Moultonborough, NH 03254
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Vice Chair representing International Municipal Signal Association (IMSA)
Job History: Douglas M. Aiken brings 34 years of experience as both an advocate for public safety telecommunications issues and as an administrator in public safety telecommunications. He began his fire service career as a member of the Manchester (New Hampshire) Fire Department. He then became Chief of Lakes Region Mutual Fire Aid (LRMFA) a 36-community Fire, EMS, and Haz-Mat agency in central New Hampshire where he continues to serve as a deputy chief on a part time basis. In addition, he serves as the chairman of the New Hampshire Enhanced 9-1-1 Commission. He retired from the New Hampshire Air National Guard in 2007 at the rank of colonel after a forty year military career.
Telecommunications Background: Chief Aiken began his public safety career as the Superintendent of Fire Alarm for the Manchester Fire Department in 1976. He became Chief of the Communications Division in 1988 and Chief of LRMFA in 1997 serving until 2011. He is now the Deputy Executive Director of the International Municipal Signal Association (IMSA). He has published numerous articles and is the author of the original IMSA Public Safety Dispatcher Certification program.
Chief Aiken is a former chairman of the board and current chair of the communications committee of IMSA , current president of the Land Mobile Communications Council (LMCC), past chair of the International Association of Fire Chief’s (IAFC) Communications Committee, Co-chair – Interoperability Working Group – FCC Emergency Response Interoperability Center Public Safety Advisory Committee, member of the SAFECOM Executive Committee, a member of the National Advisory Committee of the Congressional Fire Service Institute and a Fellow of the Radio Club of America.
Chief Aiken served on the Public Safety Wireless Advisory Committee (PSWAC), was a member of the steering committee of the National Coordinating Committee (NCC), and was instrumental in creating NPSTC, the follow-on effort to provide a unified voice for public safety telecommunications needs.
Education: Chief Aiken holds a Bachelors Degree in Management from New Hampshire College, an associate degree in Electronic Engineering from Wentworth Institute of Technology, and is a graduate of the Air University Air Command and Staff College and the Air War College.
Washington, DC 20001
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Member representing the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
Job History: William K. Brownlow is AAHSTO’s Telecommunications Manager and serves as the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) certified public safety frequency coordinator with primary responsibility nationwide for the Highway Maintenance frequencies. Mr. Brownlow serves as Manager, Intelligent Transportation Systems standards.
Mr. Brownlow has collateral duties as the AASHTO staff liaison with the Special Committees on Wireless Communications Technology and Transportation Security and the Special Committee on Transportation Security and Emergency Management. He provides support to the Transportation Research Board (TRB) of the National Academies of Science Critical Transportation Infrastructure Protection Committee (ABE-40) and the National Cooperative Highway Research Program 20-59 Critical Infrastructure Protection Research panel. He is responsible for all filings made on behalf of AASHTO and its members before the FCC and other regulatory bodies regarding both wireless and wireline communications. He serves as a primary member of the Public Safety Communications Council (PSCC), the Land Mobile Communications Council (LMCC), and, on the Board of Directors, of the Public Safety Spectrum Trust Corporation (PSST).
Telecommunications Background: Mr. Brownlow is a former consultant to the District of Columbia government, Office of the Chief Technology Officer, where he provided technical and management expertise for the design and installation of the District’s telecommunications infrastructure. Mr. Brownlow was responsible for the evaluation, design, installation, and maintenance of an in-building system to augment the reception and retransmission of voice, video, and data on frequencies between 700 and 3,000 MHz.
Mr. Brownlow has managed, designed, and installed voice, data, and video systems for a number of systems integrators for over 30 years. Mr. Brownlow has provided domestic and international technical support and training for mini and micro computer manufacturers and has written programs using C, COBOL, Pascal and other high level languages. Mr. Brownlow has been a volunteer fire fighter and emergency medical technician for the city of Anchorage, Alaska, and a reserve police officer in the city of San Diego, California.
Education: Mr. Brownlow’s background in radio communications began with his experience as an Aeronautical Radio Operator and ARINC radio station manager for Reeve Aleutian Airways on the North Pacific intercontinental route. His formal training in communications and computer systems began with the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. He has attended numerous specialized training courses and holds the equivalent of Associates Degrees in Electronics and Computer Systems Maintenance.
Glen Allen, VA 23060-6509
Role in NPSTC: Vice Chair, Outreach Committee
Job History: A former police officer at Virginia Commonwealth University, Charles Bryson currently provides project management services as well as technical support for 700 and 800 MHz land mobile public safety communications systems. He also supports clients requiring assistance with projects related to homeland security and communications strategic planning. Mr. Bryson joined RCC in 1998 and has over 40 years of experience in public safety, telecommunications, and higher education.As a police officer Mr. Bryson served in every sworn capacity as a member of the department from Patrolman to Captain while earning degrees from the University. As a Police Captain, he was responsible for Police Administration, Communications, and Security Operations. Mr. Bryson founded the Commonwealth’s first campus police training academy and was a state-certified criminal justice training instructor.
Telecommunications Background: Mr. Bryson has been deeply involved in RCC efforts regarding the proceedings before the Federal Communications Commission on the public safety spectrum allocation in the 700 MHz band and, in particular, the proposals pending before the Commission concerning the development of a nationwide public safety interoperable broadband network. Mr. Bryson has worked closely with a number of Regional Planning Committees as well as state, county, and municipal public safety agencies to learn their concerns and assist them in the development of filings with the Commission.
Education: Mr. Bryson holds a Master of Science in Public Safety Administration and a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Safety Planning and Management. He has served as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Administration of Justice and Public Safety providing graduate and undergraduate instruction.
Yucaipa, CA 92399
Role in NPSTC: Committee Chair, Spectrum Management Committee
Job History: David Buchanan is a Network Services Supervisor for the County of San Bernardino, California. In his role as Network Services Supervisor, Mr. Buchanan is responsible for management and future upgrades of an 800 MHz integrated trunked/conventional radio system. This system supports over 15000 units, serving 150 different agencies and departments in the 20,000 square mile county.Telecommunications Background: Mr. Buchanan is a life member of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials - International (APCO) and is Chairman of APCO's Spectrum Management Committee. He also serves as the Southern California Local Frequency Advisor for APCO. Mr. Buchanan is the Chairperson of the Southern California Region 5, 700 MHz Planning Committee. Mr. Buchanan served as President of the California Public-Safety Radio Association for 2002.
Fairfax, VA 22033
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Member, representing the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)
Job History: For the past 30 years, Alan Caldwell has been a volunteer firefighter in the Fairfax County (Virginia) Fire and Rescue Department where he was an operational fire chief for over 20 years. Mr. Caldwell has completed his eighth year as director of the Government Relations Department at the IAFC. The IAFC monitors a wide variety of issues, including hazardous materials, Federal grants for fire departments, life safety protection and education, volunteer issues, terrorism, wildland fires, emergency medical services, wireless radio communications, and numerous others.Telecommunications Background: Mr. Caldwell sits on a number of committees and boards, including the Executive Committee of SAFECOM, the NPSTC Governing Board. He served as the most recent past chairman of the National Advisory Committee to the Congressional Fire Services Institute.
Education: Mr. Caldwell received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the School of World Business at San Francisco State University. He served a 2-year stint in the U.S. Army assigned to an infantry division in Germany. Mr. Caldwell was employed for 34 years by RJR Nabisco. For 21 years, he headed Federal government relations for the food company in Washington, DC. Mr. Caldwell has been married to his wife, Louise, for 43 years; they have two adult children and two grandchildren.
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Member representative of the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM)
Job History: Richard Comerford has over 25 years experience in Emergency Management. Previously a full-time officer in the Rhode Island National Guard, he has served in various roles, including military support to Civil Authorities Officer and coordinating numerous statewide response to emergencies. Upon retiring, he became an Emergency Manager for Orange County and The City of Orlando, Florida.Additionally, Mr. Comerford has also been involved in numerous local, state and national boards and organizations, to include various working groups and programs, including the national Emergency Management Accreditation Program. Upon leaving public service, Mr. Comerford began working for the National Center for Crisis and Continuity Coordination (NC4), as the Director of Exercises and Training. During this time he has worked across the United States and the world, implementing NC4 products and assisting various jurisdictions in the development of successful emergency management programs and response to emergencies and crisis.
Education: Mr. Comerford holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology, Rhode Island College; Master of Arts in International Relations, Salve Regina University.Mr. Comerford is a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM), Certified Business Resiliency Manager (CBRM), Florida Professional Emergency Manager (FPEM), and Emergency Management Specialist (SEM).
Newington, CT 06111
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board representative of the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL)
Job History: Mike Corey has been a licensed Amateur Radio operator since 1988 and currently holds Amateur Extra Class license W5MPC. He has been involved with the Amateur Radio Emergency Service since 1991 and served as Emergency Coordinator for Lafayette County, Mississippi from 2007-2010. He has also been involved with the National Weather Service SKYWARN® program for over 15 years and served as a local SKYWARN® coordinator in northern Mississippi. Mr. Corey, along with Victor Morris, authored the book Storm Spotting and Amateur Radio published by the ARRL.Telecommunications Background: Mr. Corey also has a back ground in public safety communications. From 2001-2006 he served as a communications officer for the Howard County Sheriff’s Department in Kokomo, Indiana. While there he chaired the communications contingency planning committee. From 2006-2010 he served as a communications officer with the University of Mississippi Police Department. While at the University of Mississippi he served as a public safety instructor and guest lecturer.
Mr. Corey also has served as an emergency management volunteer. From 2001-2005 he served, in a volunteer capacity, as a police officer and communications officer for the Kokomo-Howard County Emergency Management Agency. While in Mississippi he volunteered to assist during hurricane Gustav with the St. Helena Parish Office of Homeland Security.
Education: Mr. Corey holds a Bachelors degree from Indiana University with a concentration in Political Science. He is currently completing thesis work for his Masters in Criminal Justice from the University of Mississippi.
Montgomery, AL 36130
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Alternate Member representing the National Association of State Telecommunications Directors (NASTD)
Job History: Mr. Doane joined the Information Services Division (ISD) as their Assistant Director in charge of the State of Alabama Office of Infrastructure. Mr. Doane is an Information Technology professional with over twenty years of technical experience, including over fifteen years of managing technical staff, supporting a variety of hardware platforms, operating systems, network components, and infrastructure initiatives. He has an expertise in evaluating and incorporating emerging technologies in the enterprise, leading teams in the integration of disparate systems, planning large-scale roll-outs, and managing daily IT operations.
Telecommunications Background: Mr. Doane is in charge of the network operations that provides statewide industry standard, reliable, and secure network resources for voice, data, and video solutions. The primary services provided are as follows:
- High speed Internet access with content filtering
- Customer network resources access
- State Mainframe access
- Remote access
- Virtual Private Network (VPN) service
- Technical network support
Education: BS in Physical Distribution and a Masters Degree in Information Systems (MIS) from Auburn University
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Alternate Member representing the National Sheriffs' Association (NSA)
Job History: Paul H. Fitzgerald was elected Story County, Iowa, Sheriff in November of 1992, taking office on January 1, 1993. Before winning election in 1992, Sheriff Fitzgerald served as a member of the Waterloo Police Department for 15 years serving in a variety of positions, including Patrol Officer, Detective, Field Training Officer, Tactical Team Member, Firearms Instructor, Patrol Supervisor, Public Relations Officer, and Public Information Officer. During his years with the Waterloo PD, Sheriff Fitzgerald also taught for 11 years in the Police Science Program at Hawkeye Institute of Technology, now known as Hawkeye Community College, in Waterloo, Iowa.Telecommunications Background: Sheriff Fitzgerald serves on many Boards and Committees, including Board of Directors for the National Sheriff’s Association (NSA) on the Executive Committee, NSA Treasurer, committee member of GLOBAL, LEITSC (Law Enforcement Information Technology Standards Council), Board of Director on PSST (Public Safety Spectrum Trust) representing NSA, Iowa Crime Victims Association, Community and Family Resources, Iowa Second District Department of Corrections Board, and others.
Education: Sheriff Fitzgerald has earned a Masters Degree in Criminal Justice, a Bachelors Degree in Law Enforcement, and an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Police Science. Among many other additional training and certifications, Sheriff Fitzgerald is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), National Academy 198th session. Sheriff Fitzgerald is married to Evonne M. (Sackrison) Fitzgerald and together they have four children.
Fairfax, VA 22203
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Alternate representing the National Emergency Number Association
Job History: Brian Fontes currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the National Emergency Number Association (NENA), a position he has held since June 2008. As CEO, he is responsible for all aspects of the association. His primary objectives are to ensure that Americans have access to reliable 9-1-1 service, 9-1-1 centers have state-of the art technologies and well-trained professionals, and sufficient funding is available so that the 9-1-1 system can best serve those who call upon it as their first voice of hope.Telecommunications Background: Mr. Fontes started his professional career as a Professor of Communications at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Prior to joining NENA, Mr. Fontes was Vice President, Federal Relations for Cingular Wireless, and served in that capacity after its acquisition by AT&T. Prior to that, Mr. Fontes was Senior Vice President for Policy and Administration at the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA). Before joining CTIA, he served as the Senior Advisor to Commissioner James H. Quello, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and as the FCC’s Chief of Staff.
In the Fall of 1995, President Clinton appointed Mr. Fontes as head of the United States Delegation to the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) World Radio Conference held in Geneva, Switzerland, and gave him the rank of Ambassador. Mr. Fontes also served as Chairman of the Council of the Communication Regulatory Agency in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Mr. Fontes has served on numerous U.S. delegations.
He is currently on the Board of Directors of the 9-1-1 Institute and the Quello Center for Telecommunication Management, Policy and Law. He also serves on the Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee (Department of Commerce).
Education: Mr. Fontes received a Ph.D. in Mass Media/Telecommunications from Michigan State University’s Department of Telecommunications and a M.S./B.S. from Brigham Young University.
Burlington, ON L7S 2C6
Canada
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Member representing the National Emergency Number Association
Job History: Rick Galway, Second Vice President, NENA, has accumulated a total of 42 years of involvement in public safety, including 28 years with the fire services of the cities of Etobicoke and Toronto. During his last 6 years with the fire service, he was the chief of communications. He has a long association with NENA, having served two terms in all chapter officer positions for Ontario. Mr. Galway was the second person in Canada to be awarded the Emergency Number Professional (ENP) status and served for 5 years on the NENA Institute Board. He currently serves as the chair of the bylaws and personnel committees of NENA and is a member of the Hall of Fame. Mr. Galway has also served on the faculty for continuing education at Mohawk College, teaching radio communications in the public safety communicator program. He served as chair of the program’s advisory board for 2 years. He is a founding board member for two national charities benefiting abused women and disadvantaged children.
Telecommunications Background: Mr. Galway served as project manager and system administrator for the city of Etobicoke’s 800 MHz. trunked radio system, telephone, and CAD systems. Upon retiring from the fire service, he served as general manager for a large 900 MHz trunked system in Toronto. Rick chaired the Canadian Radio Telephone/Telecommunications Commission's (CRTC) Emergency Services Working Group (ESWG) for over two years.
Washington, DC 20005
Dover, DE 19904
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board member representing the National Council of Statewide Interoperability Coordinators
Overview of experience relevant to NPSTC: Mark Grubb serves as the Director of the Delaware Division of Communications and is responsible for the operation and maintenance of Delaware’s statewide 700 and 800 MHz public safety radio systems. Under his leadership, Delaware provides interoperable public safety communications systems serving all full-time and volunteer first responders within the state as well as state government critical infrastructure service providers.
In addition, Mr. Grubb serves as the Statewide Interoperability Coordinator (SWIC) for Delaware and is the Chairman of the National Council of Statewide Interoperability Coordinators (NCSWICs). Mr. Grubb also serves as the Chairman for Regional Planning Committee (RPC) 28 for 800 and 700 MHz.
In his work with NPSTC, he serves as the Working Group Chair for Participant Development. The multiple roles that Mr. Grubb supports have imbued him with an understanding and appreciation of public safety telecommunications issues on a metropolitan and rural as well as state, local, and national basis.
Through his efforts, Delaware has been carefully evaluating issues related to the nationwide interoperable 700 MHz broadband network. His pro-active contacts relative to broadband deployment has included all Delaware cellular carriers announcing the use of Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology, multiple manufacturers of LTE systems, and officials of the Public Safety Spectrum Trust (PSST). Public safety broadband is an issue about which Mr. Grubb feels strongly and he believes that LTE and public safety broadband are technologies critical for Delaware’s future in order to maintain the state’s longstanding leadership in providing first responders with cutting edge communications tools that will help them to perform their dangerous missions.
Mr. Grubb has significant experience working in the private sector. He spent over 19 years with MBNA America bank managing several different business areas related to the maintenance and construction of their large real estate portfolio.
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Chair
Overview of experience relevant to NPSTC: Mr. Haller brings 40 years of experience in the communications industry, 25 with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Mr. Haller was chief of the FCC's Private Radio Bureau for several years and was the approving official for the original 55 NPSPAC Regional Plans. He wrote the charter for the more recent Public Safety Wireless Advisory Committee (PSWAC) and initiated the meetings. Mr. Haller's areas of expertise include broadcasting, cable television, human radio frequency exposure, and land mobile communications systems. Mr. Haller is an electronics engineer; a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and a Fellow in the Radio Club of America.Current Job Title: As Executive Director, FCCA, Mr. Haller is in charge of the day-to-day operations and regularly represents the FCCA at various meetings and forums.
Job History: Mr. Haller began his work life as an engineer/disc jockey while still in high school and worked his way through college as a broadcaster. After graduation, he worked as a broadcast engineering consultant before joining the FCC in 1971. Mr. Haller held numerous positions with the FCC, including field inspector in Los Angeles, California, chief of the FCC's monitoring network, chief of research at the FCC laboratory, chief engineer of the FCC's Mass Media Bureau, and finally as chief of the Private Radio Bureau. In 1996, Mr. Haller left the FCC to form a land mobile consulting company. He is a regular speaker at industry functions and regularly writes articles for Mission Critical magazine. Mr. Haller is also an authority on the FCC's rules relating to human exposure to radio frequency energy and has written software to evaluate compliance of radio sites.
Education: Mr. Haller holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Kansas.
Saint Augustine, FL 32086
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Member representing the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA)
Telecommunications Background: Michael Hutton is the National Frequency Coordinator for the Forestry Conservation Communication Association (FCCA). Mr. Hutton also serves for FCCA on the Public Safety Communications Council (PSCC), in addition to representing the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) on the Land Mobile Communications Council (LMCC).Mr. Hutton brings nearly 10 years of experience in system analysis to his current role in public safety frequency coordination. He began his training around 1999 at Fox Ridge Communications, Inc., Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, a land mobile consulting firm.
Education: Mr. Hutton was educated in physics and mathematics at the University of Maryland, College Park. He is also accomplished in low-level software design, a skill he applies regularly to solve unusual or complex problems in spectrum analysis.
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Member representing the Nation Sheriffs’ Association (NSA)
Job History: Aaron D. Kennard joined the National Sheriffs’ Association as Executive Director in January of 2007, continuing the NSA mission as the “One Voice for the Office of Sheriff.” Voters first elected him as Sheriff of Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1990 after he had served 20 years with the Salt Lake City Police Department.Sheriff Kennard believes strongly in partnerships between law enforcement and the community. He has applied his leadership skills and talents to many important community forums including the Utah Safety Council, the Juvenile Detention Center Advisory Board, and the American Cancer Society. In 2004, he was elected President of the National Sheriffs' Association. He also has held key leadership positions with the Utah Sheriff's Association, Utah State Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, the Salt Lake Area Gang Project, and the National Association of Counties (NACo). Sheriff Kennard was Adjunct Professor at Weber State University and Salt Lake Community College, teaching management/personnel, criminal justice, and criminal Investigations.
Professional and Civic Participation: Sheriff Kennard has served on many boards and community organizations at the national, state, and local level. He is the Past President, National Sheriffs' Association (NSA) Executive Board, and Chairman of the NSA Constitution and Bylaws Committee, Past President of the Utah Sheriffs' Association; and a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), American Correctional Association (ACA), American Jail Association (AJA), Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA), American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), and Utah Peace Officers Association (UPOA).
Sheriff Kennard was vice-chairman, Corrections and Detention Committee, U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs; and a member of the Criminal Justice Information Services, Western Working Group, U.S. Department of Justice, FBI (CJIS) Division; National Community Oriented Policing Resource Board, DOJ; National Commission on the Future of DNA Evidence, DOJ; Utah State Task Force on Racial and Ethnic Fairness in the Judicial System; and the Governors Task Force on Gun Violence Legislation
Sheriff Kennard received the Sheriff of the Year Award from the Utah Sheriff’s Association and the Utah Association of Counties in 1999; the Executive Award of Merit from the State of Utah’s Department of Public Safety in 2001; and the Attorney General’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Community Partnerships for Public Safety in 2002.
Education: Sheriff Kennard has a Master's Degree in Public Administration from Brigham Young University, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology/Sociology from the University of Utah. He is also a graduate of the FBI’s National Academy, National Executive Institute, and Law Enforcement Executive Development.
Waterbury, VT 05671-2101
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Member representing the National Association of State Technology Directors (NASTD).
Telecommunications Background: Terry LaValley is the Communications Program Manager for the State of Vermont, Department of Public Safety. Mr. LaValley’s office is responsible for all of the state’s mission critical public safety radio systems and numerous enterprise radio systems, the state’s private digital microwave radio and fiber optic network, and the state’s private telephone network. These systems are utilized by various state agencies and departments including the Department of Public Safety, Vermont Emergency Management, and the Vermont State Police. His team includes several groups of technical specialists who are responsible for technical repair and maintenance services. His office is also accountable for all financial and contractual aspects of these enterprise programs.
In his capacity as program manager, Mr. LaValley has overseen the modernization of both the state's microwave network and the two-way radio systems. A few of his current projects include the modernization of the legacy PBX telephone systems to a VoIP platform, MPLS implementation, and improving voice interoperability for all of Vermont’s first responders. Mr. LaValley is a leader in U.S./Canadian border radio frequency issues and is the vice-chair of Vermont’s Communications Interoperability Program (VCOMM).
Job History: His professional career began in 1979 while serving in the US Air Force where he worked on navigational systems for aircraft, radar systems, and communications networks. Following his military service, he worked in the private sector for approximately 7 years working on public safety and business communications networks and specialized communications technology projects.
In 1990, he was hired by the Vermont Department of Public Safety as the Communications Program Engineer to support Vermont’s communication program. This umbrella program provides a single point of management and support for all of Vermont’s agencies and departments that utilize two-way radio technology. During his time as the system engineer, he was responsible for their 911 dispatch center design, microwave system engineering, and for the assessment and design of the various two-way radio systems used by the state. The position was also responsible for the FCC licensing and technical project management for all communications-related projects. In 1999, he was promoted to Communications Program Manager, the position which he currently holds.
Baltimore, MD 21228
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Alternate Member representing AASHTO
Job History: Philip Lazarus has been serving the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) Communication Division as the Assistant Division Chief – Engineering and Technical Support since 2006. Responsibilities include management and construction of all SHA Radio Towers and Communication Sites, Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) device implementation and engineering and management of the SHA Statewide PBX and VoIP telephone system. The previous 17 years were spent as an Engineering Technician for the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services System (MIEMSS) providing 2-way radio, Medivac/helicopter dispatch, hospital and resource center communications for the medical public safety community in Maryland.Telecommunications Background: Philip Lazarus was formally on the Region 20 700 MHz RPC and is currently serving on the Maryland SIEC Technical Committee since 2006. He is also the Co-Manager of the Maryland Statewide PSInet Microwave System – a transport carrier for State, Regional and County public safety narrowband and broadband communications. Other telecommunication duties include statewide management of the Maryland SHA PBX phone system and manager of the Statewide VoIP initiative. He is also a current member of the AASHTO Special Committee On Wireless Communication Technologies (SCOWCoT).
Education: Philip Lazarus is a graduate of the National Radio Institute Associate Degree program in Communication Electronics and currently holds a FCC General Radiotelephone License.
Franklin, MA 02038
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Member serving as alternate for the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)
Job History: Gary B. McCarraher presently serves as the fire chief of Franklin (MA) Fire Department. He began his fire service career as a volunteer in southeastern Pennsylvania in the mid 1970s. In 1980, he was appointed as a career firefighter in Littleton, MA, where he was appointed Fire Chief in 1983. Since then he has served as a chief officer in three other communities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, including his current position where he has served since 1999.
Chief McCarraher presently serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Masters of Public Administration Program at Anna Maria College of Paxton, MA, as well as a management consultant for the MMA Consulting Group of Brookline, MA. He is active in the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts representing them on the Fire Protection Fire Prevention Advisory Committee to the Massachusetts State Building Code. He is also the newly appointed Chairperson of the Communications Committee for the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
Education: Chief McCarraher has earned three associate’s degrees in fire and safety curricula, an undergraduate degree in fire and emergency management, and a graduate degree in public administration. He is a 1996 graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program and has received his second renewal of Chief Fire Officer Designate from the Commission on Professional Credentialing.
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Member representing the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
Job History: Chief McEwen brings more than 50 years of experience as both an advocate for public safety telecommunications issues and as a career law enforcement officer and administrator. Chief McEwen started his career as a Patrol Officer in 1957 in his home town of Waverly, NY, then served as a Deputy Sheriff in the Tioga County, NY, Sheriff’s Department. In 1964 he transferred to the Cayuga Heights (NY) Police Department. In 1967 he was promoted to Sergeant and in 1972, he was promoted to Chief of Police, a position he held for 13 years. From 1969 through 1974, he served as Coordinator of the Tompkins County Mobile Radio District and supervised the installation of a new county-wide law enforcement radio communications system. From 1985 until 1988, Chief McEwen served as Deputy Commissioner of the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services and Director of the Bureau for Municipal Police, where he was responsible for overseeing the training and registration of all police officers and peace officers in New York State, as well as for the development and implementation of the New York State Law Enforcement Agency Accreditation Program. From October 1988 through February 1996, he served as Chief of Police for the City of Ithaca, NY, where he was instrumental in implementing modern technology and computerization and advancing training and professionalism of the force.In February 1996, Chief McEwen was sworn in by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Louis J. Freeh as a Deputy Assistant Director of the FBI with his office located at FBI Headquarters in Washington, DC. During his tenure at the FBI, he provided executive oversight for the development of new FBI Criminal Justice Information Services such as the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) 2000 Project and the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification (IAFS). In April 2000, he retired from the FBI and active law enforcement service and was presented the prestigious FBI Medal of Meritorious Achievement by Director Freeh.
Telecommunications Background: Chief McEwen served on the Steering Committee of the Public Safety Wireless Advisory Committee (PSWAC) and as a member of the Steering Committee of the FCC Public Safety National Coordinating Committee (NCC). He was a leader in creating the NPSTC, the follow-on effort to provide a unified voice for public safety telecommunications needs.
In November 2000, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, at their Annual Conference in San Diego honored Chief McEwen by presenting him with the first IACP Lone Star Distinguished Award in recognition of his exemplary service to the IACP for over 22 years as Chairman of the IACP Communications & Technology Committee. For many years he served as Communications Advisor to the Major Cities Police Chiefs Association, the National Sheriffs’ Association, and the Major County Sheriffs’ Association. He continues to serve as Chairman of the IACP Communications Committee and also serves as an advisor to the FBI, the National Institute of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security and various other local, State, and Federal agencies. He is a Life Member and Honorary President of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. He is also a Life Member of the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police, the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International (APCO), and the National Sheriffs’ Association. He is a Fellow in the Radio Club of America (RCA) and in 2006 was honored by being named the first recipient of the RCA/NPSTC Richard DeMello Award for his many contributions to public safety communications.
In 2007 Chief McEwen was elected Chairman of the Public Safety Spectrum Trust (PSST), a not-for-profit corporation consisting of representatives of fifteen national public safety organizations that has been issued the new nationwide 700 MHz Public Safety Broadband License (PSBL) by the Federal Communications Commission.
Hallowell, ME 04347
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Member representing the National Association of State Emergency Medical Services Officials (NASEMSO)
Job History: Kevin McGinnis, MPS, EMT-P has been an EMS system builder since 1974. He started working on ambulances in Rhode Island and has held EMT, EMT-Intermediate and Paramedic licenses in New York and Maine. Kevin has been an ambulance service chief for volunteer and hospital-based services, a regional EMS coordinator, a hospital emergency department director, Maine's state EMS director from 1986 through 1996 (interim state E9-1-1 director for a year as well). He has been an EMS system consultant for the past 15 years, evaluating regional and state EMS systems and local ambulance services. For the last ten years, Kevin has been a Program Advisor for the National Association of State EMS Officials.Telecommunications Background: Mr. McGinnis also serves as communications technology advisor for that association, and for the National EMS Management Association, the National Association of EMTs, the National Association of EMS Physicians, and the National Association of EMS Educators. He serves on the FCC’s ERIC Public Safety Advisory Committee and has served on three other FCC bodies, including the Joint Advisory Committee on Communications Capabilities of Emergency Medical and Public Health Care Facilities and the Communications Security, Reliability & Interoperability Council. He serves as the Chairman of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's SafeCom Program. He is also Vice Chair of the Public Safety Spectrum Trust and serves on the governing board of the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council. He is widely published in and a national speaker on the areas of public safety/EMS communications, rural EMS, and airmedical systems.
Education: Mr. McGinnis holds a Bachelor’s degree in Health Systems Development from Brown University, and a Master’s degree in Hospital and Health Services Administration from the Johnson Business School of Cornell University.
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board member representing the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA)
Job History: Lt. John McIntosh (ret.) of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), is a 36½-year law enforcement veteran, retiring in 2009. Currently Secretary-Treasurer of Forestry-Conservation Communications Association (FCCA), he began serving on the FCCA's Board of Directors in 1999 and served as FCCA's National President from 2003 to 2005. He served as a member of the Washington SIEC's Staff Advisory Workgroup (SAW), its primary radio advisory committee to the state and continues to do so on an ad hoc basis representing WDFW. He was, prior to retirement, an associate member of the Washington Sheriffs and Police Chiefs Association (WASPC) and has served on its technical committee regarding radio communications.Lt. McIntosh serves on the P25 Steering Committee representing FCCA and previously represented the AFWA on the NPSTC Governing Board for several years.
Telecommunications Background: Lt McIntosh managed radio communications for WDFW for almost 20 years, and is currently working part time to continue those duties. He is an actual field practitioner of radio communications and manages WDFW Enforcement’s P25 radio fleet, infrastructure, procurement and deployment. He is currently implementing a statewide RoIP and dispatch system for WDFW.
Certifications: Lt. McIntosh has been a licensed amateur radio operator for 44 years and is a member of the Radio Club of America.
Education: Lt. McIntosh holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration from Washington State University.
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Member representing the Forestry Conservation Communications Association
Job History: Lloyd M. Mitchell has been involved intimately for the past 30+ years in the Public Safety community. Mr. Mitchell started as a Rookie Firefighter and progressed thru the ranks until promoted to Chief at South Darlington Fire Department. He was a member of the department until he accepted a position at Robinson Nuclear Power Plant as Senior Nuclear Specialist-(SME) on Electrical/Electronic/Instrumentation Systems and the Operator Training Simulator. After 15 years he accepted responsibility at the South Carolina Fire Academy as Director of Physical Facility. He joined the South Carolina Forestry Commission as Regional Dispatch Manager for Wildfire Control. He now is Statewide Communications Coordinator (COMC) with the SC Forestry Commission and is a member of the SC Forestry Type 2 Incident Management Team; he also serves as President of the Forestry Conservation Communications Association (FCCA).Telecommunications Background: He is a member of the OEC-ERC, and the ARRL. Mr. Mitchell attended Francis Marion College and holds an Associate of Science Degree in Electronic Engineering.
Largo, FL 33774
Role in NPSTC: Committee Vice Chair, Interoperability Committee
Job History: Pam Montanari is the Radio and Data Systems Manager for Pinellas County Government in Largo, Florida. She is responsible for the County’s Intergovernmental Smartzone/P25 700/800 MHz Trunked Radio and Data System with over 10,000 users countywide. The system includes a 10-site multi-zone 53-Channel Smartzone/P25 Simulcast System and a 6-Channel High Performance Data system. As Manager, her responsibilities include all aspects of public safety radio and data communications within Pinellas County and for 24 local municipalities. Ms. Montanari has worked for Pinellas County for over 20 years.
Telecommunications Background: Ms. Montanari has over 28 years experience communications, and a graduate of the Florida Certified Public Manager Program. She is the current chair for the Interoperable Communications Committee in the Tampa Bay Region, working with the Florida Regional Domestic Security Task Force and the Tampa Bay Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI). She has been involved in interoperability efforts in the Tampa Bay Region for the past 7 years, coordinating and planning interoperability between all agencies for daily operations and large-scale events.
In conjunction with her local efforts, Ms. Montanari has worked on several programs at the federal level that include the Interoperable Communications Technical Assistance Program (ICTAP) program, Tactical Interoperable Communications (TIC) plans, Statewide Communications Interoperability Plans (SCIPs), Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) Grant Program reviews, Federal Partnership for Interoperable Communications (FPIC), and National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP) development.
Ms. Montanari is a member of Association of Public Safety Communications Officials – International (APCO), the Pinellas County Fire Chief’s Association, and serves on a technology subcommittee for NPSTC and on the MTUG (Motorola Trunked Users Group) executive committee,
Education: Ms. Montanari has a Bachelors Degree in Business Management and two Associate Degrees in Electronics.
1975 Gottingen St.
Halifax, NS B3J 2H1, Canada
Role in NPSTC: Alternate representing Canadian Interoperability Technology Interest Group (CITIG)
Job History: Superintendent Bill Moore began his policing career with Dartmouth City Police in 1986. In his career, he has worked in many areas of policing including uniformed patrol operations, Criminal Investigations, Drug Enforcement, Financial Crimes, Information Technology, Human Resources and Criminal Intelligence/Organized Crime.Supt. Moore has worked closely with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on many joint operations and has served as Unit Commander in the Metro Integrated Intelligence Unit. He has been an instructor in the Police Leadership Program at Dalhousie University since, 2000.
As a senior officer with the Halifax Regional Police, Supt. Moore has been the Officer-in-Charge of Integrated Emergency Services, the Emergency Communication Centre, Patrol Operations, Support Services, and Community Projects Division.
Telecommunications Background: Supt Moore is actively involved nationally through the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) as a past member of the Police Statistics National Committee, the Canadian Police Information Center Governance Committee, and is presently on the Information Technology Committee and the Co-chair of the Radio Interoperability Subcommittee. He is the CACP representative on the Tri-Services Special Purpose Committee on Mission Critical 700 MHz Broadband for Public Safety Data and the Radio Advisory Board of Canada.
Education: Supt. Moore holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Dalhousie University, is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico Virginia, and a graduate of the Institute of Strategic International Studies Program of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police. He also holds a Masters Certificate in Project Management from Saint Mary's University, and two Certificates from The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.
Schaumburg, IL 60196
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Alternate representing the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA)
Job History: Larry Nyberg is the Vice-Chair of the TIA-Private Radio Section (PRS). TIA is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to develop voluntary industry standards for a wide variety of telecommunications products. TIA's Standards and Technology Department sponsors more than 770 standards formulating groups, including Land Mobile Private Radio. PRS is aligned with the TIA technical standards setting committee for establishing land mobile radio standards. The PRS interacts with external regulatory agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and other standards groups, including the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), commenting on FCC regulatory actions affecting private mobile radio systems.
Mr. Nyberg has been employed with Motorola Inc. since February 1, 1974, following a 6-year enlistment with the U.S. Air Force. In the Air Force, he initially maintained airborne navigation and positioning platforms, and followed up with air-to-ground weapons guidance systems. His Motorola experience includes over 4 years of field service, coordinating installation and maintenance services for public safety networks in the Chicago area. From service, Mr. Nyberg moved into sales and sales management, focusing exclusively on state and local government entities. In 1989, Mr. Nyberg moved into product operations, in which he directed numerous projects related to product development, marketing, and research and development. Since 2000 he has been nvolved in Motorola’s standards development activities. He is presently the Director for Business Operations in Standards Management.
Telecommunications Background: Mr. Nyberg held the Chairman position of TR-8.8 Broadband Data Communications for 4 years from its inception, and currently serves as Vice-Chair of both the APIC Broadband Task Group and TR-8.8. He is also active on two National Fire Protection Administration (NFPA) committees developing standards primarily oriented to Fire and EMS service organizations. Mr. Nyberg previously held the position of Rapporteur in the Project MESA Service and Specifications Group when TIA was an active Operating Partner to Project MESA. Education: Mr. Nyberg holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Information Systems Management from Elmhurst College, and a Master of Business Administration from Loyola University of Chicago.
Role in NPSTC: Committee Vice Chair, Spectrum Management Committee, Working Group Chair, 700 MHz Advocacy Working Group.
Job History: Mr. Overby has over 37 years of experience in spectrum management and communications. This includes over 25 years in Motorola where he is currently Senior Director, Spectrum Strategy, and 12 years previously in the Federal Communications Commission where his career spanned the areas of mobile spectrum allocation, field enforcement, and broadcast licensing.
He has taken a leadership role in spectrum allocations for public safety and private mobile radio systems, personal communications services, digital television, and unlicensed consumer systems.
In addition to his participation in NPSTC, Mr. Overby is active in industry associations. He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Communications and Technology Committee, a contributor to the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Communications Committee and served on the former Homeland Security Committee of Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials - International (APCO International).
Education: Mr. Overby holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) from the University of Virginia.
Spanish Fork, UT 84660
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Alternate representing the National Association of State Emergency Medical Services Officials
Job History: Paul Patrick serves as the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services Director, Deputy Division Director, and Preparedness Director for the State of Utah, Department of Health. On February 13, 2006, he was selected as the Emergency Medical Services Director and Public Health and Hospital Preparedness Coordinator for the State Utah. On April 15, 2006, he was selected as the Deputy Director for the Division of Family Health and Preparedness for the Utah Department of Health.
Mr. Patrick oversees a staff of 55 full-time EMS and preparedness professionals and is responsible for the EMS and Public Health Preparedness system for the State of Utah. Mr. Patrick works regularly with many elected officials, legislators, appointed governmental officials, the general public, certified emergency personnel, hospital administrators, nurses, doctors, and governmental department heads.
Earlier in his career as a Community Health Coordinator II (Regional Consultant), Mr. Patrick was responsible for overseeing emergency medical services in 24 of Utah’s counties, managing budgets, evaluating resources, determining staffing, created new positions, and other special projects. He provided support for the Air Ambulance services, was the editor of the EMS Impact, a quarterly newsletter, and developed programs, brochures, certificates, equipment checklists, and computer media presentations.
Professional Background: Mr. Patrick served as a paid, part-time member of the Springville Ambulance Association for 25 years and maintained certification as an EMT certification until 2003. He was an Eagle Scout in 1967 and President, Springville Ambulance Association from 1980-81. He received the Utah Department of Health Major Incentive Award in May and July 1991, October 1992, April 1995, and May 1999, and was named Emergency Medical Technician of the Year by the Springville Ambulance Association for the years 2000/2001. In 2007, Mr. Patrick was honored as Manager of the Year by the Utah Department of Health.
Education: Mr. Patrick holds a Bachelor of Science, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.
Stateline, NV 89449-7172
Role in NPSTC: Committee Chair, Interoperability Committee
Job History: Mr. Powell has over 25 years of law enforcement experience at both the municipal and state levels as a police officer and supervisor for two San Francisco area agencies. During his career, Mr. Powell implemented and/or managed several major projects including a statewide trunked radio system and an E-911 computer aided dispatch center for the University of California. He has served on numerous local, state, and national committees, including the California Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Radio System (CLEMARS) Executive Committee; the California Legislature’s Joint Committee on Fire, Police, Emergency and Disaster Services; and the FCC's Public Safety Wireless Advisory Committee (PSWAC). He has also served as chair of the Interoperability Subcommittee of the FCC’s 700 MHz Public Safety National Coordination Committee (NCC). He has testified before numerous legislative bodies at all levels of government.
While concentrating in the area of wireless telecommunications, he has had a wide range of responsibilities in administration, crime prevention, emergency management, explosive ordinance disposal, operations, personnel, project and records management, public information, training, and strategic planning. He has consulting experience with high security access control for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and wide area satellite communication systems for the State of California.
Telecommunications Background: Since leaving the University of California in 2002, Mr. Powell, a senior consulting engineer, has consulted extensively on issues and projects related to advanced telecommunications technologies, including interoperability and software defined radio, for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Executive Office of the President of the United States.
He currently chairs California’s FCC-chartered Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC), and the Interoperability Committee and Software Defined Radio Working Group within NPSTC. He is the government representative to the Board of Directors at the Software Defined Radio Forum, a member of the Executive Committee of Project SAFECOM within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the Project 25 Steering Committee.
Professional associations include membership on the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Law Enforcement Information Management Section, and the IACP Communications and Technology Committee where he serves as an IACP representative to NPSTC. He is a life member and International Past President of the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials - International (APCO), a Fellow of the Radio Club of America, and a member of IEEE.
Education: Mr. Powell holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley and received the Chancellor’s Distinguished Service Award from that institution at the end of his law enforcement career. He is one of four recipients of APCO’s Art McDole Award for long-term technical contributions to the art and practice of public safety telecommunications and was named 'Most Influential Person in Public Safety Spectrum Management' by Radio Resource magazine in 1998.
Mr. Powell has authored numerous articles for communications sector publications on operational and technical issues related to advanced wireless communications, interoperability, and software defined radio.
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Alternate Member representing the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
Job History: Deputy Chief Eddie Reyes serves on the Alexandria, Virginia Police Department as a Patrol Sector Commander. Locally, Deputy Chief Reyes chaired the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) Police Technology Subcommittee. Together with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) this committee focuses on regional technology issues impacting law enforcement and it reports to the regions' police chiefs. During his tenure, this subcommittee focused on a regional law enforcement data sharing system that is a collaboration of the regions' municipalities and the NCIS.Prior to this assignment, Deputy Chief Reyes was assigned to the CommTech Program (formerly the AGILE Program), a program of the US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice. When interoperability was barely recognized at the national level as a critical public safety concern, AGILE laid a critical foundation for policy development, standards, and technology research that is universally recognized and praised. He also managed and oversaw public safety radio interoperability operations for the City of Alexandria, Virginia and is a key player in the National Capital Region.
Before being assigned to AGILE/CommTech, Deputy Chief Reyes commanded the Emergency Communications Section of the Alexandria Police Department. With over 17 years experience in law enforcement, he achieved expert status in public safety communications and interoperability, E-911 telephone systems and CAD.
Telecommunications Background: At the state level, Deputy Chief Reyes chaired the VA State Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC). This committee coordinates interoperability issues statewide through end user collaboration and reports to the Governor through the Office of Commonwealth Preparedness. Focusing on training and standards for public safety communications has been his priority while serving on this committee, including a statewide-standardized radio protocol, also known as common language protocol. He has been instrumental in assisting public safety agencies transition from coded radio protocol to a common language protocol. At the national level, he is currently the chair of the Law Enforcement Information Management (LEIM) Section of the IACP and a member of the US Department of Homeland Security's SAFECOM Advisory Working Group.
Education: Deputy Chief Reyes holds a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from New Mexico State University and is presently working on his Master's Degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Administration of Justice at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Deputy Chief Reyes is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA. Virginia Governor Tim Kaine has appointed him to the Virginia Latino Advisory Board and the Commission on Immigration.
Daytona Beach, FL 32114
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board member representing the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials – International (APCO)
Job History: Gregg Riddle recently retired as the Executive Director of West Suburban Consolidated Dispatch Center in River Forest, Illinois. West Suburban Consolidated Dispatch Center is a multi agency, multi jurisdictional center serving the Chicago suburban villages of Elmwood Park, Oak Park and River Forest. He was the Executive Director at Westcom for over 8 years.While serving as the Executive Director, Mr. Riddle also chaired the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association’s Telecommunications Committee and was co-chair of the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) Telecommunications Communications and Dispatch Committee. He was a member of the Illinois Chiefs of Police Association and the West Suburban Chiefs of Police Association. Gregg currently serves as the Vice President for the Illinois Public Safety Telecommunications Association and was a Regional Vice President for the AT&T 9-1-1 Users Group.
Telecommunications Background: Mr. Riddle began his public safety career as a paid-on-call firefighter in his hometown of Harvey, Illinois. Following graduation from Northern Illinois University, he entered the fire service as a full time firefighter with the Elk Grove Village Fire Department. He became one of the first paramedics for the department in 1972. He progressed up through the ranks and retired after 30 years in the fire service as the Deputy Fire Chief responsible for Administrative Operations.
Mr. Riddle has been a member of APCO for over 28 years and is a Life and Senior member of the Association. He is a member of APCO’s Executive Committee and is the current First Vice-President. Mr. Riddle is a graduate of APCO’s Registered Public-Safety Leadership certificate program, a member of the National Emergency Number Association (NENA), and is a certified Emergency Number Professional (ENP) through NENA.
Education: Northern Illinois University
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Alternate for Association of Public Safety Communications Officials – International (APCO)
Job History: Gigi Smith has been active in public safety communications for over 25 years. Starting as a call taker and then working her way through the ranks of dispatcher, trainer, supervisor, she now serves as the Police Operations Manager for Salt Lake Valley Communications Center in West Valley City, Utah. Ms. Smith has worked for various size and types of public safety agencies in Utah and Washington. During these years, she had the opportunity to work as a call taker and dispatcher in the communication venues of the 1990 Goodwill Games and 2002 Olympics.
Telecommunications Background: During her 25 year public safety tenure, Ms. Smith has been an advocate for communications as a profession. She served as a committee member for the inception of the State of Utah’s Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Dispatch Certification Program in 1992 and again most recently in 2011 as Utah APCO’s representative to update the original curriculum and continues to serve as a member of the Executive Committee of this Board. Along with promoting communications as a career, Ms. Smith also has spent numerous hours working to educate the public on the use of 9-1-1. In doing so, she was awarded The Community Involvement Award by PSDAU in 2002, Utah APCO’s Distinguished Service Award in 2003, and Dispatcher of the Year by the Utah Sheriff’s Association in 2003.
Ms. Smith has served on Utah APCO’s Board of Officers as a committee member, Vice President, President, Immediate Past President, and Executive Council Representative. Ms. Smith has been a member of APCO for over 20 years. She is a member of APCO’s Executive Committee and is currently serving as the Second Vice-President. As an APCO International member she has served on numerous committees as both member and chair. Those committees include the 2001 Annual Conference Training Committee, Management, Awards, 9-1-1 Emerging Technology, and Editorial Advisory Committees. She has served as a Group Leader for APCO’s Governance Committees, as well as serving as one of the first two Western Region Board of Directors, and speaker at the first annual Women’s Conference.
Along with her passion for public safety communications, Ms. Smith and her husband are the proud parents of two children. Through her desire to keep them and all children safe, she served as a member of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s 9-1-1 Executive Committee. Ms. Smith spends time with telecommunicators from agencies all over the nation to help promote NCMEC’s Partner Program and the safety of all children.
Houston, TX 77002
Role in NPSTC: Committee Chair, Technology Committee
Job History: Tom Sorley, Deputy Director Radio Communication Services for the City of Houston, Texas, brings over 25 years of experience as both an advocate for public safety telecommunications issues and as an administrator in public safety telecommunications, from his early days of service in the Orlando, Florida, Police Department's 9-1-1 Center to his current role as Deputy Director for radio services in the fourth largest city in the nation.
Mr. Sorley has served as Communications Manager for both the Orlando Police Department and Orange County, Florida. He has chaired several local and state industry panels and committees. Mr. Sorley has extensive experience in local and state communication issues at all levels.
Telecommunications Background: Mr. Sorley has served as Executive Council Representative for the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials, International (APCO) and has chaired chapter, regional, and international conferences for the group. Mr. Sorley has also been an active participant in the Software Defined Radio Forum as a representative of NPSTC. Mr. Sorley currently serves as Governing Board Vice-Chair for the Department of Homeland Security Project 25 Compliance Assessment Program.
Education: Mr. Sorley holds a Bachelor's degree in management and a Master’s degree in business, both from Nova Southeastern University. Mr. Sorley also holds numerous industry certificates and is an alumnus of the Southern Police Institute Command Officer Development Course.
Lynchberg, VA 24501
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Associate Member representing the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA)
Job History: Robert Speidel is Advisor – Standards & Regulatory with Harris Corp., Public Safety & Professional Communications Unit, in Lynchburg, Virginia. Prior to his current occupation, Mr. Speidel’s experience was varied. He was an Instructor Pilot (IP) /Flight Examiner (FE) in the United States Air Force; an Aerospace Engineer with Naval Air Systems Command; a Programs Manager for the E-2C Airborne Early Warning Radar and the P-3C Data Systems programs with GE; and a partner in a law firm engaged in the general practice of law.
Telecommunications Background: Since joining the telecommunications wars in 1996, Mr. Speidel has written articles for many national magazines and has made presentations to many national, regional, and local audiences on a diverse range of telecommunications related topics.
He has authored numerous comments, replies, petitions, etc., in a wide array of relevant FCC proceedings.
Over the years Mr. Speidel has participated in a number of government and industry forums including the Public Safety National Coordination Committee (NCC), the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC), the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), and the WiMAX Forum. Currently, he serves as Chairman of the TIA Private Radio Section (PRS); and Chairman of the TIA TR-8.17 RF Hazards engineering subcommittee.
Education: Mr. Speidel holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Notre Dame and a Juris Doctor from George Washington University. He is admitted to the practice of law in New York State and in the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Mr. Speidel holds a commercial pilot license with multi-engine, instrument and DC-9/MD-80 type ratings.
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Chair Emeritus and Past Chair
Job History: Vincent R. Stile, Director, Suffolk County, (NY) Police Communications, has served in public safety for 40 years. Until 2005, Mr. Stile was the police radio communications director for the Suffolk County Police Department, the 14th largest department in the United States. In that role, Mr. Stile was responsible for budgets, plans, designs, and implementations of new wireless communications systems for the police department. Mr. Stile joined the department in 1965 and served as a police officer for 20 years. He was a dispatcher/call taker, then officer-in-charge of the police-radio technical service section until his promotion to communications director in 1985.Telecommunications Background: Mr. Stile is former president of the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials, International (APCO) and a member since 1969. Mr. Stile has served on the Public Safety Wireless Advisory Committee (PSWAC), the Public Safety Wireless Network (PSWN), and the National Public Safety Planning Advisory Committee (NPSPAC). He was chairman of the Tri-State Regional Planning Update Committee, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Region 8, and has served as corresponding secretary for the region. He has been chair of the New York Metro Advisory Committee (NYMAC) for the past 14 years.
Mr. Stile became involved with APCO when he began serving as southern New York State’s assistant frequency coordinator for police and local government in 1970. In 1978, he was appointed to the newly formed APCO AFC (Automated Frequency Coordination) Board of Directors. Since then, he has served on many APCO committees. He was a member of the AFC task force that developed the first in-house automated frequency coordination system. Mr. Stile was president of APCO’s Atlantic Chapter from 1995-96. He served on the APCO Regulatory Advisory Committee. He chaired APCO’s Project 26, which provided public safety spectrum relief to New York City’s metropolitan area. He is a member of the Next Generation Development Committee for the new Windows-based system to upgrade the coordinating program to a higher level of automation. Mr. Stile has served as the Atlantic Chapter’s local frequency advisor’s chair (covering eight states) for the past 25 years.
Education: Mr. Stile’s background in radio communications began with his experience in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. He graduated from the RCA Institutes in New York, and acquired a first-class FCC radio license. He is a graduate of the Suffolk Community College in Selden, New York, holding an Associate Degree in Applied Science.
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Alternate Member representing the International Municipal Signal Association (IMSA)
Overview of experience relevant to NPSTC: Mr. Szoc brings over 30 years of experience in several fields including public safety communications, fire service, EMS and hazmat. Mr. Szoc is a member of several organizations in the public safety field including Safecom, IMSA, International Association of Fire Chiefs, New England Association of Fire Chiefs, New Hampshire Association of Fire Chiefs, APCO and NENA.Current Job Title with brief description of responsibility: Deputy Chief, City of Keene New Hampshire Fire Department. In addition he serves as a Commissioner for New Hampshire E-911 System.
Brief Job History: Mr. Szoc served over 31 years with the Southwestern NH District Fire Mutual Aid System, a large mutual aid and communications center serving over 78 towns in three states. He started his career as a communications specialist and served as Supervisor and Chief Coordinator. He retired as Chief in August of 2007. Mr. Szoc holds a B.S. in Business Management from Southern New Hampshire University and has taken other courses in public safety communications and management. He is also a certified firefighter and certified communications specialist.
Boulder, CO 80305
Role in NPSTC: Committee Vice Chair, Technology Committee
Job History: Andrew Thiessen is the Systems Research and Architecture Development Team Leader for the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences, in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, Department of Commerce.Mr. Thiessen leads a team working in several areas directly related to public safety communications, as sponsored by the NIST Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES) and DHS’ Office for Interoperability and Compatibility (OIC): He is the chair of the APCO Project 25 Interface Committee Broadband Working Group, which is working towards standardization of the technology deployed in the 4.9GHz band; he is the co-chair of the NPSTC Broadband Standards Working Group, which is working to select a broadband technology for public safety’s use in the 700MHz band; he is the program manager for the Public Safety Statement of Requirements; he is the program manager for the Public Safety Architecture Framework; he is working to develop a holistic security framework for public safety communications; he is developing pilot projects for DHS’ OIC; as well as the technical manager of several OIC contracts in areas such as mobile ad hoc networking and security.
Mr. Thiessen has also worked as a principal in several small start-ups, as a Senior Systems Engineer for Sun Microsystems, an engineer for MITRE, and an engineer for the National Security Agency.
Education: Mr. Thiessen holds a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering for Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), a Bachelor’s degree in English, also from WPI, and a Master’s degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University. He is currently pursuing the Stanford Certified Project Management certificate. Mr. Thiessen is also the recipient of the Department of Commerce Gold Medal (the highest award given in the Dept.) for his work in public safety communications.
Ottawa, ON K1A0R6
Canada
Role in NPSTC: Governing Board Associate Member representing the Canadian Interoperability Technology Interest Group (CITIG)
Job History: Inspector Lance Valcour O.O.M. retired from the Ottawa Police Service in February 2010 after 33 years of service. For the 2 years prior to retirement and up to late 2011, he worked for the Canadian Police Research Centre (CPRC) where Mr. Valcour spearheaded the creation and development of Canada’s national interoperability program known as the Canadian Interoperability Technology Interest Group (CITIG). In December 2011, during the Fifth Canadian Public Safety Interoperability Workshop, the Canadian Associations of Chiefs of Police, Fire and EMS announced that they were transitioning CITIG to fall under their governance. They also announced that Mr. Valcour had accepted the role of Executive Director for CITIG, a position he continues to hold today.
Telecommunications Background: Inspector Valcour has extensive Communications Interoperability, Incident Command, Leadership, Investigative, Strategic Planning and Technology Program/Project Management experience at the national and international levels. He works cooperatively with numerous national and international strategic organizations such as the Canadian Associations’ of Chiefs of Police, Fire, and Emergency Medical Services. He is on the Boards of the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC), Law Enforcement Information Management (LEIM) Section of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and the Ride for Dad Canada, a Not-for-Profit focused on fighting prostate cancer. He also works closely with government and non-governmental departments and agencies in Canada and internationally to effectively plan, lead, support, and foster major projects and initiatives, primarily in the information sharing and public safety interoperability fields.
Inspector Valcour is an internationally sought after speaker and has conducted a wide range of International Research in numerous regions and countries that include the United States, New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom, and the Caribbean.
In addition to numerous other national and international awards, on May 26, 2010 Mr. Valcour was invested as an Officer of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada. This investiture recognizes his lifetime of achievement, conspicuous merit, and exceptional service to the nation.
Role in NPSTC:Executive Director, Founding Governing Board Chair
Job History: Ms. Ward brings 36 years of experience as both an advocate for public safety telecommunications issues and as an administrator in public safety telecommunications, from her position as Manager of Communications at the City of Orlando Police Department (27 years, retired 1999) to her appointment as Orange County Public Safety Communications Manager, to her current position as the Executive Director of the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council.
Throughout her career, Ms. Ward has managed 9-1-1 infrastructure and call centers, Radio Systems and services, and non-emergency Government Information. She was the project manager for the 3-1-1 non-emergency project, and was the Chair of the Governor’s Statewide Regional Domestic Security Task Force Interoperability Committee. As Communications Manager, Ms. Ward was able to stay involved with communications issues on every level—local, State and Federal. Ms. Ward served as the Orange County Communications Manager until March 2005. Currently, Ms Ward is the Executive Director of the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) which is a federation of fifteen public safety associations, including the International Associations of Police Chiefs and Fire Chiefs. Ms. Ward serves on the DHS SAFECOM Executive Committee, and as founding Chair of NPSTC, has maintained a national role in public safety communications for over fifteen years.
Background: Ms. Ward served as former president of the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials – International (APCO) from 1992-1997, and was the NPSTC Founding Chair from 1997-2005, when she became Executive Director. She is a member and fellow of the Radio Club of America.
Education: Ms. Ward holds a degree in Business and Management and has received many public safety-related certificates in her career.