USTelecom Elects New Leadership

October 24, 2025

USTelecom Elects New Leadership to Board of Directors and Leadership Committee

Silver Star Communications' Jeff England to Chair Board of Directors

Washington, D.C. (October 24, 2025) - USTelecom - The Broadband Association today announced the election of officers to lead its Board of Directors and Leadership Committee.

Board Officers:

• Chair: Jeff England, Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Silver Star Communications (Freedom, WY)
• Vice Chair: Jennifer Prather, Chief Executive Officer, Totelcom Communications (De Leon, TX)
• Secretary: Melissa Mann, Senior Vice President, Public Policy & Government Affairs, Lumen (Broomfield, CO)
• Treasurer: Russell Moore, General Manager & Chief Operating Officer, BBT (Alpine, TX)

"I'm truly honored to serve as Chair of USTelecom's Board of Directors and to help lead this outstanding organization at such a pivotal time for our industry," said Jeff England. "USTelecom's work to advance innovation, investment, and policy solutions is essential to ensuring that every community-rural or urban-has access to reliable, high-speed broadband. I'm excited to collaborate with fellow members to build on this important mission and move us closer to universal connectivity for all Americans."

New Leadership Committee Officers & Members

USTelecom's Leadership Committee, comprised of executives from local and regional companies, has also elected new officers and welcomed additional members:

Officers:

• Chair: Josh Descant, Chief Executive Officer, REV (Gonzales, LA)
• Vice Chair: Brad Welch, Chief Operating Officer, CentraCom (Fairview, UT)
• Secretary: Kristi Westbrock, Chief Executive Officer, CTC (Brainerd, MN)

New Committee Members:

• Ed McKay, President & Chief Executive Officer, Shentel (Edinburg, VA)
• John Nelson, Chief Executive Officer, Hamilton Communications (Aurora, NE)
• Heath Simpson, Chief Executive Officer, Ritter Communications (Jonesboro, AR)

The announcement wraps up a busy week for the broadband community: USTelecom on Tuesday released its latest investment report showing broadband providers invested nearly $90 billion last year and more than $2.2 trillion over the last quarter century in U.S. communications infrastructure; while FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) each spoke to this incredible investment and resulting opportunities for communities across the country during Thursday's USTelecom Broadband Investment Forum (recording available here).

During the event, USTelecom President and CEO Jonathan Spalter presented Broadband Hero Awards to Chairman Carr for cutting red tape and clearing the path for next-generation infrastructure, to Senator Jacky Rosen for her work expanding broadband access and ensuring every community has the opportunity to thrive in the digital economy, and to Fidium CEO Bob Udell for his decades of service to the broadband community. Senator Deb Fischer was commended as a previous recipient of a Broadband Hero Award in 2020.