2019 archive


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Expanding Opportunity, Access, and Connectivity to Indian Country

This landmark National Tribal Broadband Summit will connect tribal leaders with private sector and federal decision makers to explore ways to expand broadband capacity and investment in American Indian and Alaska Native communities, schools, and libraries.

On September 23 - 24, 2019, the Department of the Interior (DOI), in collaboration with the Department of Education (ED) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), will showcase new technologies and innovative partnership solutions that are critical to bridging the connectivity divide in Indian Country. As part of the larger effort to close the digital divide in Indian Country, the National Tribal Broadband Summit will connect community leaders with information and resources to identify opportunities for public and private sector solutions to close the connectivity gap in schools and libraries on tribal lands. 

Agenda

September 23, 2019

Main Interior Building, 1849 C ST NW, Washington, DC

8:00   AM     Registration

9:00   AM     Welcome & Opening Remarks

Joe Garcia, Head Councilman, Ohway Owingeh
Doug Hoelscher, Director, White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
Tara Sweeney, Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs, US Department of the Interior

9:30 AM     Impact of Broadband in Native Communities (PDF)

Kate MacGregor, Deputy Chief of Staff, exercising the Authority of the Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior
Ajit Pai, Chairman, Federal Communications Commission
Tyler Scribner, Policy Analyst, National Congress of American Indians
Kimball Sekaquaptewa, Chief Technology Director, Santa Fe Indian School, New Mexico 
Nancy Weiss, General Counsel, Institute of Museum and Library Services 
Nicole Umayam, Digital Inclusion Librarian, State Library of Arizona
Joseph Grogan, Director, Domestic Policy Council

10:30 AM     Panel: Key Elements of Successful Broadband Deployment & Adoption (PDF)

Moderator: Ann Tracy, MLIS of Treacy Information Service and Broadband Engagement Team for Blandin Foundation
Tyler Scribner, Policy Analyst, National Congress of American Indians
Kimball Sekaquaptewa, Chief Technology Director, Santa Fe Indian School, New Mexico
Nicole Umayam, Digital Inclusion Librarian, State Library of Arizona

11:30 AM     Lunch on your own

1:00   PM     Building a Community Broadband Roadmap (PDF)

Jean Rice, Senior Broadband Program Specialist, National Telecommunications & Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce

Discover the steps to take to build a broadband roadmap. The session is based on NTIA' s Planning a Community Broadband Roadmap. The Toolkit's goal is to help tribes expand broadband access locally to create jobs, improve educational opportunities, promote economic development, spur private investment, and facilitate the delivery of essential social services to their citizens.  The steps that will be covered are designed to foster a common broadband vision, prioritize needs and interests, and catalyze stakeholder commitment to invest in the needed physical infrastructure, organizational capacity, and human and capital assets.

2:00   PM     Coffee & Networking Break

2:30   PM     Breakout Sessions

Whether you are looking for best practices in building partnerships, learning about the latest technologies for broadband access in rural communities, looking for funding opportunities, or understanding how to leverage your new connectivity to protect and preserve culture – Explore this series of breakout sessions.

  • Broadband Engineering Fundamentals  -  Connectivity Solutions (PDF)
  • Broadband and Public Safety  -  Social & Economic Wellbeing (PDF)
  • From Gown to Town: How Higher Ed is Leveraging Technology to Deliver Workforce Development Opportunities for Place Bound Workers -  Social & Economic Wellbeing (PDF)
  • Improving Tribal Education and Health through Distance Learning and Telemedicine  -  Funding Broadband (PDF 1, PDF 2)
  • Workshop: Broadband 101 for Tribal Libraries  -  Planning & Implementation (PDF)
  • Making Opportunity Zones Work on Trust Land  -  Funding Broadband (PDF)

3:30   PM     Breakout Sessions 

  • How to Leverage E-Rate to Bring Broadband to your Community  -  Community Engagement & Partnerships (PDF)
  • Achieving a Connected Arctic: Impacts of the Multi-Year Plan to Bring Broadband to the Villages of the Arctic North Slope  -  Connectivity Solutions (PDF 1, PDF 2)
  • NTUA & Commnet: Partnerships that Succeed  - Community Engagement & Partnerships (PDF 1, PDF 2)
  • Rights of Way the Right Way - Planning & Implementation (PDF)
  • Preserving Native Languages  -  Protect & Preserve Culture (PDF)
  • USDA Program for Broadband Infrastructure  -  Funding Broadband (PDF)

4:30   PM     Closing Remarks (PDF)

Chad Rupe, Administrator, Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture

September 24, 2019

Main Interior Building, 1849 C ST NW, Washington, DC

9:00   AM     Welcome & Keynote Address (PDF)

Dr. Aaron A. Payment, Chairperson, Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
Dr. Kathryn K. Matthew, Director, Institute of Museum and Library Sciences
Senator Martha McSally, Arizona

9:30   AM     Breakout Sessions

  • Different Approaches to get the Broadband Infrastructure Your Tribe Needs  -  Funding Broadband (PDF)
  • 5G: The Next Generation of Wireless Networks and the Benefits They Will Bring  -  Connectivity Solutions (PDF)
  • The Power of Broadband Partnerships  -  Community Engagement & Partnerships (PDF)
  • Using Broadband Data to Accelerate Community Planning  -  Planning & Implementation (PDF)
  • Private Sector Engagement & Public-Private Partnership  -  Community Engagement & Partnerships (PDF)

10:30   AM     Breakout Sessions

  • Microgrids and Resiliency for Broadband Infrastructure  -  Connectivity Solutions (PDF)
  • Mind the Gap: Mapping Federal Lands and Telecommunications Infrastructure  -  Planning & Implementation (PDF)
  • The Federal Universal Service Schools and Libraries (E-Rate) and Rural Health Care (RHC) Programs  -  Funding Broadband (PDF)
  • Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) Bank Financing for Rural Broadband Initiatives  -  Funding Broadband (PDF)
  • Spectrum Opportunities – Federal Communications Commission 2.5 GHz Rural Tribal Priority Window- Opportunity for Tribes  -  Connectivity Solutions (PDF)

11:30 AM     Connectivity Marketplace & Lunch on your own

1:30   PM     Breakout Sessions

  • Bridging the Digital Divide with Diversified Funding & Partnerships  - Community Engagement & Partnerships (PDF)
  • Broadband in Indian Country - Planning & Implementation (PDF)
  • Broadband: Breaking the Digital Divide - Connectivity Solutions (PDF)
  • Developing Your Broadband Roadmap Workshop - Planning & Implementation

2:30   PM     Breakout Sessions

  • Leveraging Connectivity for Cultural Education and Engagement - Protect & Preserve Culture (PDF)
  • Focusing STEM Learning on Solving Health Challenges in Native Communities - Social & Economic Wellbeing (PDF)
  • Federal Resources and Support to Advance Telehealth for Tribal Communities - Social & Economic Wellbeing (PDF)
  • Verizon Network Solutions in Rural Communities - Connectivity Solutions (PDF)

3:30   PM     Plenary Presentation (PDF)

Allyson Mitchell, General Manager, Mohawk Networks 

In this presentation, you’ll discover how the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe in Akwesasne, a community that is dissected between the U.S. and Canadian border, used a combination of grant funds and tribal investment to build a fiber optic network for their residents and businesses, driving a new economy that has impacted the entire community. Mohawk Networks, LLC is in its third-year of a start-up and the General Manager will discuss lessons learned, the importance of community engagement, opportunities, and the road to sustainability.

4:30   PM     Closing Remarks (PDF)

Lance Fisher, Northern Cheyenne
Tara Sweeney, Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior

Breakout Sessions

Planning & Implementation

1. Broadband 101 for Tribal Libraries Workshop (PDF)

MONDAY  2:30 – 3:30 PM
Carson Block, Internet2
Nicole Umayam, Digital Inclusion Librarian, Arizona State Library
 
This session will discuss how Tribal libraries can better understand, support, and assess their broadband connections. The Internet2 Toolkit will be discussed, as well as how to use the workbook/training format to identify short and long-term actions to improve their broadband infrastructure. The goal of this session is to help Tribal libraries leverage their understanding of their own broadband systems to better articulate their broadband needs to better serve their communities.
 

2. Rights-of-Way the Right Way: An Insider’s Guide to Cutting through Red Tape (PDF)

MONDAY 3:30 – 4:30 PM
Jessie Young, Senior Counselor to the Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior
 
A veteran of the Department of the Interior’s Pacific Northwest Regional Solicitor's Office, Jessie Young has experience with reviewing rights-of-way applications. In this presentation, Jessie will walk you through BIA's rights-of-way regulations, the Department's review process, and give you tips for getting your application right the first time.
 

3. Using Broadband Data to Accelerate Community Planning (PDF)

TUESDAY 9:30 – 10:30 AM
Moderator: Mariel Triggs, CEO, MuralNet
Robert Ballance, Principal, Center for Internet as Infrastructure, LLC
Lai Yi Ohlsen, Project Director, Measurement Lab
Nicole Umayam, Digital Inclusion Librarian, Arizona State Library
 
Broadband planning starts with data and ends with a story to inform network design and decision making. This panel (i) presents data sources and tools that can provide a picture of broadband availability and access in your area and (ii) relates how the results can be used to inform local discussions about actual needs, goals, and opportunities.
 

4. Mind the Gap: Mapping Federal Lands and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PDF)

TUESDAY10:30 – 11:30 AM
Billy Dove, Advisor, Office of the Assistant Secretary - Land and Minerals Management, U.S. Department of the Interior
Nathan Lillie, GIS Specialist, Southern Plains Region, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior
Steven Fourstar, IT Specialist, Rocky Mountain Region, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior
 
The Bureau of Land Management's interactive tool helps tribes and businesses identify gaps and opportunities for broadband development by showing users were telecommunications infrastructure already exists. Building on existing infrastructure, businesses can save money on expensive "middle mile" construction projects, focusing instead on bring broadband services to the homes, schools, libraries, and businesses that need it most.
 

5. Broadband in Indian Country (PDF)

TUESDAY 1:30 – 2:30 PM
Sharlene Roundface, Division Chief, Real Estate Services, Office of Trust Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior
 
Infrastructure development in Indian Country to support broadband may require a right-of-way, lease, or permit. Learn the step-by-step process of identifying and entering into the most appropriate regulatory instrument for your project. Join Sharlene Roundface, Division Chief of Real Estate Services, Office of Trust Services, BIA, as she walks you through the process.  
 

6. Developing Your Broadband Roadmap: Hands on discussions of how to tailor the Roadmap steps for your Tribe

TUESDAY 1:30 – 2:30 PM
Jean Rice, Senior Broadband Program Specialist, National Telecommunications & Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce
Don Williams, Senior Broadband Development Officer, National Telecommunications & Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce
Ann Treacy, MLIS of Treacy Information Service and Broadband Engagement Team for Blandin Foundation
Sonja Wall, Director of OCAN and OneNet Services, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
Irene Flannery, Director, AMERIND Critical Infrastructure
 
Take a deep dive into implementing the planning process through a round robin process – where small groups can discuss their plans with experts in broadband deployment and adoption. Topics to be covered, include: assessing needs and stakeholder engagement; what tribes can do to facilitate deployment through approvals, leveraging assets, selecting the appropriate technology and more; assessing gaps and partnership models and considerations; and developing financing and implementation plans.
 

Funding Broadband.

7. Improving Tribal Education and Health through Distance Learning and Telemedicine (PDF 1, PDF 2)

MONDAY 2:30 – 3:30 PM

Carrie Billy, President, American Indian Higher Education Consortium
Tedd Buelow, Native American Coordinator, USDA Rural Development
Ryeon Corsi, Management and Program Analyst, Telecommunications Program, Rural Utilities Service, USDA Rural Development
Sandra Toro, Senior Program Officer, Institute of Museum and Library Services
 
In this session you will hear from multiple federal agencies regarding programs they have that can help facilitate distance learning and telemedicine. Participants will receive an overview of USDA’s Distance Learning and Telemedicine grant program and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)’s Native American Library Services gran programs. Participants will also hear from the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) about the current broadband needs of Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU) and their students. AIHEC will also share a few success stories made possible by high quality, high speed broadband at a few TCUs.
 

8. Spurring Economic Growth in Indian Country: Making Opportunity Zones Work on Trust Land (PDF)

MONDAY 2:30 – 3:30 PM
Mark Cruz, Deputy Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs for Policy and Economic Development, U.S. Department of the Interior
Ja'Ron Smith, Deputy Assistant to the President, Office of American Innovation
Scott Turner, Executive Director, White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council
 
The Opportunity Zones incentive is a new community investment tool established by Congress in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 to encourage long-term investments in low-income urban and rural communities nationwide. Opportunity Zones provide a tax incentive for investors to re-invest their unrealized capital gains into dedicated Opportunity Funds. Learn where Opportunity Zones exist on or near tribal lands and how to leverage this program to expand your business in Indian Country.
 

9. USDA Programs for Broadband Infrastructure (PDF)

MONDAY 3:30 – 4:30 PM
Tedd Buelow, Native American Coordinator, USDA Rural Development
Richard Anderson, Operations Branch Chief, Telecommunications Program, Rural Utilities Service, USDA Rural Development
Kristin Lough, Management and Program Analyst, Telecommunications Program, Rural Utilities Service, USDA Rural Development
 
In this session, USDA Rural Development staff will provide an overview of four different programs that are in place that can help tribes finance broadband facilities in their communities. The programs include the Community Connect Grant Program, the ReConnect Pilot Program, the Broadband Loan Program and the Telecommunications Loan Program. Participants will learn how these programs differ and how the Substantially Underserved Trust Areas (SUTA) provisions do, or do not, apply to each program.
 

10. Different Approaches to get the Broadband Infrastructure Your Tribe Needs (PDF)

TUESDAY 9:30 – 10:30 AM
Moderator: Tedd Buelow, Native American Coordinator, USDA Rural Development
Irene Flannery, Director, AMERIND Critical Infrastructure
Susan Mort, Legal Advisor, Office of Native Affairs and Policy, FCC
Don Williams, Senior Broadband Development Officer, National Telecommunications & Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce
 
When strategizing how to bring high speed broadband to your tribal community, there is not a one size fits all approach that is going to work. Some tribes might elect to create their own telecom/broadband company. Other tribes might want to use programs to improve e-connectivity to schools, libraries, health care facilities or other tribal community buildings. While other tribes might want to partner with non-tribal neighbors and service providers in the region to get high speed broadband to their tribal members as quickly as possible, without the administrative commitment of running their own Internet Service Provider.
 
In this session you’ll hear from experts on how tribes have used diverse approaches to improve broadband service in their communities. You’ll also learn about accessing a range of financial resources matched to these approaches. The panel will provide a few case studies and will highlight current program and policy updates. The panel will also engage the audience to solicit questions and invite participants to share their own experiences, challenges and solutions – with the goal of sparking a dialogue that will give others a range of ideas on how they might want to proceed to build the broadband infrastructure that is right for their tribe.
 

11. The Federal Universal Service Schools and Libraries (E-Rate) and Rural Health Care (RHC) Programs – Program Fundamentals (PDF)

TUESDAY10:30 – 11:30 AM
Bryan Boyle, Assistant Deputy Division Chief, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, FCC
Stephanie Minnock, Attorney-Advisor, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, FCC
Liz Drogula, Deputy Division Chief, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, FCC
Johnnay Schrieber, Attorney-Advisor, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, FCC
 
This session will provide an overview of the Commission’s federal universal service E-Rate and RHC programs, which provide financial support for qualifying schools, libraries and healthcare providers to obtain access to modern communications services, including broadband.  The presentation will cover the purpose of the programs, eligibility requirements, and the application process.
 

12. Community reinvestment Act (CRA): Bank Financing for Rural Broadband Initiatives (PDF)

TUESDAY 10:30 – 11:30 AM
Barry Wides, Deputy Comptroller, Community Affairs, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, U.S. Department of the Treasury
 
This session, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s Deputy Comptroller for Community Affairs, Barry Wides, will identify opportunities for tribes to partner with banks to finance broadband infrastructure. The session will also review how banks can receive Community Reinvestment Act consideration for this financing.
The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), enacted in 1977, requires the Federal Reserve and other federal banking regulators to encourage financial institutions to help meet the credit needs of the communities in which they do business, including low- and moderate-income (LMI) neighborhoods.
 

13. Broadband: Breaking the Digital Divide (PDF)

TUESDAY 1:30 – 2:30 PM
Heidi Frechette, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Native American Programs, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Michelle Tinnin, Native American Program Specialist, Southern Plains Office of Native American Programs, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Olen Cox, IT Project Coordinator, ConnectHome, Housing Authority of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
 
Explore funding options available with HUD programs and the Housing Authority of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma’s enrichment of Tribal members’ lives through their successful participation in HUD’s ConnectHome Pilot Program.
 

Connectivity Solutions

14. Broadband Engineering Fundamentals (PDF)

MONDAY 2:30 – 3:30 PM
Kenneth R. Baker, Chief Engineer, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, FCC
Jessica Quinley, Attorney Advisor, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, FCC
 
This session will provide an introduction to broadband networking with an emphasis on wireless broadband connectivity.  The topics include wireless systems and spectrum considerations.  New and emerging opportunities will be presented, with a focus on the new 3.5 GHz based Citizens Broadband Radio Service.
 

15. Achieving a Connected Arctic: Impacts of the Multi-Year Plan to Bring Broadband to the Villages of the Arctic North Slope (PDF 1, PDF 2)

MONDAY 3:30 – 4:30 PM
Moderator: Thomas Lochner, Director, Business Development/Sales, Arctic Slope Telephone Association Cooperative (ASTAC)
Stacy Marshall, Director, Customer Experience, Arctic Slope Telephone Association Cooperative
Patuk Glenn, Community Economic Development Project Manager, Arctic Slope Regional Corporation
 
Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (ASRC) and Arctic Slope Telephone Association Cooperative (ASTAC) tirelessly work to empower the Iñupiaq with the latest tools to first strengthen and share their culture, and make available new technologies to broaden access to the rest of the world.  As you may guess, with no connected roads and ships running when the route is ice-free, building and maintaining infrastructure on Alaska’s North Slope is challenging.  The panelists will cover the three key elements of how they’re strengthening and sharing the Iñupiaq culture:
  1. Building high-speed broadband to remote communities,
  2. Ensuring there is abundant high-speed broadband in the community, and most importantly,
  3. How Broadband is improving the users’ experience.

 

16. 5G:  The Next Generation of Wireless Networks and the Benefits They Will Bring (PDF)

TUESDAY 9:30 – 10:30 AM
Rob McDowell, Co-Leader of the Global Communications Practice, Cooley LLP
Steve Sharkey, Vice President, Government Affairs, Engineering and Technology Policy, T-Mobile USA
 
The 5G era has arrived.  Hear an in-depth discussion about 5G and how the next generation of wireless networks can change the way we connect to and use the Internet.
 

17. Microgrids and Resiliency for Broadband Infrastructure (PDF)

TUESDAY 10:30 – 11:30 AM
Jennifer Reimann, Acting Branch Chief for Branch of Renewable and Distributed Generation, Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development, U.S. Department of the Interior 
Tyler Scribner (Chickasaw Nation), Policy Analyst, National Congress of American Indians
 
Tribes nationwide are increasingly pursuing development of microgrid energy solutions as a means to increase energy security and energy independence for communities on the reservation.  Some of the microgrid solutions being explored can provide insights for addressing similar issues with respect to broadband systems.   Panelists will discuss the basics of what microgrid systems are and how they are being deployed across Indian Country, with a case study on the Blue Lake Rancheria Microgrid Project.  Attendees will also learn about energy and resiliency issues specific to broadband networks and the potential application of microgrids.  Lastly, additional insights will be provided on the potential to incorporate management of microgrid and broadband systems into a Tribal Utility Authority business model.
 

18. Spectrum Opportunities – Federal Communications Commission 2.5 GHz Rural Tribal Priority Window (PDF)

TUESDAY 10:30 – 11:30 AM
Catherine Schroeder, Attorney-Advisor, FCC Wireless Bureau, Broadband Division
 
This session will discuss steps the Commission has taken to transform the way Educational Broadband Service (EBS) spectrum in the 2.5 GHz band is licensed and used. The discussion will look at the new rural Tribal priority filing window and key eligibility and buildout requirements that will govern the issuance of new licenses in this band over rural Tribal lands.
 

19. Verizon Network Solutions in Rural Communities (PDF)

TUESDAY 2:30 – 3:30 PM
Anne DuCharme, Manager, HQ Real Estate, Verizon
Sarah Vacharapornsophon, Real Estate/Regulatory, Verizon
Ku'ulei Jakubczak, Verizon Sovereign Nations Representative
 
Learn about how Verizon brings network connectivity solutions to Tribal and rural communities. Meet our Sovereign Nations team representation who will discuss their planning and implementation efforts.
 

Community Engagement & Partnerships

20. How to Leverage E-Rate to Bring Broadband to your Community (PDF)

MONDAY 3:30 – 4:30 PM
Kimball Sekaquaptewa, Chief Technology Director, Santa Fe Indian School
John Chadwick, E-Rate Coordinator, New Mexico Public Education Department
Jack Lynch, State Engagement Director, Education SuperHighway
 
The Middle Rio Grande Pueblo Tribal Consortium (including the Pueblos of Santa Ana, San Felipe, Santo Domingo, and Cochiti) and the Jemez Pueblo Tribal Consortium (including the Pueblos of Jemez and Zia) demonstrate how small and rural organizations can work together for big results. Learn how six New Mexico Tribal libraries and two New Mexico State Charter schools crossed the digital divide together their own way – by building a 120-mile fiber optic network, skipping the last mile provider to connect to regional higher education network. Each of the two $4.2 million-dollar projects leveraged the E-rate program and state matching funds to virtually eliminate out of pocket costs to the schools and libraries. This story shows how E-rate funds paired with strong state, federal, non-profit, and tribal entity partnerships can make the critical difference in bringing affordable high-speed Internet to Tribal America. 
 

21. NTUA and Commnet: Partnerships that Succeed (PDF 1, PDF 2)

MONDAY 3:30 – 4:30 PM
Clyde Casciato, General Manager, Choice Wireless
John Champagne, VP of Business Development, Atlantic Tele-Network Inc.
Monroe Keedo, Research and Development Engineer, Navajo Tribal Utility Authority

Leveraging the Commnet wholesale cellular network and Navajo Tribal Utility Authority’s (NTUA) fiber backbone NTUA Wireless (NTUAW) has been able to provide sustainability and grow the network both in terms of geography and services. NTUAW has a roadmap to continue developing services and coverage on and around the Navajo Nation creating the opportunity to drive growth for a tribal enterprise off the Nation.
 

22. The Power of Broadband Partnerships: Learn about how to Create Successful Broadband Partnerships and Hear about the Successes, Challenges, and Risks (PDF)

TUESDAY 9:30 – 10:30 AM
Moderator: Jean Rice, Senior Broadband Program Specialist, National Telecommunications & Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce
Cliff Agee, Under Secretary –Subsidiary Services and Support, Chickasaw Nation Department of Commerce
Sonja Wall, Director of OCAN and OneNet Services, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
John Champagne, VP of Business Development, Atlantic Tele-Network Inc.
Monroe Keedo, Research and Development Engineer, Navajo Tribal Utility Authority
 
This panel will provide an overview of common broadband partnership models, what to look for in a partner, methods to structure resourceful partnerships and how to build effective partnership relationships based on NTIA's "The Power of Broadband Partnerships Toolkit". Having partners increases a tribe’s access to funding, expertise, operational efficiency, extend the projects impact and provide a greater opportunity for long term sustainably. We will hear from two successful partnerships in Indian Country- the Navajo Nation and ATN/CommNet and the Chickasaw Nation and the State of Oklahoma on how they structured the partnerships and their successes and challenges.
 

23. Private Sector Engagement & Public Private Partnership (PDF)

TUESDAY 9:30 – 10:30 AM
Jim Thompson, Director for Private Sector Engagement, U.S. Department of State
 
This workshop will provide an introduction into how to engage the private sector and build, grow and capitalize on the tremendous scaling power of partnerships. Jim Thompson is responsible for launching innovative diplomacy initiatives in the U.S. Department of State, building new partnerships for the Secretary and managing the Department’s major corporate relationships.  Jim has over 25 years of federal executive leadership serving at the National Security Council at the White House, U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Department of Energy.  He has B.A. in international relations from Saint Joseph’s University, and an M.A. in Political Studies from the University of Auckland. 
 

24. Bridging the Digital Divide with Diversified Funding & Partnerships. (PDF)

TUESDAY1:30 – 2:30 PM
Kim Kirk, Business Office Manager, Sacred Wind Communications, Inc.
Rachna Vas, Senior Executive Assistant, Sacred Wind Communications, Inc.
 
This presentation focuses on the critical need for small rural telcos to utilize diverse funding resources and public-private partnerships to expand broadband access to rural tribal communities in remote areas. A one-size-fits-all approach does not work under such circumstances. Creativity, meaningful partnerships, and a willingness to collaborate across different functional entities are essential to ensuring that rural, tribal communities are included in the nation’s digital expansion.
 

Social & Economic Well-Being

25. Broadband and Public Safety (PDF)

MONDAY 2:30 – 3:30 PM
Charles Addington, Director, Office of Justice Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior
Adam Geisler, National Tribal Government Liaison, First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet)
 
The Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services (BIA- OJS) is responsible for the protection of lives, resources, and property which lies at the heart of the BIA's law enforcement effort.  BIA-OJS fully supports the Secretary's ongoing commitment to safe and healthy Indian communities. Its main goal is to uphold the constitutional sovereignty of the federally recognized Tribes and preserve peace within Indian country.
The FirstNet mission is to deploy, operate, maintain, and improve the first high-speed, nationwide wireless broadband network dedicated to public safety. This reliable, highly secure, interoperable, and innovative public safety communications platform will bring 21st century tools to public safety agencies and first responders, allowing them to get more information quickly and helping them to make faster and better decisions.

26. From Gown to Town: How Higher Ed is Leveraging Technology to Deliver Workforce Development Opportunities for Place Bound Workers (PDF)

MONDAY 2:30 – 3:30 PM
Jerry Rostad, Assistant Chief Information Officer for Core Technology Services of the North Dakota University System
 
The North Dakota Interactive Video Network, or IVN as it’s called in the state, has been used to deliver higher education degree programs and credit classes for 31 years. As the 2019-2020 academic year kicks off this fall, the two-way interactive videoconferencing network continues to play a strong and important role in delivering educational curriculum beyond campus borders. From the Dakota Nursing Program to paramedic training to engineering courses delivered to one of the state’s tribal colleges, IVN plays an important role in ensuring workforce development in communities with place bound workers.  
 

27. Focusing STEM Learning on Solving Health Challenges in Native Communities (PDF)

TUESDAY 1:30 – 2:30 PM
Dr. Mark Sorensen, CEO/Co-Founder of the STAR (Service To All Relations) School
 
The STAR (Service To All Relations) School is an off-grid, solar powered schools serving Navajo children and families in the southwestern corner of the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona. Since service to our community is part of our mission, it's only appropriate that STAR School science instruction include hands-on opportunities for students to be engaged in assessing health issues in the community, such as diabetes, and then using technologies that can help address those issues. STAR School has a well-developed gardening and culinary program that feeds our students and a Water filtration system installed in a former school bus to help provide clean drinking water in the community. All these activities are tied into our science program. Come and see how we do it.
 

28. Federal Resources and Support to Advance Telehealth for Tribal Communities (PDF)

TUESDAY 2:30 – 3:30 PM
Matthew Quinn, Senior Advisor, Health Technology, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Natassja Manzanero, Telehealth Program Coordinator, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Dr. Susy Postal, Chief Health Informatics Officer, Indian Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 
Dr. Chris Fore, Director, IHS TeleBehavioral Health Center of Excellence at Indian Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
 
This panel will provide an overview of telehealth and insight into how the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and Indian Health Service (IHS) provide healthcare support, funding and technical assistance to advance the use of telehealth resources in promoting the physical, mental, social and spiritual health of the American Indian and Alaska Native Population.
 

Protect & Preserve Culture

29. Preserving Native Languages (PDF)

MONDAY 3:30 – 4:30 PM
Dennis Nangle, Senior Program Officer, Institute of Museum and Library Services
Mary Downs, Program Officer, National Endowment for the Humanities
Betsy Peterson, Director, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Cliff Murphy, Director of Folk & Traditional Arts, National Endowment for the Arts
 
This session will discuss online opportunities and resources for preserving native languages as well as strategies for implementing and developing such resources. The goal of this session is to promote and encourage digital methods for learning and preserving Native Languages in order to ensure broader accessibility for future generations.
 

30. Leveraging Connectivity for Cultural Education and Engagement (PDF)

TUESDAY 2:30 – 3:30 PM
Sandra Toro, Senior Program Officer, Institute of Museum and Library Services
Eric Cutright, IT Director, Karuk Tribe
Guha Shankar, Folklife Specialist at the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Ann Treacy, MLIS of Treacy Information Service and Broadband Engagement Team for Blandin Foundation
 
Panelists will discuss ways in which Tribes can structure language and cultural preservation and education efforts to meet the particular needs of community members. They will also discuss designing and developing grant-funded projects’ digital products to increase access and usage as well as help children families build their understanding, interest, and confidence.

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