Senior Director, Broadband and Infrastructure Funding, NRTC

Teresa Ferguson is the senior director of broadband and infrastructure funding for NRTC. Prior to joining NRTC, Ferguson was the director of federal broadband engagement for the Colorado Broadband Office (CBO), where she supported stakeholders’ successful engagement in state and federal broadband funding programs while actively participating in NTIA’s State Broadband Leadership Network and working with Colorado’s congressional senators to advocate for and secure federal broadband funding through block grants to states. Prior to joining the CBO, Ferguson worked for the public utilities commissions of Missouri, Washington and Colorado, where she held national leadership positions, engaging with the FCC, USAC, USDA and NARUC, advocating on behalf of state telecom and broadband policy interests. Ferguson spent 17 years in the private sector deploying broadband networks for schools, libraries and tribal nations funded through the federal E-Rate program.

Assistant Director of Engineering, Vantage Point

Eric Rajchel specializes in aerial deployments within the Vantage Point engineering team. He is heavily involved in outside plant project management, overseeing project budgets and timelines. Rajchel is an expert on joint use agreements, make-ready engineering and pole loading analysis. He brings a uniquely technical perspective to the intersection of outside plant technologies, field engineering requirements and engineering designs. Additionally, he has experience in optical transport networks, fiber to the premises and IP video. Rajchel holds a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from South Dakota State University.