NSMA 2026 Conference Speaker Bios

Speaker Directory (click a name to view their bio)

Dr. Chris Anderson Dr. Fabiano Chaves Dr. Andrew Clegg Henry Cohen Tom Ferguson Kara Graves George Kizer Nick Lasorte John Leibovitz Greg Macey

Dave Meyer Nicholas Oros Dr. Harish Ramchandran Dennis Roberson Joe Sandri Becky Tangren Peter Tenhula Jonathan Williams Jose Zapata

DR. CHRIS ANDERSON

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Dr. Christopher R. Anderson is the Theory Division Chief and Acting Measurements Division Chief for the NTIA Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS). He joined ITS in 2023 after 16 years on the Electrical and Computer Engineering faculty at the U.S. Naval Academy, where he founded the Wireless Measurements Group and led spectrum and propagation measurement campaigns spanning ~300 MHz–60 GHz. His research includes widely cited propagation models for spectrum sharing in cluttered environments, with applications to coexistence among radar, commercial broadband, and passive systems.

Dr. Anderson has served as an Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications and has authored or co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers. He chairs the UAV and V2V Channel Modeling Subgroup within the IEEE Mobile Communication Network Standards Committee and serves as Secretary/Chair-Elect of the U.S. National Committee of the International Union of Radio Science (URSI). A Licensed Professional Engineer in Colorado, his current interests include advancing spectrum coexistence techniques and extending reliable wireless coverage in rural and underserved regions.

DR. FABIANO CHAVES

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Dr. Fabiano Chaves is the Head of Spectrum & Regulatory Affairs for the Americas at Shure. He is responsible for advocating for continued access of wireless audio systems to enough spectrum in the TV-UHF range and additional spectrum, which is essential to support productions in a wide range of sectors, including news reporting, theater, music, sports, worship, civic events, and education. He is also involved in regulatory and standardization work on emerging technologies for audio applications. Prior to joining Shure, Dr. Chaves spent more than 10 years with Nokia, most recently as Head of Spectrum Standardization for North America, where he led the company’s efforts on spectrum matters in the region. He actively contributed to international and regional bodies such as ITU, CITEL and CEPT, supported initiatives with national regulators, and helped drive alignment for next-generation connectivity in industry organizations such as ATIS Next G Alliance and GSA. Dr. Chaves has over 20 years of experience in telecommunications, with activities spanning from research on wireless systems and networks to spectrum research, strategy, regulation and standardization. He is co-author of 40+ papers in top-tier journals and conferences and 15+ patents. He received his Ph.D. degree in telecommunications from the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan (ENS-Cachan, France) and the University of Campinas (Unicamp, Brazil).

DR. ANDREW CLEGG

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Andrew Clegg is a co-founder of Valo Analytica, a start-up dedicated to radio spectrum data and analytics. He also holds a part-time appointment as senior research scientist in Baylor University’s Electrical and Computer Engineering department and is a member of the Baylor-led SMART Hub collaboration. Previously he served as spectrum engineering lead for Google, where he was a prolific contributor to the FCC’s proceeding establishing CBRS. After adoption of the final CBRS rules, he served as chair of the Wireless Innovation Forum committee that created the industry standards on which the CBRS ecosystem runs. He helped design, build, certify, and operate the Google SAS and its related ESC network. He was also the world’s first CBRS Certified Professional Installer. Prior appointments include electromagnetic spectrum manager for the National Science Foundation, lead member of technical staff for Cingular Wireless (now part of AT&T), senior engineer at Comsearch, and research scientist at the Naval Research Laboratory. He holds a PhD in radio astronomy and electrical engineering (minor) from Cornell University. He is also an extra-class amateur radio operator, FCC call sign W4JE.

HENRY COHEN

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Henry Cohen is Director of Spectrum Affairs at CP Communications, overseeing a wide range of RF spectrum and service operations. He manages FCC licensing and Special Temporary Authority (STA), regulatory compliance, spectrum policy advocacy, frequency coordination, and high level RF systems engineering. He brings nearly 50 years of RF and event production experience to spectrum management and frequency coordination of major events involving many diverse stakeholders. Henry oversees all high power (LMR) and >1 GHz coordination supporting sports broadcast operations and large scale special events. Since 2020, he has served as the high power and >1 GHz frequency coordinator for Super Bowl working with the NFL, broadcast rightsholders, and other stakeholders including federal and non federal public safety agencies. Similar high level frequency coordination work also includes MLB All-Star Game, MLB World Series, Belmont Stakes, and the NYC Marathon. He has served as lead frequency coordinator for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, 2021 and 2025 Presidential Inaugural Balls, NATO ’75 Summit, APEC 2023, and the Commission on Presidential Debates (2008-2020), among numerous other high profile broadcast and Fortune 100 corporate events. He is currently working on spectrum planning and frequency coordination for FIFA World Cup 2026, helping all stakeholders align operational requirements across a complex RF environment.

TOM FERGUSON

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Thomas Ferguson is President and CEO of Waterford Consultants, LLC, a nationally recognized engineering and regulatory compliance firm serving the wireless telecommunications, utility, infrastructure, and commercial real estate sectors. Under his leadership, Waterford has become a respected, independent provider of FCC compliance, engineering, site development, and technology-driven solutions for complex wireless environments.

Mr. Ferguson holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania and brings more than three decades of executive leadership experience across the wireless infrastructure industry. His background includes serving as National Sales Manager for GlenMartin, a global radio tower manufacturer, and Principal of Vertical International, S.A., a tower owner and developer specializing in wireless infrastructure design, development, and management throughout the United States and Latin America prior to the sale of its tower assets in 2010.

Recognized for innovation and strategic vision, Mr. Ferguson has led the development of advanced, award-winning software and continuous monitoring technologies focused on improving RF compliance management, operational efficiency, and public transparency.

Today, Mr. Ferguson will discuss the growing need for a publicly accessible RF site database providing real-time RF emissions exposure and compliance data to strengthen transparency, public confidence, and informed decision-making in an increasingly connected world.

KARA GRAVES

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Kara Graves is a Partner based in the Washington, DC office of Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP. She provides policy and strategic counsel on myriad communications issues, focusing largely on spectrum, infrastructure siting, and other areas of interest to the wireless industry. Prior to joining WBK, she was at the forefront of the nation’s transition from 4G to 5G connectivity, leading advocacy as Vice President, Regulatory Affairs at CTIA on some of the most successful wireless spectrum auctions in FCC history. Her practice focuses primarily on representing wireless service providers, manufacturers, and other communications companies before the Federal Communications Commission, NTIA, and other federal agencies, as well as before the Executive and Legislative branches of federal government.

Kara began her legal career as a Communications Associate in the DC office of an international firm. Her legal career was preceded by her work as an online, print, and radio journalist, where she got to appreciate and experience the other half of the communications landscape. She is a proud wife and mother of two living in Richmond, VA with a penchant for traveling, baking, and running.

GEORGE KIZER

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George has over 40 years of experience in telecommunications systems with main focus on fixed point to point microwave radio systems. Authored Digital Microwave Communication, Microwave Communication and contributed chapter in Handbook of Microwave Technology. Author of several peer-reviewed technical articles. Currently Technical Chairman of Fixed Wireless Communications Coalition (FWCC). Previously President of National Spectrum Management Association (NSMA), Chairman of TIA’s Fixed Point to Point Microwave Section, Chairman of the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) Working Group for Microwave Systems and and Editor of Wiley Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Series on RF and Microwave and. George has both a B.S. and M.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering, is a Life member of IEEE and an NSMA Fellow.

NICK LASORTE

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Nick LaSorte is a spectrum engineer at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), within the Office of Spectrum Management.

JOHN LEIBOVITZ

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John Leibovitz is Managing Member of Jupiterra LLC, an advisor to organizations navigating challenging problems at the intersection of strategy, technology, and policy. From 2009 to 2015 John served as Deputy Chief of the Wireless Bureau and Special Advisor to the Chairman for Spectrum Policy at the FCC. He coordinated the spectrum strategy outlined in the National Broadband Plan (2010) and helped lead its implementation, repurposing over 300 megahertz for mobile broadband and raising over $50 billion in proceeds to the U.S. Treasury through spectrum auctions. He steered a variety of wireless spectrum rulemakings, including for several AWS bands and the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS). He was a key member of the team that conceived the 600 MHz “incentive auction”(a term he coined). Prior to the FCC, John helped launch the Technology, Innovation, and Government Reform working group for President Obama’s transition team. Before that, he was a wireless entrepreneur and a management consultant with McKinsey & Company. John has written about tech and telecom policy in the Yale Law Journal and the Yale Journal of Law and Technology. He has published several articles on spectrum policy and is a co-inventor on two U.S. patents related to wireless technology. John has a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, an M.Phil. from Cambridge University, and a J.D. from Yale Law School.

GREG MACEY

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Greg Macey brings more than three decades of expertise to his role as Manager of Microwave and Database Services at Comsearch. A University of Pittsburgh graduate with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Greg joined Comsearch in 1990 and has built a distinguished career spanning common carrier frequency coordination, microwave relocation services, and his current leadership role. A holder of two telecommunications patents, Greg has been instrumental in modernizing Comsearch’s frequency selection and quality assurance processes, driving measurable improvements in accuracy and operational efficiency. Outside of work, Greg enjoys spending time with his grandchildren, reading, gaming, and visiting Disney.

DAVE MEYER

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David is a Senior Manager at Comsearch, leading the company’s Frequency Protection and Wind Energy Telecommunication Services. With more than four decades of experience in the telecommunications industry, he oversees the protection of thousands of microwave paths, earth stations, and related facilities. David has been an active contributor to the NSMA for most of his career and has served on its Board of Directors since 2005 with multiple terms as President. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Strayer University and an MBA from the University of Maryland, along with additional studies in Chemical Engineering, Satellite Engineering, and International Marketing.

NICHOLAS OROS

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Nicholas Oros is the Deputy Chief of the Policy and Rules Division, Office of Engineering and Technology, at the Federal Communications Commission. OET is the Commission’s primary resource for engineering expertise and provides technical support to the Chairman, Commissioners, and FCC Bureaus and Offices. Since joining the Commission in 2005, Mr. Oros has been involved in various rulemaking proceedings including the 6 GHz band proceeding, which made 1200 megahertz of spectrum available for unlicensed use; Spectrum Frontiers, which made mmW band spectrum available for 5G Services; and Spectrum Horizons, which focused on spectrum above 95 GHz. Prior to joining the Commission, Mr. Oros was an engineer at Motorola for eight years where he focused on the computer simulation of digital communication systems and radio based position determination. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law and has also earned a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Missouri at Rolla.

DR. HARISH RAMCHANDRAN

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Dr. Harish Ramchandran is a Principal Engineer at MITRE Corporation, where he leads initiatives in dynamic spectrum sharing and the application of commercial wireless technologies for government use. Previously, he was a Principal Engineer at Hughes Network Systems and iDirect Technologies, contributing to physical layer research and development in mobile satellite communications. He played a key role in the design and development of the GMR1-3G mobile satellite air interface technology, later standardized by ETSI. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from VJTI in Mumbai, India, and master’s and doctoral degrees in Electrical Engineering from Clemson University.

DENNIS ROBERSON

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Mr. Roberson is the Founder, President, Chief Executive Officer, and Member of Roberson and Associates, LLC and has over 40 years of industry experience. He also served as the Vice Provost for Research and as a Research Professor in Computer Science and in the Law School at Illinois Institute of Technology where he was an active researcher in the wireless networking arena. He was a co-founder of IIT’s Wireless Network and Communications Research Center (WiNCom), and a co-founder of the Intellectual Property Management and Markets Program in the Law School. His wireless research focused on dynamic spectrum access networks, spectrum measurement systems and spectrum management, and wireless interference and its mitigation.

Previously, Mr. Roberson was Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Motorola. He had an extensive corporate career, which included major business and technology responsibilities at IBM, Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC, now part of Hewlett Packard), AT&T, and NCR. He has been involved with a wide variety of technology organizations, that includes currently serving as the Chair of the Marconi Society Board, and membership on the Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee. He served as the Chair of the Federal Communications Commission Technical Advisory Council for eight years and served on the TAC for 22 years. Mr. Roberson currently serves on the governing and/or advisory boards of several exciting technology-based companies. He has served as a frequent speaker at universities, companies, technical workshops, and conferences around the globe. He has eleven issued patents with several additional patents filed with the US Patent Office.

Mr. Roberson has Bachelor of Science degrees in Electrical Engineering and in Physics from Washington State University and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University.

JOE SANDRI

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Joe is CEO of Thought Delivery Systems, Inc., which is active in 5G infrastructure operations, applications, and research & development through its Cardinal Communications division. The parent company is also active in software and mapping development in the social media and environmental and social governence (ESG) sectors. Mr. Sandri has been an executive officer with multiple publicly traded corporations. He most recently was co-president of FiberTower Corporation which was sold to AT&T on February 9, 2018. He was president of IDT Spectrum prior to FiberTower. He serves on several boards in the technology and public service sectors. Prior to his executive experiences he served in private practice for a Washington, DC law firm, representing numerous Fortune 100 companies in telecommunications matters. Mr. Sandri has training and experience in communications law, journalism and radiofrequency engineering. He holds a Certification from the Institute for Communications Law Studies and a Juris Doctor from the Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, and a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Maryland – College Park. He is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and a long-standing board member and current President of the National Spectrum Management Association (NSMA). He is on the board of the Archangel Ancient Tree Archive. Prior to law school he was Sport Director and Sports Anchor for CBS Television affiliate WRBL-TV.

BECKY TANGREN

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Becky Tangren is Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, North America at Nokia, where she develops and advocates Nokia’s legal and policy positions. Prior to joining Nokia, Becky advocated on public policy issues of competitive importance to the cable industry, as Vice President & Associate General Counsel at NCTA – The Internet & Television Association and as Director, Technology Policy at CableLabs. Preceding her roles in the cable industry, Becky spent ten years in the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), holding the positions of Senior Policy Advisor, and Legal Advisor to the Office of the Bureau Chief, and Attorney Advisor in the Mobility Division. Becky also worked as Director of Regulatory and Government Affairs at the Telecommunications Industry Association. After earning degrees in Public Relations and Political Science from the Pennsylvania State University, Becky attended the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America, where she received a J.D. and a certificate in Communications Law.

PETER TENHULA

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Peter Tenhula is a Senior Fellow at the University of Colorado’s Silicon Flatirons Center for Law, Policy and Entrepreneurship and affiliated with the Center’s Spectrum Policy Initiative. Peter retired from federal government service in 2021, having worked for nearly 25 years at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). From 2014 to April 2021, Peter served as Deputy Associate Administrator in NTIA’s Office of Spectrum Management (OSM). He also served as the Chair of the Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee (IRAC). Prior to joining OSM, Peter was a Senior Advisor in NTIA’s Office of Assistant Secretary. Before joining NTIA in 2012, he worked at Shared Spectrum Company (SSC), serving as the company’s vice president and general counsel. While at SSC, Peter was a member of the Board of Directors of the Wireless Innovation Forum and chaired its Regulatory Committee. From 1990 to 2006, Peter held several positions at the FCC, including Acting Deputy Chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, director and co-director of the Spectrum Policy Task Force, Senior Legal Advisor to FCC Chairman Michael Powell, Special Counsel to General Counsel William Kennard, and staff attorney in the Office of General Counsel and the Mass Media Bureau. He received his undergraduate degree in telecommunications from Indiana University, Bloomington, and earned a law degree from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

JONATHAN WILLIAMS

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Jonathan Williams is the Program Director for Electromagnetic Spectrum Management within the Astronomical Sciences Division of the National Science Foundation (NSF). In this role, he leads NSF’s efforts to address the growing challenges of managing the electromagnetic spectrum, which is critical for both scientific research and technological applications.

JOSE ZAPATA

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Jose Zapata is a Senior Communications Engineer at MITRE specializing in wireless communications, spectrum sharing, and machine learning. With a background in electrical engineering, he applies signal processing and modeling to complex wireless systems challenges. His interests are at the intersection of classical signal processing and machine learning.