FOUNDER / EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Bryan Hughes is a developer, entrepreneur, advisor, and executive with 35+ years of experience in startups and fortune 500 companies. In 2009, he co-founded Predictive Medical Technologies to predict cardiopulmonary arrest in the ICU with a 24-hour likelihood.

He later founded GOFACTORY, an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) company with a focus on Smart Cities and Industrial control systems. Acquired by Space Time Insight, he was CTO of IoT, then later Chief Architect of IoT at Nokia after Nokia’s acquisition.

After leaving Nokia, Bryan started his third company, Lodestar, developing a pallet tracking device with a 2-year battery life that gave location and health of pallets shipped across the global supply chain.

Currently, Bryan is a Senior Technical Advisor for Vivera Pharmaceuticals, holds a Board of Director position on Third Economy in the ESG space, as well as the community-based non-profit, Russian River Alliance.

Bryan is Founder and Executive Director of EQAC.

PRINCIPLE ENGINEER / NETWORK ARCHITECT / PLANT OPERATIONS

Justin McCoart is a Information Systems and Computer Networking professional with over 30 years experience designing and building Computer Systems. This includes 17 years of MSP experience designing, deploying and managing networks throughout the United States.

Mr. McCoart has designed and built over 300 Cisco Meraki Networks, gaining expertise in providing wireless connectivity in rural areas of New England for both public and private organizations.

CO-FOUNDER / BOARD

Mr. Copenhagen has had a career building systems in Silicon Valley, and around the world. He has provided technical and program leadership to companies as diverse as Alcoa, Johnson & Johnson and DARPA.

Community Outreach and Policy Strategist / CO-FOUNDER / BOARD

Elise is a strategic outreach and policy director who has worked in senior roles in government, nonprofit, and corporate enterprises. With this diverse background, Elise creates policy and program solutions based on cultivating connections, engaging stakeholders, and integrating input to forge a path forward. She has addressed challenging issues from disaster response to new programs development. By growing strong community, media, and government networks, Elise is a trusted voice in advocating for progress that helps communities prosper.

CO-FOUNDER / BOARD

Mark Khoury is an accomplished business professional with an extensive background with startups of broadband providers in network deployment and field operations such as Covad Communications, MetroFi and Fibertower as well as future 500 companies such as BT Americas.

DEPUTY DIRECTOR
Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB)

Rob Fish is the Deputy Director of the Vermont Community Broadband Board, an independent office within the Vermont Department of Public Service. In this position, he works with 216 of Vermont’s 252 towns organizing into municipal organizations called “Communications Union Districts.” These organizations are at the forefront of Vermont’s efforts to expand broadband. Prior to his work with the State of Vermont, Rob held positions at the Energy Action Network and the Vermont Council on Rural Development. Rob has an extensive background in community organizing and rural development. He first became interested in the transformative power of digital tools and the necessity of digital equity efforts while spending time in a village in Ghana that over the course of two years went from no phone service to high-speed internet access. Rob holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Vermont.

OUTSIDE PLANT MANAGER
ECFiber, Vermont

Dannielle works closely with other utilities to manage make-ready requirements for new attachments and licensing. Manage crews for daily production and new customer installs, materials. Work to educate crews about line trucks and safety needs.

OSP FIELD SUPERVISOR
ECFiber, Vermont

Andy has extensive experience in outside plant construction and management, and has been fully immersed in the aerial construction, splicing of RFOG and fiber optic networks, as well as maintenance troubleshooting, and safety procedures since 1995. Day to day field operations from forward production, general maintenance, storm damage, and forced relocations. Proper instruction of new field team members, and safety protocols.

TECHNOLOGY EXECUTIVE / ADVISOR
Founder of Network Computing Devices

Mr Klein has four decades of experience as a technology executive in Silicon Valley based networking and mobile application startups. His background includes extensive leadership roles in customer service, product management, and engineering. As one of the original founders of Network Computing Devices he helped lead that company in the creation of the network terminal marketplace and a successful IPO. He led or advised multiple Internet technology companies and continues to serve as an advisor for early stage networking organizations.