Events
An impressive arrangement of local and state broadband leaders from the Lone Star State will take center stage at Connected America in Texas.
By Brad Randall, Broadband Communities
Deep in the heart of Texas this April a who’s who of Texas leaders in broadband will share their insights with attendees at Connected America, scheduled for April 14-15 at the Irving Convention Center.
Lone Star leaders to set the pace at Connected America
Along with the Bryan Clayton, the director of the Broadband Development Office in Texas, speakers from the City of Fort Worth, the Deep East Texas Council of Governments, the City of Irving, the City of Seguin, and the City of Lewisville will also be in attendance.
Meanwhile, Fort Worth is sending two key speakers to Connected America 2026: Broadband Manager Lillian Painter and the city’s chief technology officer, Kevin Gunn.
The City of Austin will also be represented with Steven Apodaca, chair of the city’s technology commission.
Apodaca will discuss how employers, educators, and policymakers collaborate to future-proof the workforce, joining panelists on Day 2 of the conference for a panel titled “Building digital skills for the AI-driven economy.”
With state and local leaders, organizations based in Texas will also be well represented among speakers.
The agenda features speakers from North Texas Fiber (Bobby Vassallo), Nextlink Internet (Cameron Kilton), and NOVOS FiBER (Rob Johnson).
The conference’s second day will also feature a discussion about smart cities in Texas, featuring Chris Lee, the chief information officer for the City of Lewisville, and Shane McDaniel, who holds the same position for the City of Seguin.
Their panel, at 2:15 on Day 2, will investigate how Texas cities are using smart infrastructure to improve transport, energy, and safety. They’ll also discuss how mid-sized communities replicate big-city innovations affordably.
Earlier that day, Rashmi Varma, a managing partner at VAJR Capital, will detail how quantum technology is no longer a distant vision, with a presentation highlighting the Texas Quantum Initiative and the Texas Quantum Corridor.
Attendees can review the full conference agenda for Connected America 2026 online.