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Wisconsin Broadband Summit

Summary

November 2021 — Access to broadband is critical for Wisconsin communities in the 21st century – connected to better business performance, entrepreneurship, higher home values, better educational outcomes, improved health outcomes, and higher worker productivity. Despite these benefits, access to high-quality broadband is limited in many communities throughout Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin Broadband Summit is organized to help Wisconsin communities enhance broadband access by:

  • understanding the importance of broadband to economic development,
  • exploring models for active networking and leadership development,
  • accessing and applying mapping, data, and survey research techniques, and
  • learning about available funding options.

Webinar Recording



Agenda



Enhancing Broadband Access in Wisconsin

  • Brittany Beyer, Chairperson, Governor’s Task Force on Broadband, Executive Director, Grow North Economic Development Corporation

Broadband and the Wisconsin Economy

  • Tessa Conroy, Assistant Professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics and Community Economic Development Specialist, UW–Madison
  • Steve Deller, Professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics and Community Economic Development Specialist, UW-Madison

Digital Equity and Inclusion

  • Steve Goldberg, Executive Director, Wisconsin Education Association (WEA) Member Benefits Association
  • Brian Gauthier, Community Development Extension Educator, Lac du Flambeau

Active Networking and Leadership Panel

  • Moderator: Gail Huycke, Community Development Outreach Specialist, UW-Madison, Division of Extension, & Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Member
  • Panelist: Boulder Junction – Bill Niemuth, President, Loss Mitigation Solutions, and Board Member of Vilas County Economic Development Corporation
  • Panelist: Wood County – MaryAnn Lippert, Owner, MaryAnn Lippert Consultant, LLC
  • Panelist: New North – Barbara Koldos, New North Vice President, Business Development

Mapping, Data, and Surveying

  • Moderator & Panelist: Matt Kures, Community Economic Development Specialist, UW-Madison, Division of Extension
  • Panelist: Brown County Mapping – August Neverman, Chief Operating Officer, BCCAN and Broadband Services
  • Panelist: Community Survey – Barry Hottmann, Community Development Extension Educator, Iowa County

Funding Broadband Access

  • Moderator: Chris Stark, Community Development Extension Educator, Forest County, UW-Madison, Division of Extension
  • Panelist: Examples of Local Funding: Kewaunee – Scott Feldt, County Administrator, Kewaunee County
  • Panelist: Taylor County – Mike Bub, Chairperson of the Taylor County Broadband Committee
  • Panelist: State & Federal Funding – Alyssa Kenney, Director of Digital Access, Public Service Commission of Wisconsin
  • Panelist: Economic Development Administration – Tom Baron, Economic Development Representative for the Economic Development Administration


This summit is co-sponsored by:


This webinar was made possible, in part, by a grant from the United States Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration in support of the Economic Development Administration University Center at the Division of Extension, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations are those of the presenter and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration.


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