Contributors

Wes Bryant

Wes Bryant was a special operations forces (SOF) Business Development Manager at goTenna. He served over 20 years as a special operations joint terminal attack controller in the U.S. Air Force, and is co-author of the book Hunting the Caliphate—a first-person account of America’s war on ISIS written alongside former Army Major General Dana Pittard. Wes holds a bachelor’s degree in Asian Studies from the University of Maryland and is currently working towards his masters in Professional Studies through George Washington University.    

 

Brian Ellis

Brian Ellis was a Forward Deployed Engineer at goTenna. Brian retired from 20 years of military service, 15 of which were as a Green Beret in the US Army Special Forces as both a Special Forces Engineer and Special Forces Intelligence Sergeant. Brian has deployed to Europe, Africa, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He has extensive experience deploying mesh networks in the field. Brain also holds a General ED Associate Degree and Certifications in Emergency and Crisis Management.

 

Elan Frantz 

Elan Frantz leads Product Strategy at goTenna. Elan has a wide range of technical and product experience bringing advanced technologies to market, including drones, communications devices, cutting-edge materials, and more. Today, Elan works to discover how low-bandwidth mesh networking can have the greatest impact in the private and public sectors. Elan holds a Bachelor’s degree Mechanical Engineering from UC, Santa Barbara.

 

Natalia Kossobokova 

Natalia Kossobokova is the Associate Director of Digital Marketing at goTenna. She spearheads the development of global marketing content which includes thought leadership content and other marketing projects. She has 10 years of experience working in the government communications industry. Natalia graduated from the University of Maryland with a master’s degree in Business Administration with a focus in Marketing.

 

Todd Kuchinskas

Todd Kuchinskas is the International Market Manager for goTenna. He has spent the last 15 years working with Federal, State and Local Governments, Militaries and Agencies throughout the world. Since graduating from Ball State University’s  Communications Program, he has spent the last 25 years gaining technical sales experience within the Telecommunications, IT, and RF industries.

 

Erin Luzzi

Erin Luzzi, Director of Accessories, has been with Sonim Technologies since 2014. Serving the public safety, utilities, construction and transportation verticals, Luzzi is dedicated to working closely with clients and partners to solve market problems through mobile accessories and beyond. This includes deploying new products and services and harnessing the capabilities of the Sonim portfolio. Luzzi also keeps her finger on the pulse of emerging technologies including off cellular networks and works with Sonim’s extensive partner ecosystem to

 

Gina Orlando

Gina Orlando was the Lead for Public Sector Marketing at goTenna. She has over five years of experience marketing innovative technologies to government agencies. She holds two degrees from George Washington University: a bachelor’s in Politics and American Studies as well as a master’s in Political Management. 

 

Christopher Rance

Christopher Rance has 18 years of professional experience in the realm of precision shooting and field communications; having served in a variety of sniper/reconnaissance positions within the U.S. Army. During his tenure as an Army Sniper Instructor, he trained hundreds of Soldiers, to include elements of Air Force Combat Controllers, Air Force Special Reconnaissance Airmen, 75th Ranger Regiment, Law Enforcement and Foreign Allies.

 

Mike Robinson

Mike Robinson is a Product Manager focusing on goTenna’s Pro and Mesh product lines.  He has 14 years of product and operations experience in the mobile development and emerging platforms space.  Mike holds a Political Science degree from Colorado College.

 

Luke Stewart 

Luke Stewart is the Lead of Customer Experience at goTenna. With over 10 years of experience in radio communications, Luke pulls from his extensive background as a firefighter, police emergency communications operator, and an officer in the U.S. Army in order to advise goTenna Pro customers on mobile mesh networking implementation and best practices. Luke studied criminal justice at Michigan State University with a specialization in Emergency Management. Luke recently earned his MBA from Liberty University with a focus in Marketing and Non-Profit Leadership.

 

Ryan Schradin 

Ryan Schradin is the Executive Editor of The Last Mile. A communications expert and journalist with over a decade of experience, Ryan has edited and contributed to multiple popular online trade publications focused on unified communications and network infrastructure industries.

 

Ari Schuler

Ari Schuler is the CEO of goTenna. A veteran of both the public and private sector, he understands the mission challenges that operators face every day and the importance of innovative technologies in enabling operators to carry out those missions more safely and effectively. In his previous role as part of Daon’s leadership team, Schuler was responsible for developing business and managing the delivery of products and services for global market expansion of the award-winning IdentityX® platform, focusing on emerging technology verticals where Daon’s proven capabilities enhance security and user experience.  Schuler joined Daon from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), where he created and led the CBP Innovation Team (INVNT), a Silicon Valley-style entity focused on leveraging commercial and disruptive startup technology for government applications.

 

Chris Stalzer

Chris has been actively working as an industrial designer on a broad range of products for over twenty five years. His life-long interest in military systems has been applied for the past twenty years as Principal Designer/DoD/MIL Liaison at Juggernaut Defense. These projects have led to many hands-on experiences and a keen understanding of the warfighter’s environment. Chris has also developed key relationships with current and former members of the defense community worldwide that provide an invaluable resource for accurate evaluation of products during development stages. Working collaboratively with many Prime Contracts as a subcontractor and as a direct contractor to JSOC/SOCOM/NSW/AFSOC/USASOC, Chris has delivered many concepts and designs as a subject matter expert (SME) in the field of dismounted warfighter equipment and dismounted C4ISR systems. This has led to increased lethality, protection, and communications all while reducing weight/burden on the operator and overall cost.

 

Ray Storm

Ray Storm is the founder and owner of Beyond The Edge Institute – an organization dedicated to providing the highest quality austere medical and rescue services including wildfires. Ray was originally a structure firefighter and then later transitioned in the field of wildland firefighting. Ray has over 20 years of experience in the outdoor survival training and austere medical fields.

 

David Theriault 

David Theriault is the Founder and President of 4K Solutions. From his earliest days as an Airman in the Air Force Special Operations units, he was entrusted with the most important and sensitive missions; US Counter Drug Operations, search and rescues, small unit missions and support of humanitarian and combat operations. In 2000 he transitioned from an Airman to a Signal Warrant Officer in the US Army. He immediately volunteered for a Ranger assignment. After seven combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, he defined and architected the IT infrastructure and built over 10 sites in 4 countries and on an aircraft carrier—all in combat. In 4K Solutions, LLC’s new and expanded role, he continues to provide valuable guidance and direction to my customers; assessing, providing due diligence and recommendations of the highest quality products and solutions available in industry today.

 

Brian von Kraus

Brian von Kraus is the Founder of FireWatch Solutions. He leads a team that brings elite military combat experience to the humanitarian sector. In his 15 years of service with the United States Marine Corps, Brian was deployed in combat to both Iraq and Afghanistan. In Afghanistan, he was involved in Village Stability Operations, working with local communities in the Helmand Valley. This experience would shape his future non-profit work. After retiring, he joined Nuru International, providing security support for country projects in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Nigeria. As a result of his military and nonprofit experience, he created FireWatch Solutions, an organization dedicated to providing medical, tactical and mobility training for fragile regions.