ACA CONNECTS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Connects Director of Regulatory Affairs
- Director of Regulatory Affairs
Bill serves as ACA Connects Director of Regulatory Affairs. In this role, he assists the Regulatory Team in technical research, complex compliance issues, and ACAC member education, advocating for the changing businesses our Members face each day.
Bill brings nearly 30 years of regulatory compliance experience from AT&T Wireless, TDS and UScellular. Prior to his role at ACA Connects, Bill worked at UScellular, where he was most recently the Director of Regulatory Policy. In that position, he worked relentlessly on complex regulatory and policy matters dealing with Infrastructure, Public Safety, and Consumer items. Bill has extensive expertise in dealing with FAA, environmental, siting, 477/ Broadband Deployment Collection, accessibility, and E911 and WEA issues. His work has taken him across the Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and Chicago markets. Bill has a Master of Jurisprudence, Compliance & Enterprise Risk Management, from Loyola University School of Law and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Administration from Bradley University.
Bill is a born and raised Chicagoan and enjoys the city's sights and sounds. In his spare time, he enjoys sitting at the pasticceria on the corner, engaging in lively conversation with his family and people from the neighborhood while enjoying the occasional Aperol Spritz.
Job Titles:
- Ex - Officio Chairman, MCTV ( Retired )
Brian Hurley is Chief Regulatory Counsel. In that position, he oversees and coordinates ACA Connects' advocacy on legal and regulatory matters as well as its educational programming for Members. Before joining ACA Connects in 2018, he served 10 years as an attorney at the Federal Communications Commission. Brian graduated from Duke Law School and holds a bachelor's degree in Philosophy from DePauw University. He lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife and two very spoiled cats. He enjoys cooking new recipes and watching old movies.
Grant Spellmeyer oversees the daily operations and affairs of ACA Connects-America's Communications Association. Grant joined ACAC on June 1, 2022.
Prior to joining ACAC, Grant was Vice President - Government Affairs for US Cellular where his primary duties included directing the federal and state legislative and regulatory efforts across the company's 21-state operating territory on all policy matters. Grant joined U.S. Cellular in 2006 from ACA Connects Member company TDS Telecommunications Corp. (TDS). As part of the TDS enterprise, Grant served in a variety of wireless and wireline legal and regulatory roles for more than 20 years. Prior to that, Grant was an attorney in private practice in Madison, Wisconsin.
Grant is a 1988 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition, he holds an M.A. in public policy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School. He also holds an MBA from Northwestern University.
Grant lives in Williams Bay, Wisconsin with his wife Sarah. They have three grown children (triplets)! They enjoy many lake activities, the Green Bay Packers, and their new Goldendoodle - Arlo.
ACA Chairman Jim Gleason was invited to set the record straight on the CNBC Show "Squawk Box" on October 5 program to dispute economist John Rutledge's statement that there isn't broadband service in rural areas. By sharing his side of the story, Gleason helped raise public awareness of ACA's mission and of the issues affecting independent cable operators and the consumers they serve.
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer
- Executive Vice President
John Higginbotham serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for ACA Connects. Higginbotham is responsible for all of the daily operations of the organization and directly oversees the development and implementation of the marketing and growth strategy for member and associate member companies. Higginbotham holds a BA and MA in Communications from Morehead State University. Before joining ACA Connects in 2020, Higginbotham spent nearly 25 years as a member-operator with the Frankfort Plant Board, a municipal utility in Kentucky. John retired as the Assistant General Manager - Telecom, in 2017. John and his wife reside in Mount Sterling, KY and are the parents of two adult sons, and one adorable grandson. Higginbotham talks way too much about Kentucky Basketball, Kentucky Bourbon and the American Civil War.
ACA President and CEO, Matt Polka, noted that the 20th anniversary of the 1992 Cable Act was hardly a cause for celebration. He said government-granted retransmission consent rights are repeatedly abused by broadcasters to lay down ‘blackmail or blackout' ultimatums, usually timed to coincide with marquee sporting or cultural events to maximize their leverage over pay-TV providers.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Regulatory Affairs
Max Staloff is Vice President of Regulatory Affairs. He advocates for legal and regulatory policies that benefit ACA Connects Members. Max began his career as an attorney in the Office of General Counsel of the Federal Communications Commission. More recently, he worked in private practice, advising cable operators, wireless carriers, major technology companies, and trade associations on pole attachments, spectrum, license transfer allocations, merger review, infrastructure, and experimental licensing.
Max is a 2014 graduate of Vanderbilt University and holds a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. He lives in Washington, D.C., with his elderly rescue dogs.
Job Titles:
- Digital Specialist
- Director of Digital and Social Media
Nathan Penrod, a talented digital specialist with a diverse background in media production, joined ACA Connects in September 2020. In his role as Director of Digital and Social Media, Nathan leads our efforts to highlight the Association's advocacy efforts and member activities. He also oversees the development of Association material through various mediums, including print, web, digital and social media.
Nathan resides in Versailles, Kentucky, with his wife and two daughters. During Nathan's free time, he enjoys woodworking, which includes the creation of cutting boards and small furniture pieces. Nathan is an alum of the University of Kentucky and enjoys watching the UK basketball and football teams.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Public Affairs and Communications
Olivia develops and executes comprehensive communications strategies to advance ACA Connects' mission and advocacy goals. Olivia is a 10-year veteran of Capitol Hill and served as a top communications advisor for Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and the House Republican Conference. Most recently, she was the Communications Director for the Energy and Commerce Committee, where she led the communications and messaging strategies for Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and her policy priorities, including in telecommunications and technology.
Olivia is a graduate of Miami University in Ohio. She married her husband Bobby in 2021 and they have one daughter. Olivia enjoys spending time with her family, golfing, reading, and going on walks while listening to an entertaining podcast.
ACA Chairman, Patrick Knorr, testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Telecom and the Internet that "the switch to digital will impose unique burdens on our systems, which, if not appropriately dealt with will cause harm to consumers, especially in small and rural markets." He urges the Committee to encourage the FCC to devise more flexible rules for ACA members.
Job Titles:
- Associate Membership Program
- Vice President of Member Services
Since joining ACA Connects (then SCBA) in 1998, Stacey's primary focus has been on events and working with our vendor partners. In her current role as Vice President of Member Services, she works on the production of the annual Summit and, in conjunction with NCTC, The Independent Show. Named to the CableFax 2020 List of Most Powerful Women, she has also been awarded a Faxie for most innovative press kit promoting our annual lobbying event. As the liaison between the association and our AMP vendor partners, Stacey works to develop marketing plans that maximize membership benefits and leverage sponsorship opportunities. In her spare time, Stacey enjoys attending college football games (#GoVols and #H2P) and spending time at her family camp with husband, Paul, daughters, Madison and Maressa, son-in-law, Nick and faithful, four-legged companion, Bentley. Stacey's love of marketing and planning has carried over to her daughters, both of whom work in advertising and public relations.
Job Titles:
- Manager
- Connects in 2016 As Assistant
With over 25 years of broadly diverse experience encompassing executive support, Tomeika joined ACA Connects in 2016 as Assistant to the President & CEO. In her current role as Manager of Member Services, she skillfully manages a wide range of administrative responsibilities and assists with many aspects of ACA Connects member relations. She graduated from Bradford School in Pittsburgh, PA, with a specialized associate's degree. Tomeika enjoys traveling, spending time with close friends and family and prides herself in her two other titles - God Mom and Aunt Meika. She is a die-hard fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers and was the winner of a Steelers Nation Unite VIP weekend in 2018.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of External Affairs
Zamir serves as Vice President of External Affairs for ACA Connects. In this capacity, he leads external affairs strategies to advance the organization's policies and perspectives to diverse audiences, including legislators, federal officials, policymakers, industry partners and other stakeholders.
Prior to joining ACA Connects, Zamir worked in media relations for the National Association of Broadcasters for nearly 13 years, most recently as Vice President of Communications. His duties included developing and executing messaging campaigns spotlighting legislative advocacy, business operations, foundation and technology initiatives, marketing efforts and trade shows.
Previously, Zamir was the Deputy Press Secretary for the House Committee on Small Business. He began his career as an intern in the office of Senator Dianne Feinstein. Zamir holds a bachelor's degree in English from Middlebury College.
He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife, son and two cats. An avid trivia nerd, Zamir was a contestant on the December 31, 2014 episode of Jeopardy. He is always interested in recommendations for new TV shows and contemporary fiction novels.