Panel: Light It Up: Taking it to the Streets: Where the Fiber Meets the Road

Wednesday, June 4, 2025

11:00 AM - 11:30 AM CT

Location: Presidential Ballroom

Moderator(s)

Katie Espeseth (she/her/hers)

VP, New Products
EPB
CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee, United States

Panelist(s)

Heath Simpson

Chief Executive Officer
Ritter Communications
Jonesboro, Arkansas, United States
Mitch Hibbard (he/him/his)

Chief Operating Officer
Peñasco Valley Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
Artesia, New Mexico, United States
Rocco Laurenzano (he/him/his)

Chief Operating Officer
GFiber
Erika Lee

Executive Vice President
Common Ground Alliance
Alexandria, Virginia, United States

Over the next five years, cities and towns across America are going to have to “Pardon Our Mess” as our industry works to expand fiber broadband to every home. This means massive amounts of construction which will require planning, safety protocols, coordination with permitting offices, and the ability to leverage the latest innovations in outside plant technologies and services. Key issues will include locates, rights-of-way management, and local advocacy. A group of distinguished construction and outside plant specialists will dig deep into the issues and challenges of the outside plant and share best practices, experiences, and challenges overcome.