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Full Schedule
PRELIMINARY AGENDA - Content is Subject to Change.
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Mon, Jun 1
Tue, Jun 2
Wed, Jun 3
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Full Schedule
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Wednesday, June 3, 2026
7:00 AM - 8:30 AM
CT
Attendee Breakfast
7:00 AM - 8:30 AM
CT
Attendee Breakfast
Location: CC – Lower Level Foyer (Outside Exhibit Hall)
Networking
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
CT
Registration Open
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
CT
Registration Open
Location: CC - Mezzanine Lobby
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
CT
Exhibitor Move-In
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
CT
Exhibitor Move-In
Location: CC - Hall A
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
CT
Taking Stock of the Current State of Spectrum Available for Utilities
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
CT
Taking Stock of the Current State of Spectrum Available for Utilities
Location: CC - L100I
Speaker:
Greg Kunkle
– Keller and Heckman LLP
Moderator:
Paul Lambert
– East River Electric Power Cooperative, Inc
Wireless Track
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
CT
The Case for Packet Transition: Rethinking Utility Transport Before Constraints Force the Decision
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
CT
The Case for Packet Transition: Rethinking Utility Transport Before Constraints Force the Decision
Location: CC - L100F
Speaker:
Glenn Purcell
– The Shpigler Group
Speaker:
Josh Carlson
– The Shpigler Group
Moderator:
Ken Campbell
– Highlander Associates LLC
Telecom/Packet Transition Track
Sponsored By
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
CT
Autonomic Network Engine: Closed-Loop AI for Real-Time Remediation
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
CT
Autonomic Network Engine: Closed-Loop AI for Real-Time Remediation
Location: CC - L100H
Speaker:
Avaz Feroze
– Telence Solutions
Speaker:
Mohammed Asadi (he/him/his)
– Telence Solutions
Moderator:
Eric Wagner (he/him/his)
– Utilities Technology Council
Miscellaneous Track
Sponsored By
SDI Presence
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
CT
ComEd's Journey to Deploy Initial PLTE Sites
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
CT
ComEd's Journey to Deploy Initial PLTE Sites
Location: CC - L100D
Speaker:
Jayson Shiau, PE
– ComEd
Speaker:
Arien Majette
– Exelon
Speaker:
Marco Gomez (he/him/his)
– Exelon Corp
Moderator:
Scott Wales
– Burns & McDonnell
PLTE Track
Sponsored By
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
CT
Fiber Through the Grid – Enabling the Future of Utility Communications
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
CT
Fiber Through the Grid – Enabling the Future of Utility Communications
Location: CC - L100C
Speaker:
Noah Taylor
– AFL
Moderator:
Jason Smith
– Blue Ridge Energy
Fiber Track
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
CT
How Evergy is Enabling the Automation of the Distributed Intelligent Grid
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
CT
How Evergy is Enabling the Automation of the Distributed Intelligent Grid
Location: CC - L100B
Speaker:
Randy Dickey
Speaker:
Charlie Nobles
– Ubicquia
Speaker:
Ryan Rausch
– Eaton
Speaker:
Balaji Santhanam
Speaker:
Garrett Schmidt
– NovaTech Automation
Moderator:
Mike Brozek
– Anterix
IT/OT Track
Sponsored By
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
CT
How to Leverage AI for your Network Operations (AIOps)
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
CT
Leveraging AI for Network and IT Operations (AIOps)
Location: CC - L100G
Speaker:
Mitch Simcoe, BEng, MBA
– Ribbon Communications
Speaker:
Kevin Wade
– Ribbon Communications
Moderator:
Douglas Barton
Emerging Technologies Track
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
CT
Navigating Utility Fiber Deployment: Risks, Strategies, and Best Practice
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
CT
Navigating Utility Fiber Deployment: Risks, Strategies, and Best Practices
Location: CC - L100E
Speaker:
Daniel C. Zimmerman (he/him/his)
– West Monroe
Speaker:
Jack O'Gorman
– West Monroe
Speaker:
Bridget Dougherty (she/her/hers)
– West Monroe
Moderator:
Gary R. Vondrasek (he/him/his)
– JEA
Technology Business Strategy & Development Track
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
CT
PG&E's SONET to Packet Journey
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
CT
PG&E's SONET to Packet Journey
Location: CC - L100F
Speaker:
Richard Harper
– West Monroe
Speaker:
Arun Orn
– PG&E
Speaker:
Clint Struth
– SCI Networks USA Inc.
Moderator:
Ken Campbell
– Highlander Associates LLC
Telecom/Packet Transition Track
Sponsored By
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
CT
Spectrum Availability for Utilities and Spectrum Policy Update
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
CT
Spectrum Availability for Utilities and Spectrum Policy Update
Location: CC - L100I
Speaker:
David D. Rines
– Lerman Senter PLLC
Moderator:
Paul Lambert
– East River Electric Power Cooperative, Inc
Wireless Track
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM
CT
A Precise Timing Solution for IEC 61850-Compliant DSS Applications
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM
CT
A Precise Timing Solution for IEC 61850-Compliant Digital Secondary Substation Applications
Location: CC - L100B
Speaker:
Motaz Elshafi
– Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
Speaker:
Dustin D. Williams
– Burns & McDonnell
Speaker:
David G. Williams
– FirstEnergy
Moderator:
Justin Hardy
– Southern Company
IT/OT Track
Sponsored By
9:40 AM - 10:40 AM
CT
Current State of the Art in PLTE Core Switching
9:40 AM - 10:40 AM
CT
Current State of the Art in PLTE Core Switching
Location: CC - L100D
Speaker:
Jeff Livingston, MBA, PMP (he/him/his)
– Salt River Project
Speaker:
David Hattey
– Lockard & White, Inc.
Moderator:
Bruce Albright
– Burns & McDonnell
PLTE Track
Sponsored By
9:40 AM - 10:40 AM
CT
From Red Tape to Green Lights: A Roadmap for Permitting Challenges
9:40 AM - 10:40 AM
CT
From Red Tape to Green Lights: A Roadmap for Permitting Challenges
Location: CC - L100C
Speaker:
Jana Morehouse, MS, RPA
– Vantage Point Solutions
Moderator:
Jason Smith
– Blue Ridge Energy
Fiber Track
9:40 AM - 10:40 AM
CT
Grid Digitalization and Technology Study - Clay Electric Case Study
9:40 AM - 10:40 AM
CT
Grid Digitalization and Technology Study - Clay Electric Case Study
Location: CC - L100E
Speaker:
Christopher Bryan
– Clay Electric Cooperative
Speaker:
Tim Lawter
– ENTRUST Solutions Group
Moderator:
Steven Maederer
– ENTRUST Solutions
Technology Business Strategy & Development Track
9:40 AM - 10:40 AM
CT
Hunting Configuration Drift: Automated Compliance for WEC’s Infrastructure
9:40 AM - 10:40 AM
CT
Hunting Configuration Drift: How WEC Uses Nautobot to Automate Network Compliance
Location: CC - L100G
Speaker:
Gunther Krause
Speaker:
Zach Biles
– Network to Code
Moderator:
Matthew K. Holthe
– Nebraska Public Power District
Emerging Technologies Track
9:40 AM - 10:40 AM
CT
Telecommunication Network Deployments - Planned vs Ad-Hoc - Lessons Learned
9:40 AM - 10:40 AM
CT
Telecommunication Network Deployments - Planned vs Ad-Hoc: Lessons Learned
Location: CC - L100F
Speaker:
Chris Peyatt
– Nebraska Public Power District
Speaker:
Matt Weston
– Nebraska Public Power District
Moderator:
Travis J. Phifer
– Tri-State G&T
Telecom/Packet Transition Track
Sponsored By
9:40 AM - 10:40 AM
CT
Wireless Regulatory Panel: Regulatory Update on FCC Wireless Siting Policy
9:40 AM - 10:40 AM
CT
Wireless Regulatory Panel: Regulatory Update on FCC Wireless Siting Policy
Location: CC - L100I
Speaker:
Kevin Cookler
– Lerman Senter PLLC
Moderator:
Jeff Selman
Wireless Track
9:40 AM - 10:40 AM
CT
Young Professionals Group – Jumpstarting Your Career Through Effective Relationship Building
9:40 AM - 10:40 AM
CT
Young Professionals Group – Jumpstarting Your Career Through Effective Relationship Building
Location: CC - L100H
Speaker:
Robert Saddler
– LCRA
Speaker:
Callan Kirschner (she/her/hers)
– Ericsson Inc.
Miscellaneous Track
Sponsored By
SDI Presence
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM
CT
Designing a Robust Time Synchronization for Supporting Grid Modernization
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM
CT
Designing a Robust Time Synchronization for Supporting Grid Modernization
Location: CC - L100B
Speaker:
Rob Wright
– Nokia
Speaker:
Wes Openshaw
– Salt River Project
IT/OT Track
Sponsored By
10:50 AM - 11:50 AM
CT
• Building the Workforce Behind Utility Communications: Local Talent Powering Utility Telecom Transformation and Grid Modernization
10:50 AM - 11:50 AM
CT
Building the Workforce Behind Utility Communications: Local Talent Powering Utility Telecom Transformation and Grid Modernization
Location: CC - L100H
Speaker:
Steven Liegl
– WEC Energy Group
Speaker:
Hardik Bhatt
– SDI Presence LLC
Moderator:
Brett Kilbourne
– Utilities Technology Council
Sponsor Track
Sponsored By
SDI Presence
10:50 AM - 11:50 AM
CT
Integrated Project Delivery for Communications Projects
10:50 AM - 11:50 AM
CT
Integrated Project Delivery for Communications Projects
Location: CC - L100D
Speaker:
Jarad C. Howard, Sr.
– Burns & McDonnell Engineering, Inc
Sponsor Track
10:50 AM - 11:50 AM
CT
Inter-utility packet handoff without TDM or SONET while keeping cyber happy
10:50 AM - 11:50 AM
CT
Inter-utility Packet Handoff Without TDM or SONET While Keeping Cyber Happy
Location: CC - L100C
Speaker:
Shaun Skidmore, PE
– Idaho Power Company
Moderator:
Travis J. Phifer
– Tri-State G&T
Fiber Track
10:50 AM - 11:50 AM
CT
Introduction to Teleprotection and Considerations for Packet Migration
10:50 AM - 11:50 AM
CT
Introduction to Teleprotection and Considerations for Packet Migration
Location: CC - L100F
Speaker:
Paul Robertson, MBA
– Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
Telecom/Packet Transition Track
10:50 AM - 11:50 AM
CT
Navigating Trust Across OT, Telecom, and Cloud: Introducing KALEN™ and GRID Framework
10:50 AM - 11:50 AM
CT
Navigating Trust Across OT, Telecom, and Cloud: Introducing KALEN™ and GRID Framework
Location: CC - L100G
Speaker:
Cordell Briggs, II (he/him/his)
– Utilities Technology Council
Speaker:
MArk DeAngelo
Speaker:
Lefteris Skoutaris
Speaker:
Tobias Whitney
– Cumulys Solutions Inc.
Emerging Technologies Track
10:50 AM - 11:50 AM
CT
Securing Your Cellular Device Stack: Public APNs to Full Private Deployment
10:50 AM - 11:50 AM
CT
Securing Cellular from Day One: Utility Strategies for Hybrid and Private OT Networks
Location: CC - L100B
Speaker:
Bryan Rask
Speaker:
Sean Chambers
Speaker:
Joseph Henderson
Speaker:
Mark Maroney
Speaker:
Mitch Rappard
– Palo Alto Networks
Moderator:
Drew Ganther
Sponsor Track
Sponsored By
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
CT
Opening General Session
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
CT
Opening General Session
Location: CC - Ballroom A
Moderator:
Rusty Williams
– Utilities Technology Council
Keynote Speaker:
Catherine Jereza
– U.S. Department of Energy
Keynote Speaker:
Jim Jones
– Great River Energy
Keynote Speaker:
Rob Sandstrom
– ALLETE
Keynote Speaker:
Anthony F. Suppa, Jr., PE
– Public Service Electric & Gas
Keynote Speaker:
David Walter
– WEC Energy Group
Speaker:
Anthony Vincent Bova
– EdgeWork Method
Networking
2:00 PM - 6:00 PM
CT
Exhibit Hall Hours
2:00 PM - 6:00 PM
CT
Exhibit Hall Hours
Location: CC - Hall A
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
CT
Exhibit Hall Open with Moose Lodge Social Happy Hour
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
CT
Exhibit Hall Open with Moose Lodge Social Happy Hour
Location: CC - Hall A
Networking
Sponsored By
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