2015 Americas Best Practices Conference Speakers
Some of the ICT industry’s most exciting thinkers, leaders and visionaries shared their wisdom and inspired attendees on the 2015 Americas Best Practices Conference stage.
Keynote Speaker
MJ Petroni is a consultant and researcher based in San Francisco, California. He is the owner and founder of Causeit…Read full bio!
Keynote Presentations: Cyborgs and the Social Network of Things;
Full Spectrum Innovation: Digital Business in Action
Featured Speakers
Shirley Bloomfield (NTCA) is chief executive officer of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, the premier association…Read full bio!
Featured Speaker Presentation: TBD
Joanna Bloor (The Amplify Lab, formerly of Pandora Radio) with nearly two decades of experience in digital, print, broadcast radio and broadcast television…Read full bio!
Featured Speaker Presentation: Embracing Organizational Change in the Evolving Workplace
Dr. Raul Deju (Deju Management Advisors) a native of Cuba, received both his Ph. D. from New Mexico Institute of Technology and published …Read full bio!
Featured Speaker Presentation: Change and Innnovation, Helping to Define a Customer’s Experience
Klaus Grobe, Ph.D. (ADVA Optical Networking) received the Dipl.-Ing. and Dr.-Ing. degrees in electrical engineering from Leibniz University…Read full bio!
Featured Speaker Presentation: Sustainability Thinking Pays Off; New Framework Drives Game-Changing Ideas
Michael Huthart (ADVA Optical Networking) Operations Director, has worked for ADVA Optical Networking since 2009. During this time he has been Director…Read full bio!
Featured Speaker Presentation: Sustainability Thinking Pays Off; New Framework Drives Game-Changing Ideas
John Ishak (ZTE Corporation) is a Senior Quality Executive with more than 25 years of quality experience and successful…Read full bio!
Featured Speaker Presentation: The Device Handset’s Role in Improving Customer Experiences
Jim Pentecost (Power and Telephone Supply Company) is Chairman of the Board for Power & Tel, a worldwide distributor of communications products…Read full bio!
Featured Speaker Presentation: Nine to Five to Five 9’s
Andy Ray (Verizon Wirless) has 23 years of telecommunications experience and started his career as a mobile switching operator…Read full bio!
Featured Speaker Presentation: TBD
Todd Schlekeway (NATE) serves as the Executive Director of the National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE)…Read full bio!
Featured Speaker Presentation: The National Assocation of Tower Erectors: Raising the Bar on Safety & Quality in 2015 and Beyond
Scott Vowels (Apple) is recognized as a leading expert in the field of Supplier Diversity and is a frequent speaker and panelist…Read full bio!
Featured Speaker Presentation: Inspiring Innovation Through Inclusion
Jim Young (Realcomm Conference Group) is the co-founder and producer of Realcomm, the world’s leading conference on technology, automated business…Read full bio!
Featured Speaker Presentation: TBD
Small Business Workshop Speakers
Joanna Bloor (The Amplify Lab, formerly of Pandora Radio) with nearly two decades of experience in digital, print, broadcast radio and broadcast television…Read full bio!
Small Business Workshop Presentation: Supply Chain 2020: Position Your Small Business for Future Growth
Annette Donofrio (Verizon Wireless) currently manages the Network Support Systems (NSS) Quality Assurance (QA) team…Read full bio!
Small Business Workshop Presentation: Supply Chain 2020: Position Your Small Business for Future Growth
Renee Dowis (CenturyLink) Director of Strategic Sourcing, Renee Dowis oversees procurement activities for CenturyLink’s Network…Read full bio!
Small Business Workshop Presentation: Supply Chain 2020: Position Your Small Business for Future Growth
Mike Huggenberger (Great Plains Communication) is the Senior Director – Technology and Engineering Services for Great Plains Communications, Inc…Read full bio!
Small Business Workshop Presentation: Supply Chain 2020: Position Your Small Business for Future Growth
Roland Tunez (AT&T) has 36 years of service with BellSouth, Cingular Wireless and AT&T. Roland Tunez was appointed Assistant Vice President…Read full bio!
Small Business Workshop Presentation: Supply Chain 2020: Position Your Small Business for Future Growth
Scott Vowels (Apple) is recognized as a leading expert in the field of Supplier Diversity and is a frequent speaker and panelist…Read full bio!
Small Business Workshop Presentation: Supply Chain 2020: Position Your Small Business for Future Growth
Best Practices Panel Speakers:
Session Topic: Manufacturing/Process Excellence
Hannah Kain (ALOM) is President and CEO of ALOM, a global supply chain management leader serving Fortune 100 clients….Read full bio!
Manufacturing/Process Excellence Topic: Brave New World of Supply Chain Risk and Brand Management
Chris Rodgers (Teltech Communications) is the Senior Vice-President of Operations and Logistics at Teltech Communications…Read full bio!
Manufacturing/Process Excellence Topic: Breathing New Life into End of Life
Danny Wade (Teltech Communications) is the President of Teltech Communications LLC and GrayWolves Telecom…Read full bio!
Manufacturing/Process Excellence Topic: Breathing New Life into End of Life
Ronna Smith-Zahner (NOKIA) is currently the Head of Continuous Improvement and Innovation for Nokia Networks Global Operations…Read full bio!
Manufacturing/Process Excellence Topic: Path to Excellence in Nokia Networks Manufacturing Operations
Session Topic: Business Excellence
Aaron M. Braun (ARRIS) has over 15 years of cross-functional leadership spanning IT and Quality roles in the Banking …Read full bio!
Business Excellence Presentation: Operational Excellence with Lean Automated Emerging Issues ‘Quality Hot List’
Shashi Kaligotla (Tata Communications) Over the last 18 years, Shashi has been passionately working with Telcos across…Read full bio!
Business Excellence Presentation: Improving Operational Efficiency through reducing cost of Poor Quality
Subramanyam Ranganathan (NOKIA) is a Master Black Belt at Nokia with 20+ years experience in the high-tech industry including Motorola. …Read full bio!
Business Excellence Presentation: Design Thinking Achieves Customer Alignment, Product Robustness, and Reduced Defects.
Executive Service Provider Panel – Emerging Trends Fact or Fiction
John Greene (New Lisbon Telephone Company) is the CEO for New Lisbon Telephone Company, located in New Lisbon, Indiana. NLTC is one of the oldest…Read full bio!
Executive Service Provider Panel Presentation: Emerging Trends Fact or Fiction
Andy Ray (Verizon Wirless) has 23 years of telecommunications experience and started his career as a mobile switching operator…Read full bio!
Executive Service Provider Panel Presentation: Emerging Trends Fact or Fiction
Matt Rotter (CenturyLink) is a telecommunications industry veteran with more than 24 years of leadership in network operations…Read full bio!
Executive Service Provider Panel Presentation: Emerging Trends Fact or Fiction
Brad Spencer (TELUS Communications) is Director, National Network Integrity at TELUS Communications. He accepted…Read full bio!
Executive Service Provider Panel Presentation: Emerging Trends Fact or Fiction
Executive Supplier Panel – Emerging Trends, Technology Innovations
Deepti Arora (NOKIA) is the Vice President of Nokia Networks Quality. As a member of the Networks Leadership Team…Read full bio!
Executive Supplier Panel Presentation: Emerging Trends, Technology Innovations
Motoyoshi Sekiya (Fujitsu Laboratories) is a research principal at Fujitsu Laboratories Limited. He received B.S. and M.S….Read full bio!
Executive Supplier Panel Presentation: Emerging Trends, Technology Innovations
John Shelnutt (Cisco Systems, Inc.) joined Cisco in August 2011 with responsibility for the strategy and engagements….Read full bio!
Executive Supplier Panel Presentation: Emerging Trends, Technology Innovations
Session Topic: Customer Experience
Jason Becker (Verizon Wireless) is a Project Manager currently focusing on next generation Voice over IP implementations. In this role, Jason is responsible for…Read full bio!
Customer Experience Presentation: Quality Measurement Framework Puts the End User in Focus
Pat Ekstrom (NOKIA) has 35 years of Telecommunication experience covering real time software development, system test…Read full bio!
Customer Experience Presentation: Major Cellular Provider 3 year Quality Turnaround
Maria Eriksson (Ericsson) is appointed Senior Director of Performance Frameworks within Ericsson including responsibility for the worldwide…Read full bio!
Customer Experience Presentation: Quality Measurement Framework Puts the End User in Focus
Noah Grayson (Walker Information) leads Walker’s consulting services practice which is made up of customer strategists, analysts, and managers…Read full bio!
Customer Experience Presentation: Measuring CX – Going Beyond Surveys Measure and Monitor Customer Experiences
Nawida Martinozzi (NOKIA) has 20 years of Telecommunication experience covering Customer & System Program Management…Read full bio!
Customer Experience Presentation: Major Cellular Provider 3 year Quality Turnaround
Session Topic: Methodologies
Tony Bieniek (CenturyLink) is the Manager of the Access Test and Certification Labs for CenturyLink. His team is responsible for…Read full bio!
Methodologies Presentation: Agile Methodologies to Reduce Lab Cycle-Time and Improve Product Quality
Bob Bretall (The Desara Group) has is passionate about building high performance software delivery teams and specializes in helping companies…Read full bio!
Methodologies Presentation: Agile Requirements: Built to Change
Kent Darzi (ADTRAN) is the Director of Engineering, Global and Strategic Development at ADTRAN, Inc. He is responsible for managing…Read full bio!
Methodologies Presentation: Agile Methodologies to Reduce Lab Cycle-Time and Improve Product Quality
Tim Woodcome (National Quality Assurance, NQA) is the Managing Director of the ISO 9001 and TL 9000 Certification Programs for NQA, a leading global certification…Read full bio!
Methodologies Presentation: Applying Risk-Based Thinking to TL 9000 Requirements
Peer Guide/New Member Lunch Speaker
Mike Childress (Palco Telecom Services) is the Vice President of Operations & Quality at PALCO Telecom Services, a comprehensive telecommunications and data…Read full bio!
Presentation: TL 9000 Registration Process Journey
TL 9000 Workshop Speakers
Laura Coplon (Coriant) has been involved in the QuEST Forum since 1996, is a QuEST Forum SME and Leads the AB/CB Subteam…Read full bio!
Workshop: Validation Audit Results and Responses
Ken Koffman (Viavi Solutions Inc.) is a customer-focused results-oriented executive with an excellent technical background and over 30…Read full bio!
Workshop: PDR Workshop
Nancy Patterson (Alcatel-Lucent) is in the Corporate Quality & Customer Satisfaction organization at Alcatel-Lucent. She has 19 years experience in telecom …Read full bio!
Workshop: R6.0 Requirements
John Wronka (Alcatel-Lucent) is a Senior Director of Alcatel-Lucent’s Corporate Quality Management System and TL 9000/ISO…Read full bio!
Workshop: Impact of NFV on TL 9000, PDR Workshop
TL 9000 Workshop Speakers – “50 – NO! 12 Shades of Transition through ISO 9001:2015”
Ed Bryan (ADTRAN) is a seasoned ICT professional with more than 12 years in Quality. As Quality…Read full bio!
Workshop: 50 – NO! 12 Shades of Transition through ISO 9001:2015
Sheronda Jeffries (Cisco Systems, Inc.) is responsible for providing internal consulting support at Cisco Systems, Inc…Read full bio!
Workshop: 50 – NO! 12 Shades of Transition through ISO 9001:2015
Karen Rawson (The DESARA Group) has helped companies develop and implement efficient, effective processes for over 20 years…Read full bio!
Workshop: 50 – NO! 12 Shades of Transition through ISO 9001:2015
Dave Sanicola (The DESARA Group) is President of The DESARA Group, a telecommunications industry-consulting firm…Read full bio!
Workshop: 50 – NO! 12 Shades of Transition through ISO 9001:2015