Digital Opportunity Summit

Broadband Office

S U M M I T    2 0 2 4

All attendees are required to register - spots are limited. 

When?

  • Tuesday, July 23, 2024

Where?

  • Chattanooga Convention Center, 1 Carter Street, Chattanooga, TN

Who?

  • Anyone interested is welcome to attend! Spots are limited and registration is required - see link above.

Goals

  • Share updates on implementation efforts for Tennessee's Digital Opportunity Plan
  • Amplifying voices and stories of Digital Opportunity Practitioners from across TN
  • Provide information on upcoming funding opportunties including BEAD 
  • Build connections and community among TNECD's stakeholders and Digital Opportunity Practitioners

Summit Hotel Booking

We have secured a courtesy room block at the Read House for July 22nd -24th. Please click the link below or call 423-266-4121 to book your room.

*Government employees can receive GSA rate per diem rate with official Government ID upon check-in. Guests will have until July 8th to make a reservation.

*Some details subject to change

8:00AM – 9:00AM – Registration – Doors Open

8:15AM – 9:00AM – Breakfast

9:00AM – 10:00AM - Welcome Session

  • Mayor Weston Wamp - Hamilton County
  • Taylre Beaty - State Broadband Director - TNECD

10:00AM – 10:30AM – Envisioning Session

10:45AM – 11:50AM – Breakout Sessions 1

  • Session A – Leveraging Partnerships to Achieve Digital Opportunity
  • Moderator
    • Clifton Harris - Urban League Middle TN
  • Speakers
    • Holly Rachel – LocalTek
    • Katie Cour – Nashville Public Education Foundation
    • Nancy Nabors – Knoxville Chamber of Commerce
    • Evann Freeman – Electric Power Board - Chattanooga
  • Session B – Workforce Development in the Digital Age
  • Moderator
    • Leah Mims - TNECD
  • Speakers
    • Sabrina Blue – Helping Hands of West and Middle TN
    • Nye Hodge – Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
    • Aaron Lamey – Tech901
    • Nakeisha Ricks-Pettyjohn - National Skills Coalition

12:00PM – 1:30PM - LUNCH

12:30PM – 1:15PM: Chattanooga Fireside Chat

  • Speakers TBD

1:45PM – 2:35PM Breakout Sessions 2

Session A – Fiber Splicing

  • Moderator
    • Donovan Spann - TNECD
  • Speaker
    • Chris Townsend - DTC

Session B –Train the Trainer Simulation

  • Moderator
    • Sammy Lowdermilk – Tech Goes Home
  • Speaker
    • Velvet Hernandez-Johnson

2:45PM – 3:35PM - Breakout Sessions 3

  • Session A – Closing the Digital Divide in Rural Tennessee
    • Moderator
      • Codi Drake - TNECD
    • Speakers
      • Rena Purdy – Wayne County Joint Economic and Community Development Board
      • Dr. Simpfronia Taylor – The University of Tennessee at Martin
      • Cindy Bowman – Greene County Schools
      • John Fredericks – Erwin Utilities
  • Session B –Entrepreneurship and Navigating the Digital Economy
    • Moderator - Wisty Pender - TNECD
    • Speakers
      • Sarah Mattson – City of Chattanooga
      • Besiah Fahngon – Kaifa
      • Allie Schrenker- Company Lab

3:45PM – 4:00PM – Closing Session

4:00PM – 5:00PM – Networking