Ari Fitzgerald leads the firm’s Communications, Internet, and Media practice. He provides strategic, legal, and policy advice on a wide range of communications and spectrum policy issues to some of the world’s largest and most dynamic communications network operators and equipment manufacturers, as well as industry trade associations and investors.

Ari enjoys helping automobile manufacturers and suppliers, medical device manufacturers, drone manufacturers, and other technology companies bring new and innovative communications-related products and services to market. In recognition of his path-breaking contributions to the wireless industry, he is one of only three attorneys to have ever been inducted into the Wireless History Foundation’s Wireless Hall of Fame.

Bio to follow.

Graduated in Electrical Engineering from the State University of Campinas – Unicamp (1984), a Master’s degree in Space Engineering and Technology from the National Institute for Space Research – INPE, Brazil (1989) and a PhD in Electronics from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de L’Aéronautique et de L’Espace – SUPAERO, France (1996).

He was coordinator of the scientific satellites program at the National Institute for Space Research (INPE), Technology Management Coordinator, Deputy Coordinator of Space Engineering and Technology, and Planning, Budget, and Evaluation Coordinator at INPE. He also served as the manager of the SABIA-Mar space mission, dedicated to oceanographic studies.

He has conducted research related to Estimation Theory, development of GPS navigation systems, and telecommunications systems for space applications.

As the president of the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB), Marco Antonio Chamon is committed to leading and strengthening AEB’s mission in developing and promoting space activities in the country. His technical expertise and strategic vision are fundamental to boosting the Brazilian aerospace industry, fostering scientific research, and establishing national and international partnerships that drive the sector forward.

Isabelle Mauro is Director General of the Global Satellite Operators Association (GSOA) that represents the interests of 70 members in the satellite ecosystem. She reports directly to their Chief Executives.

Under Isabelle’s leadership, GSOA and its member CEOs lead the effort to showcase the benefits of satellite communications for a more inclusive and secure society – vital to bridging the world’s digital divide, achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and realizing the 5G ecosystem.

Isabelle has 25 years experience in the Telecoms and Technology sector, starting at the GSMA, where she was responsible for government and international Affairs. In 2015 she moved to New York to join the World Economic Forum as Head of  Information, Communications and Technology Industries, managing the portfolio for 60+ Tech companies globally and leading initiatives on inclusive and sustainable digital transformation.

Isabelle is passionate about inclusion and sustainability. She is Chair of the High-Level Advisory Board of the DigitalGoesGreen Foundation. She also sits on the Advisory Board of Women in Tech and is a member of the UNESCO Advisory Group for the Declaration on Connectivity for Education.

Isabelle holds an MSc in European Politics and Policy from the London School of Economics. She is fluent in French, English, Italian and Spanish.

Dr. Renata Brazil-David is the Director General of the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (ITSO). She was elected at the organization’s Assembly of Parties meeting held in Washington, D.C. in October 2024 and assumed the position of Director General of ITSO on July 18, 2025.

Dr. Brazil-David was nominated by the Party of Brazil and her election marks a new chapter in ITSO’s history, as she becomes the first woman to serve as Director General at ITSO. In her acceptance speech, Dr. Brazil-David expressed that it was a great to be the first woman to hold the position of Director General at ITSO. “This milestone is a reflection of the progress we are making together toward a more inclusive and equitable future, both within ITSO and the wider world of global telecommunications. I hope my appointment serves as an inspiration to other women and young professionals striving to make their mark in industries that have traditionally been male-dominated.”

Up to the time of assuming her new appointment as Director General in July 2025, Dr. Brazil-David had more than 10 years of experience at ITSO, having held the positions of Deputy Director General, Director of International and Regulatory ASairs and Director of Legal ASairs.

Dr. Brazil-David was also Director of Regulatory Policy at Inmarsat (now part of ViaSat) where she worked on developing and implementing global regulatory policy strategy. She has also worked in academia as Adjunct Professor and as the Associate Director of the Program on Brazil-US Comparative Law at American University Washington College of Law (AUWCL).

She holds a Ph.D. in Law (SJD) from American University and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree from the University of Essex. Dr. Renata Brazil-David is fluent in the three languages of the organization, English, Spanish and French, in addition to being a native Portuguese speaker.

Julie Kearney is a Co-Chair of the Space Exploration and Innovation Practice and a partner in the Telecom group at DLA Piper. She is a globally recognized and dynamic lawyer in the technology, satellite, space, and telecommunications field. For more than 25 years, Julie has worked with governments, industries, and the public sector around the world to promote legal and regulatory frameworks and policies that enable life-changing technologies.

As the first Chief of the Space Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Julie represented and spoke for the Chairwoman and Commissioners on satellite and space-based communication matters and represented the Commission at the domestic and international level. Under Julie’s leadership, the FCC unanimously adopted several regulatory frameworks and launched initiatives to successfully advance industry leadership in the New Space Age. Additionally, during her tenure as Chief, the FCC adopted a regulatory structure for Supplemental Coverage from Space, which made the FCC the first regulator in the world to issue a framework for connecting satellites directly to consumer handsets using spectrum previously allocated only to terrestrial service.

Before joining the FCC, Julie served as the Vice President of Communications Regulatory Affairs and Policy at Twilio Inc., a publicly traded Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) provider, where she developed and implemented the company’s global telecommunications regulatory and policy and law enforcement response strategy. She also served as the Global Head of Communications Regulation and Policy for Loon, an Alphabet Inc. company, where she led international and US regulatory initiatives to bring internet access to unserved and underserved communities around the world via a network of balloons on the edge of space. She also held roles at the Consumer Technology Association, National Public Radio, MCI, and private legal practice.

Julie is a past president of the Federal Communications Bar Association (FCBA – The Tech Bar) and she also served as chair of the FCBA Foundation. She was a long-serving member of the Federal Communications Commission’s Consumer Advisory Committee and also served on its Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee. Other Board positions include USTelecom and the United States Technical Training Institute (USTTI).

Julie earned her B.A. from Mount Holyoke College and a J.D. from Catholic University’s Columbus School of Law, with a certificate from its Law and Technology Institute. She recently completed a 3.5 year term on the Columbus School of Law’s Board of Visitors. A trained singer, she has sung with choruses in the San Francisco Bay Area and Washington, DC area, most recently with Schola Cantorum (CA) and the Choral Arts Society of Washington (DC).

Jennifer A. Warren is Vice President, Global Regulatory Affairs & Public Policy for Lockheed Martin Corporation. In this capacity, she is responsible for leading corporate team’s engagement across the Executive Branch, Independent Agencies and Intergovernmental Bodies on Lockheed Martin’s regulatory and public policy portfolio, including spectrum governance, 5G, climate/sustainability, ocean minerals, commercial civil space, aviation, and emerging technologies.

Ms. Warren manages the Corporation’s trade association relationships, and serves on the Boards of the Satellite Industry Association (Chair), Professional Services Corporation, and the U.S. ITU Association, and as the co-chair of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Telecommunications and E-Commerce Committee.

In 1996, Ms. Warren joined Lockheed Martin from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, where she served in several senior roles in the Wireless Telecommunications and International Bureaus. Before joining the U.S. Government, Ms. Warren worked for the Commission of the European Union – both in Brussels and in Washington, DC – with a focus on EU-U.S. trade.

She is a graduate of Georgetown University (B.S. in Languages) and Georgetown University Law Center (J.D.), and a member of the Illinois State and D.C. Bars, the Federal Communications Bar Association, American Bar Association, and the Women’s Bar Association. Her civic activities include the George Washington Legacy Foundation Board, President of the Gadsby Tavern Museum Society in Old Town Alexandria, and the Foundation of the National Archives & Records Administration.

Ms. Warren lives in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, with her husband Ed, and their puppy – Madison.

George John assures today’s regulation, legislation, and policy do not ground tomorrow’s engineering, innovation, and investment.

Bio to follow.

Graduated in Electrical Engineering from the State University of Campinas – Unicamp (1984), a Master’s degree in Space Engineering and Technology from the National Institute for Space Research – INPE, Brazil (1989) and a PhD in Electronics from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de L’Aéronautique et de L’Espace – SUPAERO, France (1996).

He was coordinator of the scientific satellites program at the National Institute for Space Research (INPE), Technology Management Coordinator, Deputy Coordinator of Space Engineering and Technology, and Planning, Budget, and Evaluation Coordinator at INPE. He also served as the manager of the SABIA-Mar space mission, dedicated to oceanographic studies.

He has conducted research related to Estimation Theory, development of GPS navigation systems, and telecommunications systems for space applications.

As the president of the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB), Marco Antonio Chamon is committed to leading and strengthening AEB’s mission in developing and promoting space activities in the country. His technical expertise and strategic vision are fundamental to boosting the Brazilian aerospace industry, fostering scientific research, and establishing national and international partnerships that drive the sector forward.

Ingeniero electrónico con una sólida formación académica y amplia experiencia en el campo de las Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones (TIC). Con más de 31 años de experiencia profesional, ha demostrado un firme compromiso laboral tanto en el sector público como en el privado, así como en el rol de consultor independiente. Su carrera ha estado enfocada en asesoría para la formulación y ejecución de políticas públicas y de proyectos clave en el sector de las telecomunicaciones en Colombia.

En el Ministerio de Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones ocupó el cargo de Director Técnico, donde fue responsable de la gestión del espectro radioeléctrico y apoyó la planificación y puesta en marcha de políticas que dieron impulso a las telecomunicaciones en el país. Más recientemente ejerció como Asesor del Ministro TIC, cargo en el que brindó apoyo estratégico en el diseño y desarrollo de proyectos incluyendo temas fundamentales como la subasta de espectro para la introducción de tecnología 5G en Colombia, contribuyendo directamente a la modernización del sector.​

Como ⁠Consultor en Telecomunicaciones ha asesorado diversas entidades públicas y privadas aportando su experiencia en el desarrollo de proyectos sobre gestión del espectro radioeléctrico, así como en la formulación de políticas y regulación del sector TIC.

Congresswoman Valerie Foushee represents North Carolina’s Fourth District which includes Durham and Orange Counties and parts of Chatham and Wake Counties.

Before she began serving in Congress, Congresswoman Foushee worked as an administrator for the Chapel Hill Police Department and served 25 years as a local and state elected official. She went from serving on the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board, to being the first African American woman elected to chair the Orange County Board of Commissioners, to serving in the North Carolina State House and the North Carolina State Senate.

In Congress, Congresswoman Foushee serves on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, including serving as Ranking Member of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Congressman Mike Haridopolos is an experienced leader with a rich history of public service, business success, and a steadfast lifelong commitment to conservative values. 

Congressman Haridopolos began his career teaching United States History and Political Science at Brevard Community College—now Eastern Florida State College, and taught classes as an instructor at the Bob Graham Center at the University of Florida.

Representing communities in Brevard County in the Florida House of Representatives and the State Senate from 2000-2012, Mike championed transparency, reduced taxes, and advanced conservative reforms. In the Florida Legislature, Mike quickly established himself as a capable lawmaker who stood firmly rooted in his conservative values, and pushed for greater government transparency and accountability for Floridians, leading the effort to put the state’s budget online. In 2008, he sponsored and championed Florida’s constitutional amendment reducing property taxes and allowing homeowners to bring their tax savings with them when they move to a new home. 

Serving as President of the Senate from 2010-2012, Mike made transforming the Florida Senate into a more conservative policy body a key objective of his time in office.

After leaving office in 2012, Haridopolos started a successful business and political consulting company. He was elected to represent Florida’s 8th Congressional District in 2024, following the retirement of Congressman Bill Posey. 

Mike lives in Indian Harbour Beach with his wife Dr. Stephanie Haridopolos. They have three adult children, Alexis, Hayden, and Reagan. Mike is dedicated to serving Brevard, Indian River, and Orange Counties with integrity, strength, and vision.

Janice Starzyk is the Deputy Director of the Office of Space Commerce, a Senior Executive Service position. Previously, she led Virgin Orbit’s Washington, DC, office and government operations. Her extensive experience and contributions in the space industry include leading the consulting practice at Bryce Space and Technology and more than a decade leading the commercial strategy and market intelligence for launch service providers International Launch Services (ILS) and United Launch Alliance (ULA). At Futron Corporation, Ms. Starzyk worked with a range of civil, military and commercial space industry customers.

She received her Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University. She holds a Master of Arts in economics and international relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and a dual-degree Global MBA from Tulane University and Universidad Icesi in Cali, Colombia.

For more than a decade, Ms. Starzyk has also provided community leadership and support to local STEM education programs through the Washington Space Business Roundtable. She was appointed to serve as an industry representative on the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee in 2022.

Dr. Minh Nguyen currently serves as an acting Deputy Associate Administrator for the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST).  In this capacity, he oversees two directorates.  The Operational Safety directorate focuses on safety analysis, safety authorization, and safety assurance for commercial space launch and re-entry operations.  The Strategic Management directorate focusses on commercial space policy, regulations, standards, research & development, budget & finance, human capital planning, learning & development, strategic planning, international engagement, and spaceports.  He previously served as an Executive Director for AST’s Office of Strategic Management. AST’s mission is to enable safe space transportation.

Previously, he has served in various capacities including FAA’s Deputy Director of the FAA’s Office of Policy and Plans, where he oversaw the FAA’s planning and implementation of the FAA’s Reauthorization of 2018 and agency’s corporate goals and business plan development and implementation.  As acting Deputy Regional Administrator for the Northwest Region, he was in charge of consolidating FAA offices in 4 buildings into the new regional office building, and oversaw aviation matters in 7 states.  As a member of the Administrator’s Strategic Initiatives Group (SIG), he contributed to formulating strategic priorities for the FAA.  

He served in various capacities in the Nextgen organization, including program manager for the Office of Advanced Technology Development, division manager for the Office of Business Case Integration and Modeling, and chief of staff for the Senior Vice President of NextGen and Operations Planning.

Prior to joining the FAA, he worked at the MITRE Corporation, Veracity Engineering, Argon ST, and Naval Research Laboratory, leading advanced research programs. 

He obtained his undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate degrees in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech).  

Bio to follow.

Jay Schwarz is Chief of the FCC Space Bureau. Previously, he served as Vice President of Public Policy for Comcast, focusing on broadband issues. In his first tour at the FCC he was Wireline Advisor to former Chairman Ajit Pai and held positions within the Wireline Competition Bureau, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, and the Office of Strategic Planning. Jay holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Pittsburgh and an undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University.

Juan Martín Ozores has been serving as the head of the National Communications Agency (ENACOM), Argentina’s telecommunications regulator, since January 2024.

With a 30-year career in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry across Latin America and the Caribbean, he has played a key role in the development of products and services in both the mobile and fixed segments throughout the region.

He holds a degree in Business Administration from the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina (UCA) and a postgraduate degree in Marketing from the IAE Business School, Austral University. Ozores is strongly committed to creating a simple, clear, and transparent ecosystem that promotes investment and competition in the telecommunications, audiovisual, and postal sectors, with the overarching goal of fostering social development.

Manuel González Farfán has worked for over 25 years at the Chilean Undersecretariat of Telecommunications (Subtel), participating as a delegate in meetings of CITEL, CCPII, ITU (WRC), and others. Manuel currently works in the Spectrum Management Department at SUBTEL, focusing on sector regulation and standards, particularly for wireless services. He also represents the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications on the Chilean Space Executive Committee.

Bio to follow.

As President of SIA, Tom is the trade association’s lead advocate for regulatory and policy issues of critical importance to SIA’s membership, including spectrum and licensing issues, defense and public safety matters, and export control and international trade issues. He also manages the day-to-day operations of SIA, including member communications, staff leadership and organization of SIA sponsored events. Tom became the president of SIA in December of 2014.

Prior to joining SIA, Tom was with Shared Spectrum Company (SSC), a leading developer of spectrum intelligence technologies, where he served as CEO. For more than a decade, he served as the President of the Personal Communications Industry Association (PCIA). Previous to his position at SSC, he founded and ran several companies in the technology industry, including Columbia Spectrum Management, P-Com Network Services, CSM Wireless, and SquareLoop.

Tom holds a BS, summa cum laude, in Public Administration from the University of North Dakota. He is also a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center where he served as Editor of the Georgetown Law Journal.

As Deputy Director for Space Affairs, Mike Overby leads diplomatic efforts to advance U.S. leadership in space and promote civil and commercial exploration of outer space with international partners.  Mike’s team leads outreach to advanced and emerging spacefaring nations, opening the door to practical cooperation between U.S. agencies like NASA and their foreign counterparts.  The Office of Space Affairs also shapes global best practices through the United Nations and the Artemis Accords, a set of principles signed by 56 countries to date to promote safe, peaceful, and transparent activities in space. 

Prior to joining the Office of Space Affairs, Mike led a 40-person team of experts in criminal justice at the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).  Mike also served Branch Chief for INL’s multilateral affairs team, coordinating over 300 U.S. delegations to negotiate international law and policy on cybercrime, corruption, and organized crime.  Mike also served as Special Assistant to the INL Assistant Secretary, managed U.S. foreign assistance programs in Afghanistan, and supported democracy programs at the U.S. Mission to the Organization of American States (OAS). 

Mike received a M.A. in International Affairs from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and a B.A. in Political Science and Spanish from Furman University in Greenville, SC. 

Alexander Soucek is Head of the External Relations Department at the European Space Agency (ESA). In the course of a distinguished career of more than twenty years at ESA, he has held a number of roles, including as Head of the International Law Division, Secretary of the International Space Station Coordination Committee, and Head of the ESA Delegation to the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS).

Alexander holds master’s degrees in law from Salzburg University, Austria, and in space studies from the International Space University in Strasbourg, France. He is, further, set to obtain, in December 2025, an executive master’s in international strategy and diplomacy from the London School of Economics and Political Science. An alumnus of The Hague Academy of International Law and former visiting researcher at the Space Policy Institute, Elliott School of International Affairs of George Washington University, he is a full member of the International Academy of Astronautics, the International Institute of Space Law (IISL) and the European Centre for Space Law (ECSL).

An experienced practitioner and academic, Alexander negotiated numerous international space cooperation agreements and lectures on international relations and international law at universities in Europe and beyond. He has written books and articles on these topics, has contributed to intergovernmental expert groups including the UN Space Mission Planning Advisory Group (SMPAG), and has served as lead flight director in international spaceflight analogue missions.

Congressman George Whitesides is proudly serving his first term representing California’s 27th Congressional District and sits on both the House Armed Services Committee and as Vice Ranking Member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. He is a problem-solver, innovator, and community leader with a career spanning space industry leadership, job creation, and public service.

Over the past two decades, Congressman Whitesides helped lead NASA to new heights, created hundreds of quality jobs in the Antelope Valley, and supported frontline responders and public health efforts, especially in response to the wildfire crisis.

Congressman Whitesides served as Chief of Staff at NASA during the Obama administration, where he led agency reforms that helped pave the way for America’s current leadership in space. For his contributions, he was awarded NASA’s Distinguished Service Medal, the agency’s highest honor.

Following his time at NASA, Congressman Whitesides became the first CEO of Virgin Galactic, an innovative aerospace company. Over the course of a decade, he created over 700 jobs in the Antelope Valley, transformed Virgin Galactic from a small team into a global aerospace firm, and oversaw the first woman to reach space aboard a commercial space vehicle.

As wildfires have become increasingly destructive across Southern California, Congressman Whitesides has prioritized public safety and climate resilience. He co-founded a policy nonprofit solely dedicated to addressing the nation’s wildfire crisis and home insurance problems. Now, he’s helping his community and neighbors rebuild from the devastating fires, and working on proactive solutions to prevent the next crisis.

Locally, Congressman Whitesides has demonstrated his economic and social leadership through positions on business development boards and task forces. He previously served on the board of AV EDGE (Antelope Valley Economic Development and Growth Enterprise), helping drive economic growth and opportunity in the region. He co-chaired the Antelope Valley COVID-19 Task Force, uniting NASA, industry, local government, and Antelope Valley College to support frontline medical workers — work that earned him NASA’s Exceptional Public Achievement Medal.

George and his wife, Loretta Hidalgo Whitesides, have been married for nearly 20 years and raise their two children together.

Years of government, industry, and law firm service have shaped Michele Farquhar into an influential advisor, advocate, and thought leader for the technology, media, and telecoms industry. She helps clients with a range of global and U.S. communications policy initiatives, spectrum auctions, licensing and compliance matters, and regulatory strategy involving M&A transactions as well as litigation.