‘Must-See’ Broadband Policy Event at National Press Club on March 18, 2026

BEAD Implementation Summit features Fireside Chat between NTIA’s Arielle Roth and Breakfast Media's Drew Clark, plus panels on states, tech, funds & financing.

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, March 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- For policymakers, lobbyists and public interest groups who care about infrastructure deployment in the United States, the BEAD Implementation Summit on Wednesday, March 18 is the “must-see” event of the season.

The event – at the National Press Club at 529 14th Street NW – will kick off with a fireside chat between Assistant Secretary of Commerce Arielle Roth, administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and Broadband Breakfast Publisher Drew Clark.

Roth, whose agency is charged with administering the historic $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, will discuss program changes under the Trump Administration, savings of federal funds, the role of artificial intelligence in infrastructure deployment, and many other key topics.

Broadband Breakfast is the leading media company advocating for higher-capacity internet everywhere through topical, timely and intelligent coverage.

Following the fireside chat, top technology and telecommunications reporters will moderate in-depth panels at the Summit, which will run until 5 p.m. ET:

Panel 1, the State Broadband Roundtable, will bring together Michael Baldino, Director and General Counsel of the Massachusetts Broadband Institute; Kendra Jo Grindle, Chief Program Officer, Maine Connectivity Authority; Christine Hallquist, Executive Director of the Vermont Community Broadband Board; and Connor Perry, Executive Director, Delaware Broadband Office; and Chandler Vaughan, Associate Director of the Virginia Office of Broadband.

It is moderated by Jake Neenan, Reporter at Broadband Breakfast.

Panel 2, on Technology Choices in BEAD Deployment, will examine the tradeoffs between cost, performance, and long-term network value. Confirmed panelists include Greg Bathrick, Area Vice President of Commercial Development, Calix; Rick Cimerman, Vice President and External and State Affairs Lead at NCTA - The Internet and Television Association; Chris Disher, Managing Director and Co-Founder, Cajun Broadband; and Carl Guardino, Vice President of Government Affairs and Policy at Tarana Wireless.

It is moderated by TRDaily Senior Editor Lynn Stanton.

Panel 3, Using Remaining BEAD Funds, will examine how states are supporting planning, workforce, technical assistance and other potential priorities for the now $20 billion in Remaining Funds. Confirmed panelists include Kathryn de Wit, Project Director of the Broadband Access Initiative at The Pew Charitable Trusts; Christian Hoefly, Senior Corporate Counsel for Policy Strategy at T-Mobile; Annmarie Lanesey, Founder and CEO of CanCode Communities; and Lyndsay Moyer, Vice President, State Government Affairs, Comcast.

Jimm Phillips, Associate Editor at Communications Daily, will moderate.

The concluding Panel 4, Capital Constraints on Financing BEAD, will examine other aspects of infrastructure deployment beyond BEAD. Confirmed panelists include Claude Aiken, Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Legal Officer at Nextlink; Brian Allenby, Director of State Solutions at CostQuest; Steve Coran, Chair of the Broadband, Spectrum, and Communications Infrastructure practice group at Lerman Senter; and Evan Feinman, Vice President of Strategy and Emerging Markets at JSI.

The panel will be moderated by independent journalist Nancy Scola.

The biggest broadband program in American history

BEAD is the federal government's most ambitious attempt yet to close the digital divide. Funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, the $42.5 billion program distributes funding to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories to build high-speed internet infrastructure in unserved and underserved communities.

For the tens of millions of Americans still without reliable broadband access, in rural counties, tribal lands, and low-income urban neighborhoods, BEAD represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to connect homes, businesses, schools, and healthcare facilities to the modern internet.

But funding alone does not build networks. The success of BEAD depends on the decisions being made right now: Which technologies states deploy, how providers finance construction, how federal and state requirements interact on the ground, and whether the program can move fast enough to deliver results before political and economic conditions shift. Getting those decisions right, or wrong, will shape American connectivity for decades.

A Fireside Chat to kick it off

The Fireside Chat with Roth and Clark will anchor the day, offering attendees a rare and direct window into federal policy direction as BEAD transitions from planning to active deployment.

Roth has prioritized expediting deployments, trimming federal funds, and advocating for technological neutrality in infrastructure choices. Clark, who has covered broadband policy for more than two decades, is known for convening national leaders at summits including last year's Speeding BEAD Summit and the inaugural BEAD Implementation Summit in 2023.

Surrounding the keynote, a slate of power-packed panels will bring together state broadband officials, network operators, capital providers, and technology experts to address the deployment, financing, and infrastructure challenges that will determine whether BEAD-funded networks are delivered on time, on budget, and at scale.

Convening power at a critical moment

With billions now moving into construction, states and providers are navigating a new phase defined by deployment realities, capital constraints, and technology choices. BEAD Implementation Summit 2026 is where decision-makers will share what's working, examine emerging challenges, and align on priorities for the next phase of BEAD execution.

Registration for the event ($295) includes three months access to Broadband Breakfast, valued at $99/month. A webinar option ($125) includes two months’ access.

Register at https://broadbandbreakfast.com/bead-implementation-summit/

Ari Bertenthal / Quinn Nghiem
Broadband Breakfast
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