principal at Brooks Bawden Moore, LLC. He is a veteran law enforcement executive with over 34 years of public safety experience. His expertise spans many facets of public safety including field operations management, emergency communications/911 operations, internal affairs investigations, and media relations/crisis communications. Over the course of his public safety career, he has served as a police officer, firefighter, and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).

In 2013, after rising thorough every rank of the San Jose Police Department, Moore retired as Chief of Police of the 10th largest city in the United States (over 1,000,000 population). In 1999, Chief Moore was selected as a White House Fellow and served as Counsel to U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno. In 2004, he was honored as a Fulbright Fellow and studied police accountability/discipline at New Scotland Yard and the London School of Economics.

Chief Moore received his undergraduate degree at the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Public Administration degree from San Jose State University. Moore also received an A.S. degree in Fire Science from Indian Valley College.

Moore holds a Juris Doctor degree from Lincoln Law School of San Jose where he was voted by his fellow graduates as Outstanding Graduate. He is an active member of the State Bar of California.

Chief Moore is a graduate of the FBI National Executive Institute at Quantico, Virginia. He is also a graduate of the California POST Law Enforcement Command College where he was honored by his peers to receive the Hank Koehn Award as the outstanding graduate and to serve as their graduation speaker.

Moore is the recipient of numerous awards and citations for specific law enforcement casework including the SJPD Hazardous Duty Award for the confrontation and arrest of an armed homicide suspect at the scene of an active shooter event at a crowded bar.

Chief Jeff Johnson (Ret.)

Paramedic Service Chief Kevin McGinnis (Ret.)

He received undergraduate and graduate degrees from Brown University and Cornell University in health care delivery systems and hospital administration. Kevin has been a paramedic, an paramedic service chief for volunteer, private, and hospital-based services, a hospital emergency department director, and Maine’s state EMS director.

He is the past Chairman of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s SafeCom Program and continues to serve on its Executive Committee. Kevin is on the Governing Board of the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council and was bestowed its top honor, the Richard DeMello Award, in 2017. Kevin has been an energetic promoter of the nationwide public safety broadband network since 2006. In August, 2015, he was named by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to a second three-year term on the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) Board of Directors. In 2018, Kevin received the Journal of EMS “Top Ten Innovator Award” for his FirstNet work. He was named by the Government Technology/Solutions for State and Local Government magazine as one of its 2013 “Top 25 Doers, Dreamers & Drivers in Public-Sector Innovation”’.

Chief Kim Zagaris (Ret.)

In October of 2016 he was recognized by the California State Fire Association, CSFA Presidents Hall of Fame Aware honoring him for “For Exceptional Contribution”.

Watch Archive

The PSBTA Technical Solution Webinar Series presents:

FirstNet, built with AT&T Lean-In Webinars

On-scene support during public gatherings and unexpected behavior

Thursday, August 6, 2020 9:00 am PDT, 10:00 am MDT, 11:00 am CDT, 12:00 pm EDT

First responder activities can quickly become difficult and complex when responding to situations that involved planned events or unplanned social gatherings. This is when technology can help. First responder can take comfort in knowing their voice, data and video communications will not be slowed or interrupted by congestion encountered by commercial providers. And with that reliable connection, responders can leverage mobile tools to help. Take 60 minutes to learn how apps from Vizsafe, Visual Labs and Mission Keeper Mobile can help.

Moderator

Division Chief Martha Ellis, Executive Director for the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association

Speakers

Nathan Whittaker, Director of Solutions, Vizsafe

Nathan brings over 10 years of professional background grounded in technology and transformational solutions. His previous successes demonstrate a blend of consulting, sales and solutions enablement, with parallel education in Data Science and Enterprise Storage systems. This, along with enthusiasm and customer focus, is an asset for new and prospective Vizsafe customers alike.

Alexander Popof, Chief Operating Officer, Visual Labs

For the past six years, Alexander has been the Chief Operating Officer of Visual Labs, a public safety software company that calls itself the body camera company that does not make body cameras. Alexander has been involved in all business aspects of the company as well as management of the customer support, training and sales teams. Alexander has spoken about software and technology for numerous organizations including the International Associate of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Communications and Technology Committee. Alexander holds a BS in Accounting, an MBA in Finance and is a licensed CPA in the State of California.

Jon Gaster, CEO, Mission Keeper Mobile

Jon is the founder of KSI Data Sciences, a leader in delivering exploitable video, data and analytics from multiple remote sensors, UAS, Ground Robots, ROV’s etc. to users anywhere in the world in real time. By providing a safe yet easy to use system for public safety, enterprises and analytics vendors, Jon has taken KSI to the center of the drone and data exploitation world. His experience includes IBM, Entertainment, and DoD. He has a degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science in the UK and lives in Los Angeles.

Steve Devine, FirstNet Director for FirstNet Strategy and Policy

Web Archive

The PSBTA Technical Solution Webinar Series presents:

FirstNet, built with AT&T Lean-In Webinars

Returning to School – Are you ready? Part II

Aired Thursday, July 30, 2020 9:00 am PDT, 10:00 am MDT, 11:00 am CDT, 12:00 pm EDT

The start of the school year is only weeks away, so it is the perfect time to review the protocols and tools you have in place to support student safety. FirstNet, the nation’s only authorized communications platform dedicated for first responders, is much more than a mobile network. With reliable on access to voice, data and video in the field, FirstNet users can now count on a full ecosystem of digital tools – each thoroughly evaluated so you can trust it is relevant, highly-secure and reliable. Many apps in the FirstNet App Catalog help keep our students safe. Take 60 minutes to learn how public safety agencies and school personnel are being helped by three of those apps – OnGuard Lone Worker, RapidDeploy and RumbleUp.

Moderator

Division Chief Martha Ellis, Executive Director for the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association

Speakers

Mike Bolam, Chief Safety Officer, Sens-Net Canada

Growing up in a Family of Firefighters, it seemed only natural to pursue a career in Emergency Services, so that started the journey to where Mike is today. With 35 years of experience in Public Safety and Emergency Services, combined with an overwhelming passion for helping people, Mike has developed a well defined and analytical approach to life. His current projects include; Technical Advisor to the International Fire Service Training Association, technical review and update of standardized safety and emergency response protocols for municipalities, institutions and emergency responders throughout North America, and now as the Chief Safety Officer for OnGuard. Mike is also currently working on his master’s degree in Disaster and Emergency Management.

Mandana Varahrami, VP of Product Management, Rapid Deploy

Mandana brings 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry, including global research, public policy, consulting and product management. Over the last 10+ years, she has been leading product teams in healthcare technology, where she has built and delivered enterprise healthcare solutions to hospitals and health systems across the U.S. She has experience in applying data analytics and AI technologies for competitive advantage. Prior to joining RapidDeploy, Mandana led product teams at Babylon Health and the Advisory Board Company (now Optum). Mandana volunteers her time with Techfugees, a global organization committed to supporting tech for displaced people around the world. She holds a BSW from the University of Texas at Austin and an MPH/MBA from Emory University.

Dana Cichon, Director of Marketing & Accounts, RumbleUp

Dana Cichon serves as Director of Marketing and Accounts at RumbleUp. In this role, she has worked with over 300 clients to optimize their peer-to-peer texting programs for a wide variety of both political and non-political use cases. Originally from Chicago, she began her career in grassroots organizing and advocacy in downstate Illinois. After that she made the jump out to DC where she worked in campaign finance and FEC compliance before joining the RumbleUp team where she oversaw the initial launch of the platform and has since watched peer-to-peer texting become one of the fastest growing outreach tools used today.

Steve Devine, FirstNet Director for FirstNet Strategy and Policy

Watch Archive

The PSBTA Technical Solution Webinar Series presents:

FirstNet, built with AT&T Lean-In Webinars

Returning to School – Are you ready? Part I

Aired Thursday, July 23, 2020 9:00 am PDT, 10:00 am MDT, 11:00 am CDT, 12:00 pm EDT

The start of the 2020-21 school year is only weeks away, so now is the perfect time to review the protocols and tools you have in place to support student safety. FirstNet, the nation’s authorized communications platform dedicated for first responders, is much more than the mobile network that provides reliable access to voice, data and video in the field. FirstNet also includes a full ecosystem of digital tools; thoroughly evaluated so you can trust each is relevant, highly-secure and reliable. Many apps in the FirstNet App Catalog help keep our students safe. Take 60 minutes to learn how public safety agencies and school personnel are being helped by three of those apps. CrisisGo, Sonim SAFEBUS from Predictable Ryde and AT&T’s Enhanced Push-to-Talk will be discussed and demo’d.

Moderator

Division Chief Martha Ellis, Executive Director for the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association

Speakers

Kelly Moore, Director of Public Safety Leadership, CrisisGo

Kelly Moore is the Director of Safety Leadership for CrisisGo. He was previously the Safety Coordinator for the Santa Barbara Unified School District as well as a former commander with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office with over 30 years of experience in law enforcement. Kelly has extensive experience in large-scale emergency management and response, and he has responded to several large-scale wildland fires as a manager and/or unified commander. Kelly’s experience in school safety includes making extensive improvements in the safety of the schools of Santa Barbara Unified School district, including revising and standardizing all of their schools’ Emergency Operations Plans, implementing the CrisisGo emergency communications and alerting platform, and developing and implementing the first ever School Threat Assessment Response Team. Through his emergency response experience and work with school safety, Kelly has also brought together the schools, fire departments, and law enforcement agencies to better address our issues.

Matt Vuturo, Founder & CEO, Predictable Ryde

Matt Vuturo is the founder and CEO of Predictable Ryde, a real-time school bus and rider tracking SaaS for parents and schools. Matt is a versatile technologist with 20 years industry experience, and has a successful track record as both a technical manager and software engineer. He has developed, managed and supported enterprise information systems for Fortune 100 companies, the federal government, state agencies and small businesses. Matt earned a Masters degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Arizona.

Raul Cifuentes, EPTT Product Marketing Manager, AT&T

Raul Cifuentes is an expert in the Telecommunications field with 21 years of experience delivering cutting edge wireless solutions. He has been focused exclusively on Enhanced Push-to-Talk for almost a decade, providing visionary leadership in solution innovation. Raul prides himself on the passion, integrity, and knowledge he brings to the emergency communication services portfolio and looks forward to driving continued innovation. Raul earned his bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications from Rogers University in Oklahoma and is currently based in Atlanta GA.

Steve Devine, FirstNet Director for FirstNet Strategy and Policy

Watch Archive

The PSBTA Technical Solution Webinar Series presents:

FirstNet, built with AT&T Lean-In Webinars

Sharing information & data during a pandemic

Aired Thursday, July 16, 2020 9:00 am PDT, 10:00 am MDT, 11:00 am CDT, 12:00 pm EDT

COVID-19 continues to tax finite public safety resources, underscoring the need for efficient and effective information sharing tools. Since it appears as if the pandemic will be challenging us for the foreseeable future, take 60 minutes to explore how three FirstNet-approved apps (10-21 Police Phone, Pulsara, and Rave PANIC Button) help agencies share critical information and engage with the community during these difficult times.

Moderator

Division Chief Martha Ellis, Executive Director for the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association

Speakers

Corey Ricketson, Regional Vice President, Pulsara

Corey Ricketson started his career with Austin-Travis County EMS where he served as a Commander on the Special Operations Division. Additionally, Corey was a member of Texas Task Force 1, Texas’ disaster response team, and has seen the challenges of communication silos when operating outside normal operations. Notably, the first days of Hurricane Katrina were particularly challenging as there was a complete lack of infrastructure. Corey is passionate about process improvement and streamlining the communications process and spent 10 years with ESO Solutions as a small startup. Corey is now a Regional VP for Pulsara and has implemented large regions specifically for COVID mitigation.

Drew Delaney, Director of Business Development, Allerio

Drew serves as the Director of Business Development for Allerio. In that capacity he is responsible for building out the direct and channel sales team. He has 15 years of experience in wireless technology, public-private partnerships and public safety. His roles have spanned government affairs, business development, marketing, product development, and strategy with Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, and federal and state governments. Most recently, Drew worked for the First Responder Network Authority on Enterprise Strategy, Products & Solutions, Contract Evaluation, and Government Affairs. His experience in wireless technology and public safety began in 2005 at Lucent Technologies (now Nokia) working with Congress and the FCC to allocate spectrum and fund a dedicated wireless broadband network for public safety. Drew has degrees from Cornell University and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He currently resides in Charleston, SC with his wife, Mary, and three kids.

Kurt Thomas, Training Lead, Callyo

Kurt has been with callyo for over 4 years. He started out with the Technical Support Team, then transitioned to Training Lead focusing on creating training videos for the user guide, conducting in person and virtual training sessions, and facilitating monthly live webinars on Callyo services. Prior to Callyo, Kurt spent 13 years in the Cellular Technology Industry providing high level technical support for Roaming, SMS, MMS, and the Amber Alert System.

William Homer, MBA, ENP, Sr. Director of Solutions Architecture, Rave Mobile Safety

Sr. Director of Solutions Architecture Bill is a results-driven information technology and operations leader with experience and success in business operations, emergency notification and communications, 9-1-1 PSAP IT, telecom, web technologies, and client services. With 20 years of experience, Bill possesses a solid understanding of both the business and technical aspects of a successful solution launch. Bill has professional experience in wireless services, higher education, web support services, and software development. Bill’s educational background includes: B.S. – Business Admin, Nazareth College, 1991 M.B.A. Webster University, 1997 Bill served 7 years in active duty U.S. Navy service. LT, SC, USN He has been Rave for over 13 years, with extensive knowledge and background in all Rave products and services, and has performed and overseen over hundreds of individual deployments of Rave’s platform technologies.

Steve Devine, FirstNet Director for FirstNet Strategy and Policy

Web Archive

The PSBTA Technical Solution Webinar Series presents:

How to Deploy an Innovative and Cost-Effective Body Camera Solution

Aired Thursday, July 16, 2020 11:00 am PDT, 12:00 pm MDT, 1:00 pm CDT, 2:00 pm EDT

First responders are facing unique and unprecedented challenges in incident response and community engagement. Capturing conditions, dialogue, location data, and so much more, is becoming increasingly critical to effective mitigation and community transparency. Body camera systems are an irrefutable way to capture all facets of community engagement. Complicating the situation, however, is the ongoing strain on the public safety agency’s budgets.

With three easy to acquire and deploy components any agency can stand up a robust, compliant, and reliable body camera system. Join us for a discussion on how Kyocera devices and Visual Labs software can be optimized on the FirstNet public safety broadband network to deploy quick and affordable body cameras for all your first responders.

Moderator

Division Chief Martha Ellis, Executive Director for the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association

Speakers

Angela Spain, Account Director, Kyocera

Angela Spain has been in the telecommunications industry since 2003 and is the Kyocera AT&T Account Director for North America’s western region. Prior to joining Kyocera in 2019, Angela joined the AT&T FirstNet team and spent 8 years with AT&T where she was the liaison for state and local conferences, sales, and consultations, as well as focusing on increasing awareness and education of Kyocera products. With over 12 years of medical background experience, Angela previously worked as an EMT in the State of North Carolina, and now supports the AT&T team with a focus on FirstNet. Her background explains why Angela has such a passion for connecting people with solutions and technology in the areas that need it most – Public Safety. She truly believes Kyocera’s ‘Customer First’ principle and philosophy of “Do what is right as a human being”.

Alexander Popof, Chief Operating Officer, Visual Labs

Doug Clark, Executive Director- FirstNet Program, FirstNet built with AT&T

Watch Archive

The PSBTA Technical Solution Webinar Series presents:

FirstNet, built with AT&T Lean-In Webinars

Harsh 2020 wildfire season predicted, complicated by COVID-19

Aired Thursday, July 2, 2020 9:00 am PDT, 10:00 am MDT, 11:00 am CDT, 12:00 pm EDT

The 2020 wildfire season has started with responders battling the Big Horn Fire in the Santa Catalina Mountains. Forestry officials are predicting a harsh wildfire season – one complicated by COVID-19. Take 60 minutes to learn about ways in which FirstNet and FirstNet-approved apps like Fleet Complete, Explorer for ArcGIS from Esri and Response for FirstNet from Intrepid can make a dramatic difference in you state of readiness.

Moderator

Division Chief Martha Ellis, Executive Director for the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association

Speakers

Michelle Hardy, Channel Director of FirstNet, Government and Education, Fleet Complete

Michelle Hardy is the AT&T Fleet Complete Channel Director of FirstNet, Government, and Education and a Veteran Fire Fighter. Today, Michelle is responsible for helping transportation fleets in the government, first responder, and education sectors improve their operations. Michelle knows safety and not only has dedicated her professional life to helping communities be safer, but is also the driving force behind the Fleet Complete’s Vision Zero Network partnership.

The mission of her day-to-day work includes the development of innovative ways to support communities. Working alongside FirstNet and AT&T has been rewarding from day one. As a veteran first responder herself within the Fire Department – alongside her 17-year law enforcement and Army Veteran spouse – the vision and passion for public safety runs in her family.

Michelle holds a B.A. in Name/Organizational Management.

Mike King, Director of Emergency Communications & Fraud Solutions at Esri

For the past 40 years, Mike King has worked with law enforcement around the world on criminal investigations, real-time crime centers and emergency communications. Before public retirement in 2004, he served in every division of policing, retiring as Chief of Staff in the Utah Attorney General’s Office. He served as co-chair of the FBI’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (ViCAP) National Advisory Board and as Director of UTAP, the Utah criminal Tracking and Analysis Project. King is a board member of the Cold Case Foundation, where he joins former colleagues in profiling criminal cases. He is a 6-time published author who has appeared on numerous documentaries including the Emmy Award winning production, “Who Killed King Tut?”

Mike Cox, Director of Fire & EMS Solutions at Esri

Mike Cox is the Director of Fire and EMS Solutions for Esri, the world leader in GIS technology. Mike’s responsibilities include advocating how fire and EMS agencies leverage geospatial information and technology to achieve their response and recovery goals. As a member of the Public Safety Industry Marketing team, he works collaboratively with GIS professionals to promote the broad use of Esri’s ArcGIS platform within fire and EMS. Mike retired from the Henrico County, VA Fire Department after 27 years of service. He served as the Deputy Chief with responsibilities including operations, emergency management, community risk reduction, planning, accreditation, budget, and human resources. He is also a member of the Central Virginia All Hazard Incident Management Team, was the technical rescue team leader, and served as a haz mat specialist on the Virginia Department of Emergency Management’s Regional Haz Mat Team.

Bruce Dowlen, Director of Marketing, Intrepid Networks

Bruce Dowlen, Intrepid Networks Marketing Thought Leader, directing and executing compelling and meaningful campaigns pushing the boundaries of how storytelling and strategic targeting can advance our client’s interests and ensure adaptability to an increasingly demanding marketplace. Bruce knows what truly drives conversions.

Bruce started his career in the entertainment industry, directing/producing “B” movies and countless TV commercials. Moving from there to Art Director for Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park in Orlando, FL, notably working on the Tree of Life, that park’s main attraction. In the early 2000’s he launched DDGroup, a full-service positioning and branding design firm serving clients from around the world like Patrone, Absolute, HardRock Hotels, Disney entertainment, and Formula One race teams. Later migrating to the publishing industry, where he was instrumental in growing revenues over 1.5 billion for an industry-leading Publishing House.

When I am not pushing the limits of marketing and design, you can find me surfing Florida’s pitifully small waves or spending quality time with my wife and Kids cruising in classic cars.

Steve Devine, FirstNet Director for FirstNet Strategy and Policy

Web Archive

The PSBTA Technical Solution Webinar Series presents:

FirstNet, built with AT&T Lean-In Webinars

Hurricanes Won’t Be Diverted by COVID-19

Aired Thursday, June 25, 2020 9:00 am PDT, 10:00 am MDT, 11:00 am CDT, 12:00 pm EDT

With the start of hurricane season, first responders, emergency managers and healthcare professionals are faced with the possibility of managing two large-scale emergencies at once. The size and complexity of dealing with severe weather events has grown in recent years as we experience larger and more devastating storms. Couple that complexity with social distancing and other mitigation techniques made necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19, and even the “new normal” isn’t so normal. Take 60 minutes to learn how FirstNet and FirstNet-approved apps like Groupdolists, RumbleUp and Mutualink can help.

Moderator

Division Chief Martha Ellis, Executive Director for the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association

Speakers

Thomas Peters, Founder & CEO, RumbleUp

Thomas Peters is the Founder & CEO of RumbleUp, a platform that enables human-powered text conversations at scale. RumbleUp clients have sent over 50 million text messages since 2018. Thomas has 12 years experience in the online organizing space, first using social media, then custom smartphone apps, and finally, text messaging. He lives in Washington, DC.

Dan Willingham, Director of Carrier Relations, MutuaLink

Dan Willingham is Mutualink’s Director of Carrier Relations, working with the AT&T and FirstNet sales channel. Dan’s experience includes 6 years as an AT&T Applications Sales Executive and 7 years of active duty in the US Air Force. He also consulted for several years on behalf of IoT, software and application solutions for state and local government and public safety, as well as commercial and healthcare. Today Dan brings all his background together to introduce you to Mutualink’s Edge IWS interoperability.

Michael J. Sher, CEO & Founder, Groupdolists

Michael Sher is CEO and founder of Groupdolists, a purpose-built provider of advanced government incident management, crisis management and COOP solutions. Michael has been building tools for the emergency and incident management markets since 2001, when he co-founded Send Word Now in New York City immediately following the incidents of 9/11.

He also founded Centrallo, which powers Groupdolists in 2013, to help teams responsible for the safety and security of people, assets, brand, supply chain and reputation, to instantly take control of any unexpected disruption. Throughout his career, Michael has worked with hundreds of government agencies and corporations helping them identify highest and best uses for the technology he and his teams have developed. Michael graduated from Elon University with a major in business administration.

Steve Devine, FirstNet Director for FirstNet Strategy and Policy

Web Archive

How to Leverage Body Cameras for More than Video and Audio

Aired Thursday, May 28, 2020 10:00 am PDT, 11:00 am MDT, 12:00 pm CDT, 1:00 pm EDT

In the midst of challenging times, agencies are looking for creative ways to reduce expenses without sacrificing public safety. By leveraging technology and our Nation’s only fully designated broadband network, FirstNet, agencies can increase productivity and reduce operational inefficiencies in an area that might be surprising to some — body worn cameras (BWC)

Traditionally, body cameras have been thought of as a device that simply records video and audio. The typical BWC system requires an officer to return to the station to place the device in a dock in order to upload each day’s footage or connect the device to external hardware that is not available in many situations. With FirstNet and Visual Labs technology, significant functionality has been added to the recording devices, simplifying the upload, storage, and review process without compromising security. This webinar will talk about stream-lining typical BWC applications, in addition to exploring new and creative ways to put these systems to use in non-traditional ways.

Moderator

Division Chief Martha Ellis, Executive Director for the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association

Speakers

William Burleson, Chief of Police, Winfield, Missouri

Chief Burleson began his career in 2004 with the Byrnesmill, Missouri Police Department at 21 years of age. He served as an Officer there until 2012 when he accepted a position with the Kimmswick, Missouri Police Department, later becoming Chief of that agency in 2013. In 2017, he accepted the position of Chief of Police for the Winfield Missouri Police Department where he has since received further training at the Gateway Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar (LEEDS), an Executive Leadership Survival course put on by LEEDS and the FBI. He also has served the community as an active member of the Missouri Police Chiefs Association, Greater St. Louis Council of Boy Scouts of America, and has worked closely with several other community partners in the St. Louis area. He has been married to his wife, Nicole for 15 years and has three children.

Karl Wilmes, Chief of Police (Retired), Federal Heights, Colorado

Karl Wilmes has established a career as an executive leader and senior advisor in law enforcement. He has led three agencies including serving as Homeland Security Director for the State of Colorado. He also spent 10 years with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) serving as Deputy Director and overseeing the Bureau’s Criminal Justice Information Systems section. He served as the Chief of Police for the City of Federal Heights, Colorado for three years beginning in January 2015. He has a broad range of local, state, and national experience in law enforcement, public safety and security. Currently, he provides consulting services to law enforcement agencies in a variety of areas, including CJIS (data sharing), biometrics, strategic planning, investigations, training, and liability reduction. Karl is a graduate of the Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Senior Executives in State and Local Government leadership program, the 187th session of the FBI National Academy and Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command.

Alexander Popof, Chief Operating Officer, Visual Labs

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Communications in Complex Incidents: Salt Lake Earthquake During COVID-19 Pandemic

Aired Thursday, May 14, 2020 11:00 am PDT, 12:00 am MDT, 1:00 pm CDT, 2:00 pm EDT

In the midst of an escalating COVID-19 pandemic response, the Salt Lake Valley was struck with a 5.7 earthquake. Complex hazardous materials incidents, collapsing structures, and medical responses taxed the LMR and commercial broadband networks. All tiers of government, from mayors to frontline response personnel had to assess and communicate minute-to-minute status reports. While commercial cellular networks were congested due to heavy usage, agencies using FirstNet had reliable access and capacity on the FirstNet network.

Dave Herrman, Salt Lake City Fire IT specialist, and Dustin Dern, Unified Fire Authority Battalion Chief and Operations Section Chief for the Incident Management Team, will share their stories and experience with FirstNet in a large-scale event. Garett Doyle, Regional Manager with the FirstNet Program at AT&T, and Tracey Murdock, from the First Responder Network Authority, will discuss the earthquake response from the perspective of their respective agencies and address the future of FirstNet and the ongoing reinvestment and further development of the network.

Presented By:

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COVID-19: Secure Connectivity for Rapid First and Emergency Response

Aired Tuesday, April 28, 2020 11:00 am PDT, 12:00 pm MDT, 1:00 pm CDT, 2:00 pm EDT

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold, police and fire departments, EMS, military units, and other emergency response organizations face unprecedented challenges. Mobile network connectivity is of the utmost importance in a crisis —enabling highly reliable access to critical applications, near real-time communications, and data from IoT devices such as surveillance cameras. Whether deployed in a pop-up site, vehicle or mobile command center, wireless networks with FirstNet® cellular connectivity are essential to a safe and effective response.

Join us to learn how emergency service providers are leveraging enterprise-grade LTE and FirstNet cellular networks to securely connect first and emergency personnel in the field.

Speakers By

Web Archive

Sustaining Connectivity During Compounding Emergencies: Collaboration Models Between Public Safety, FirstNet & Sierra Wireless

Aired Thursday, April 23, 2020 9:00 am PDT, 10:00 am MDT, 11:00 am CDT, 12:00 pm EDT

In these unprecedented times, public safety officials, healthcare workers, school administrators, and communications providers are cooperating like never before. Connectivity, interoperability, and coverage play a key role in smooth and coordinated mitigation efforts. Learn how your community can benefit from the experiences and stories that are being written every day from across the country, as staying connected becomes increasingly more attainable with a powerful network and the tools to optimize its use.

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COVID-19 Response: Rapidly Deployable Network for Healthcare

Aired Thursday, April 9, 2020 11:00 am PDT, 12:00pm MDT, 1:00pm CDT, 2:00pm EDT

Medical professionals and emergency responders on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic are doing vital work — and they’re doing it anywhere and everywhere. From tents in parking lots to open buildings, hotels, and other locations, these emergency response teams need mission-critical cellular and on-site networks to keep essential technology, such as laptops, tablets, printers and medical equipment, always connected and operational.

Join us to learn how AT&T and Cradlepoint can help frontline healthcare providers rapidly deploy secure and reliable on-site wireless networks with FirstNet cellular connectivity to support pop-up testing, quarantine, and healthcare delivery sites.

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HOW TO SPONSOR WEBINARS

Public Safety Broadband Technology Association offers a wide range of Marketing and Sponsorship opportunities or companies offering public safety products and services supporting FirstNet. Learn more how you can become a Public Safety Broadband Technology Association Webinar sponsor.

CONTACT:

Martha Ellis – PSBTA Executive Director
(801) 599-3100
mellis@thePSBTA.org

Download Sponsor Sheet

Our Speakers Include:

Al H Gillespie – President, Public Safety Broadband Technology Association

Chief Al H Gillespie served the fire service for almost 40 years including 15 years as the Fire Chief of three large city fire departments. He also served as the Interim Executive Chief of East County Fire and Rescue. Chief Gillespie served as the President of the International Association of Chiefs (IAFC) 2011-12 and, as all past IAFC Presidents, serves on the President’s Council. During his tenure as President he was instrumental in helping the fire service and all public safety, through Congress, acquire the D-Block bandwidth. Chief Gillespie serves as the Principal of Executive Fire Consultants working with a major multi-national communications company and on firefighter health and safety issues.

Al was a key participant with the Public Safety Alliance representing the fire service on a number of key issue in Washington D.C. during his term as President and Board Member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

Al has a bachelor’s degree in fire services administration from Eastern Oregon University and has a Fellowship for Harvard University. He is a Graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officers Program and has been an instructor in the Program.

Richard A. Mirgon – Vice President, Treasurer, Public Safety Broadband Technology Association

Richard Mirgon, a founding member of the Public Safety Alliance, which was responsible for the reallocation for the “D block” broadband spectrum and the legislation that created FirstNet. Richard has over 30 years of public safety experience with the last 20 years in the public safety technology field. After retiring from government service in 2009 he has been providing consulting service to the private sector, state and local government. He is a Past President for the Association of Public Safety Officials International (APCO). He is currently the co-owner of Next Paradigm Consulting, LLC and Richard Mirgon Consulting LLC with his wife Shari.

Richard has participated in several national and statewide activities to include the FCC’s Intergovernmental Advisory Committee, SAFECOM Executive Committee, and the Commercial Mobile Alerting Services Committee. In December of 1999 he was appointed by Governor Guinn to the State Emergency Response Commission and served as Co-Chair from March 2001 until March of 2006. Additionally, he served as Co-Chair of the WMD/Homeland Security Steering Committee from 1999 thru the fall of 2003.

Richard holds a BA in Political Science and Public Administration.

Martha Ellis – Executive Director, Public Safety Broadband Technology Association

Division Chief Martha Ellis has been a public servant since 1993. She started her career as a hotshot firefighter/EMT with the National Forest Service then moved into her twenty-two year career as a structural firefighter with the Salt Lake City Fire Department. Her career experience includes operations, training, ARFF, and fire prevention, as well as serving as the Salt Lake City fire marshal for over five years. She concluded her exemplary career as the Division Chief over the Logistics, Emergency Management, and the Fire Intelligence Liaison programs for Salt Lake City.

As the five-time world champion and world record holder in the Firefighter Combat Challenge, Martha earned a national reputation as an advocate for firefighter health and fitness. Chief Ellis served as the fitness editor and monthly columnist for Fire Rescue Magazine for five years, and has presented on the topic of fitness, nutrition and the politics of fitness standards across the country. She has been dedicated to the health and wellbeing of all first responders for decades. She is a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and served on the IAFC Constitution, Bylaws and Resolutions committee for eight years, in addition to serving as the Chair of the Salt Lake Urban Area UASI Communications Subcommittee.

Chief Ellis has earned an Associate’s degree in Fire Science, a Masters in Homeland Security from the Naval Postgraduate School, a Masters in Legal Studies and the University of Utah Law School, a Graduate certificate in Conflict Resolution and Mediation and is a graduate of the Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Senior Executives in State and Local Government leadership program.

Karl W. Wilmes – Deputy Executive Director, Public Safety Broadband Technology Association

Karl W. Wilmes served as the Chief of Police for the City of Federal Heights, Colorado from January 2015 until his retirement in January 2018. During his career in law enforcement, while leading three agencies, he developed a culture of police and community involvement and organizational accountability.

Prior to his appointment as Chief of Police, at the City of Federal Heights, Karl served as the Homeland Security Director for Colorado (OPSFS) and Deputy Director for the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Serving as Deputy Director for the CBI, Karl was responsible to provide direction and management oversight for the CBI business units and all state criminal justice information systems.

Karl continues to remain active in law enforcement advising clients on public safety wireless communication, CJIS (data sharing), biometrics, strategic planning, investigations, and training. Professionally, Karl is a member of numerous organizations. He serves on the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) national CJIS committee. He remains an active member at IACP and is a member of the Police Executive Research Forum. During his career he participated on numerous national and statewide criminal justice boards. Locally, he is a past president of the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police and currently a member.

Karl has a Master’s degree in Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. He is a graduate of the Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Senior Executives in State and Local Government leadership program, the 187th session of the FBI National Academy and Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command.

Chuck Dowd, Retired Assistant Police Chief

Charles F. Dowd spent Chief Charles Dowd spent 35 years with the NYPD in a host of assignments including patrol, detectives, narcotics division, and communications. He was in charge of the the NYC 911 system and police radio communications for 12 years covering such events as September 11th, the northeast blackout, and hurricane Sandy. He was the NYPD’s lead on the development of the NYC 311 system and the effort to create FirstNet. He served on the FirstNet board of directors as an inaugural member.

Jeff Johnson, Retired Fire Chief and Past President of the International Association of Fire Chiefs

Chief Chris Moore (Ret)

Over the course of his public safety career, he has served as a police officer, firefighter, and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). In 2013, after rising thorough every rank of the San Jose Police Department, Moore retired as Chief of Police of the 10th largest city in the United States (over 1,000,000 population). In 1999, Chief Moore was selected as a White House Fellow and served as Counsel to U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno. In 2004, he was honored as a Fulbright Fellow and studied police accountability/discipline at New Scotland Yard and the London School of Economics.

As a representative of the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA), Chief Moore served as Chair of the Public Safety Alliance (PSA), a group of nine national public safety organizations, created to advocate for legislation to reallocate the 700 MHz D Block spectrum to public safety and for the creation of a nationwide public safety broadband network (NPSBN). This successful nationwide grass roots effort entailed significant consensus building and relationship management at all levels of government. He also served as the MCCA representative to the FBI CJIS Advisory Policy Board (APB) where he served as Chairman of the Information Sharing Subcommittee. Moore is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and the California Police Chiefs Association (CPCA). Chief Moore received his undergraduate degree at the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Public Administration degree from San Jose State University. Moore also received an A.S. degree in Fire Science from Indian Valley College. Moore holds a Juris Doctor degree from Lincoln Law School of San Jose where he was voted by his fellow graduates as Outstanding Graduate.

He is an active member of the State Bar of California. Chief Moore is a graduate of the FBI National Executive Institute at Quantico, Virginia. He is also a graduate of the California POST Law Enforcement Command College where he was honored by his peers to receive the Hank Koehn Award as the outstanding graduate and to serve as their graduation speaker. Moore is the recipient of numerous awards and citations for specific law enforcement casework including the SJPD Hazardous Duty Award for the confrontation and arrest of an armed homicide suspect at the scene of an active shooter event at a crowded bar.

Paramedic Service Chief Kevin McGinnis (Ret.)

Kevin McGinnis, MPS, Paramedic Service Chief (Ret.) has been an EMS system builder since 1974. He is the communications technology advisor for five national EMS associations, and program manager for public safety communications, rural EMS and community paramedicine for the National Association of State EMS Officials. He received undergraduate and graduate degrees from Brown University and Cornell University in health care delivery systems and hospital administration.

Kevin has been a paramedic, an paramedic service chief for volunteer, private, and hospital-based services, a hospital emergency department director, and Maine’s state EMS director. He is the past Chairman of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s SafeCom Program and continues to serve on its Executive Committee. Kevin is on the Governing Board of the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council and was bestowed its top honor, the Richard DeMello Award, in 2017. Kevin has been an energetic promoter of the nationwide public safety broadband network since 2006. In August, 2015, he was named by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to a second three-year term on the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) Board of Directors. In 2018, Kevin received the Journal of EMS “Top Ten Innovator Award” for his FirstNet work. He was named by the Government Technology/Solutions for State and Local Government magazine as one of its 2013 “Top 25 Doers, Dreamers & Drivers in Public-Sector Innovation”’.

Sue Swenson, Former FirstNet Board Chairperson

Edward Parkinson, CEO, FirstNet Authority

Mr. Edward Parkinson is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the FirstNet Authority. He is responsible for overall management of all FirstNet Authority operations and the agency’s strategic direction, to include its unique public-private partnership to deploy and improve the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network. He previously served as Acting CEO from October 2018 – May 2019.

Before joining the FirstNet Authority, Mr. Parkinson served for five years as a Professional Staff Member for the House Homeland Security Committee, then chaired by Rep. Peter T. King of New York. During this period, Mr. Parkinson’s primary responsibility was in the field of first responder telecommunications. He also worked on issues including national security, emergency preparedness, and cybersecurity. Previously Mr. Parkinson served as an associate at Kearsage Global Advisors, an advocacy firm, and a research analyst at McKenna, Long and Aldridge, an international law firm specializing in public policy. Mr. Parkinson holds degrees from Georgetown University (M.A), and WITS University, (B.A., Hons)

Jeff Bratcher, CTO, FirstNet Authority

Mr. Jeffrey Bratcher is the Chief Network and Technology Officer of the FirstNet Authority. Mr. Bratcher is a key leader involved with the shaping of the technology for the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN). He led the formation of the FirstNet Authority technology teams as well as the state-of-the-art Innovation and Technology lab located at the FirstNet Authority office in Boulder, Colorado. Building upon his success as the Chief Technology Officer, Mr. Bratcher was also appointed to lead the network team overseeing the implementation of the nationwide FirstNet broadband network built with AT&T.

Mr. Bratcher began his federal service in 2003 with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS) also located in Boulder, Colorado. Prior to joining federal service, he worked for ten years within the wireless private sector deploying several of the first digital cellular systems in U.S. and international markets. Mr. Bratcher received his BS in Electrical Engineering from Texas Tech University and his MS in Telecommunications from Southern Methodist University.

Jim Bugel, Vice President, FirstNet Program

Jim Bugel is Vice President, FirstNet Program for AT&T. Based in Washington, D.C., Mr. Bugel oversees AT&T’s strategy and policy for all state, local and federal public safety initiatives including FirstNet implementation and the FirstNet Response Operations Group. With over 25 years of experience in the wireless and wired telecommunications industry, Mr. Bugel has a significant background in public safety, national security, cybersecurity and emergency preparedness. He joined AT&T from Cingular Wireless and has also held leadership roles at BellSouth and GTE.

Mr. Bugel led AT&T’s efforts to reshape the public safety communications industry. He worked with Congress and the nation’s public safety leadership to help pass The Middle-Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 – the legislation that created the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet). FirstNet is an independent authority established to provide emergency responders with the first nationwide, high-speed, broadband network dedicated to public safety. Most recently, he led AT&T’s complex and successful bid to build the FirstNet network – a 25-year federal contract AT&T was honored to receive in March of 2017. In 2017, he played a pivotal role in convincing 50 states, five territories, and one district to “opt in” to FirstNet. Prior to his current role, Mr. Bugel was AT&T’s principal public safety and national security representative to the White House, Department of Defense, the Federal Communications Commission, the Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the FirstNet Program, Response Operations Group.

In addition to his primary responsibilities at AT&T, Mr. Bugel served on the International Disaster Response Sub-Committee to the U.S. Department of State’s Advisory Committee on International Communications and Information Policy (ACICIP). He also has been actively involved in the President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC). Mr. Bugel served as Chair of the FCC’s Joint Advisory Committee on Communications Capabilities of Emergency, Medical and Public Health Care Facilities, a past co-chair of the NSTAC Emergency Communications and Interoperability Task Force, and is a former Vice Chair of Homeland Security’s Communications Sector Coordinating Council (CSCC). Mr. Bugel received his Bachelors in Business Science from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He resides in McLean, VA.

Kelley Adley, Director of Strategy and Policy, FirstNet Response Operations Group at AT&T

Within the AT&T FirstNet organization, Kelley Adley is responsible for building and maintaining key strategic public safety relationships for the AT&T FirstNet organization. He is also responsible for leading strategy/policy development and FirstNet innovation based on specific and evolving first responder needs. His special focus areas include law enforcement, intelligence, land mobile radio technologies, information sharing, and technology/application/communications innovation.

Ryan Fields Spack, Director of Strategy and Policy, FirstNet Response Operations Group at AT&T

Ryan Fields-Spack is a member a unique team within AT&T specifically chosen for their public safety experience. Their primary focus is to advocate for the needs of all public safety agencies and line level personnel as FirstNet is stood up across the nation. Ryan Joins AT&T after 10 years with the city of Aurora, Colorado Fire Department. Prior to joining AT&T, Ryan served as a Captain. He also worked with the departments as a fire Lieutenant and the Coordinator for the City of Aurora Office of Emergency Management (OEM). Ryan started as a line level Firefighter/Paramedic.

Fred Scalera, Director of Public Safety Strategy, FirstNet Response Operations Group at AT&T

Fred Scalera is a Director of Public Safety Strategy for the AT&T FirstNet Program. He is Responsible for facilitating collaborative innovation with FirstNet users, and for strategic alignment for Public Safety. Fred also serves as the Director of The Response Operations Group.

Fred Scalera has a long history of public safety service and innovation. Fred retired in 2008 as a Deputy Chief with the Nutley Fire Department in New Jersey. During his time with the Nutley Fire Department, Fred was assigned to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Arson Task Force. Fred was the first Fire Service Arson Investigator to attend a Police Academy. He served as an instructor at the Essex County Police Academy for over 25 years.

During Fred’s career with the Fire Service and Municipal Government he also became a Certified Fire Official. Other responsibilities included radio communications, the Township Information Technology Bureau and the Emergency Management Coordinator. Fred not only served his home Township of Nutley, but also within Essex County as a Deputy Sherriff, the Deputy Director of the County Office of Emergency Management and the Hazardous Material Coordinator.

Fred also served in the New Jersey State Legislature. He rose to be the Deputy Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly and served Chairman of the Homeland Security Preparedness Committee. He was also served as the Bureau Chief of Interoperable Communications and was responsible for NJ as one of the FirstNet Early Builder projects.

Kamala Kuhn – Grants Specialist with All Things FirstNet (ATFN)

Kamala Kuhn is the former Deputy Administrator of the Nevada Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. Ms. Kuhn has over 26 years of professional senior management experience in State and Local Government. In addition to her other management duties, she had oversight and management responsibility for all public safety grants administered by the division to include Homeland Security Grant Program, Emergency Management Preparedness Grant, Federal Disaster Assistance Grants, Communications Grants, Fire Mitigation, and Flood Mitigation Grants. Kamala is now a grants specialist with All Things FirstNet.

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PUBLIC SAFETY BROADBAND TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION

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