Internet2 has announced Susannah Spellman as Executive Director of the United States Unified Community Anchor Network (U.S. UCAN). She will report to Vice President for External Relations and General Counsel John S. Morabito, in the Washington, D.C. office.

“Susannah’s experience with the nation’s government and business leaders in broadband service and community anchor institutions will greatly benefit U.S. UCAN,” said Internet2 Vice President John S. Morabito. “In collaboration with regional research and education networks across the country, her leadership will assist anchor institutions in serving their communities with telemedicine, distance learning, and other innovative applications.”

In this role, Spellman will lead Internet2’s efforts to support the broadband needs of community anchor institutions from around the country. She will oversee the Internet2 K20 initiative and rural health care program, and explore new ways to leverage Internet2’s national research and education network for the benefit of public safety, public media, and other public institutions.

“As U.S. UCAN's executive director, Susannah will help develop sustaining business models in partnership with regional operating networks, community anchor institutions, and Internet2 to advance our mutual interest in bringing advanced network services and applications throughout the nation," said Pankaj Shah, executive director, Ohio Academic Resources Network (OARnet). "Her experience in telecommunications and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) is a great fit for U.S. UCAN, and I look forward to working with her.”

Spellman has an extensive background in broadband and technology issues. For the past five years, she has worked at Booz Allen Hamilton leading teams specializing in BTOP and the Public Safety Interoperable Communications Grant Program. She also has worked for Deutsche Telekom’s consulting arm, developing market and product offering strategies for mobile and fiber broadband markets, at Telcordia Technologies consulting in the areas of new telecommunications business and market entry strategy, and with IBM in business development and marketing. Spellman holds a BA in Telecommunications from Pennsylvania State University and a MA in International Science and Technology Policy from George Washington University.

"The American Library Association (ALA) welcomes the announcement of Susannah Spellman as the Executive Director for U.S. UCAN,” said Bob Bocher, Fellow, ALA Office for Information Technology Policy. “We look forward to working with her and other U.S. UCAN partners to help address the critical need of libraries and other anchor institutions to adopt high-speed broadband services and applications at affordable costs. Use of broadband is essential to ensure that anchor institutions can continue to develop and deliver high-quality information and technology services to our communities."

Working with its regional network partners, Internet2’s U.S. UCAN project, will utilize the newly upgraded 100G-enabled Internet2 Network to allow advanced networking features for more than 200,000 of the country’s community anchor institutions, including libraries, hospitals, K-12 schools, community colleges, and public safety organizations. BTOP helped fund Internet2’s network upgrade and the U.S. UCAN program.