MCNC's Community Connect Podcast

Summary: In this episode, MCNC President and CEO Tracy Doaks pulls the curtain back and talks about what it takes to build and operate a world-class broadband network. She is joined by Chauncey Ray, MCNC’s Senior Manager of Facilities Engineering and Operations; Jeremy Rollins, MCNC’s Senior Manager of Outside Plant Engineering and Operations; Matthew Valenzisi; MCNC’s Senior Director of Network Architecture and Management and Chief Network Architect; and Jammie Starks-Benthem, Chief Commercialization Officer with one of MCNC’s important networking partners at ECC Technologies.

Summary: In this episode, MCNC Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Director of Client Advocacy James Nester is joined by Phil Emer, MCNC Vice President of Business Development; Jen Leasure, President and CEO of The Quilt; Ray Zeisz, Senior Director of the Technology Infrastructure Lab at the Friday Institute; and Kristen Corra, policy counsel at the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition. This important conversation focuses on the USF and the many “what ifs” of the forthcoming decision in the case of FCC v. Consumers’ Research.

Summary: On today’s MCNC Community Connect podcast, MCNC President and CEO Tracy Doaks is joined by John Graham, president of the North Carolina Telehealth Network Association (NCTNA), Jordan Rodgers, director of relationship marketing at NCTNA, and Ed Turlington and Drew Moretz from Brooks Pierce LLP in Raleigh. The focus of the conversation dives into the world of legislative advocacy – what it is, why it’s important, and how you can get involved.

Summary: For 14 years, MCNC has shared a dozen stories in December to create the 12 Days of Broadband. For the final day of this year’s campaign, we are pleased to share an exclusive podcast with the MCNC Senior Leadership as they reflect on 2024 and look forward to an exciting 2025.

Summary: On today’s MCNC Community Connect podcast, MCNC President and CEO Tracy Doaks is joined by Marshall Cherry, Chief Executive Officer of Roanoke Cooperative; Bo Coughlin, Chief Operations Officer at FYBE; and Jim Nester, MCNC’s Senior Director of Marketing and Client Advocacy, to discuss the story behind the creation of eNCore.

Summary: MCNC President and CEO Tracy Doaks is joined by Nate Denny from the North Carolina Department of Information Technology, and MCNC Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Tommy Jacobson to discuss the exciting new HERO Project that officially broke ground in Sanford on Sept. 5.

Summary: For a dozen years, MCNC has highlighted a 12 broadband-related stories throughout December to create the 12 Days of Broadband. For the final day of this year’s campaign, we are pleased to share insights from the entire MCNC Senior Leadership Team via a podcast as they look back at the successes of this year and look forward to an exciting year in 2024.

Summary: MCNC President and CEO Tracy Doaks is joined by MCNC Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Tommy Jacobson to discuss the exciting new HERO Project. The lack of high-speed Internet and technology for many in North Carolina, particularly in rural areas, has deep social and economic consequences. Over the coming months, you’ll be seeing and hearing a lot about the HERO Project, and this latest podcast helps to paint the bigger picture of what it is we’re working on, the significance of it, and how you might be able to get involved.

Summary: MCNC President and CEO Tracy Doaks is joined by Jeremy Collins, founder and president of Providence Omnistructure. Listen as Tracy and Jeremy discuss Providence’s social enterprise model in Williamston as a way to build an innovation corridor to surrounding areas in Eastern North Carolina. This important work includes boosting broadband access and connectivity, supporting digital literacy and skills, and servicing important community anchor institutions in these communities.

Summary: In this episode, Tracy Doaks, Tommy Jacobson, and the rest of MCNC’s Senior Leadership Team reflect on the past year of growth for MCNC and look ahead to the future of broadband in North Carolina. Listen as they discuss how MCNC is expanding its practices to serve the community and provide insight into why MCNC was recognized one of the Triangle’s best places to work.

Summary: On this episode, MCNC President & CEO Tracy Doaks is joined by two experts working to bring digital equity and inclusion to Winston Salem and surrounding Forsyth County: Lakisha Jordan, executive director of WinstonNet, and Layla Garms, the Equity in Education program officer at The Winston-Salem Foundation.

Summary: In this episode, MCNC President and CEO Tracy Doaks sits down with members of the MCNC Vital Cyber and K12 teams to examine cybersecurity in education, why it has become a hot target for criminals, and how institutions and staff can maximize resources to mitigate the growing number of attacks and threats increasing almost daily.

Summary: In this episode, our host Tracy Doaks is joined by experts in the area of digital opportunity: Dr. Marc Hoit, Vice Chancellor for IT and Chief Information Officer at NC State University, and Stephanie Jane Edwards, Senior GIS Analyst and Digital Inclusion Liaison at MCNC.

Summary: In this episode, MCNC’s Tracy Doaks is joined by Tracy Olson and John Graham of the North Carolina Telehealth Network Association (NCTNA) to discuss how the pandemic has forever changed healthcare by exposing inequities and connectivity gaps followed by how NCTNA and MCNC’s partnership addresses the challenges facing North Carolina head-on.

Summary: In this episode, MCNC’s Tracy Doaks and Chris Beal are joined by Douglas Holland of Akamai to discuss the growing cybersecurity concerns on  global, national, and statewide levels and how MCNC and Akamai are responding to protect their clients and networks.