Welcome to the GPN & ARE-ON Joint Conference 2026 schedule. Use this page to browse sessions, view speaker and session details, and build your personal agenda for June 22–24 in Rogers, Arkansas. Check back through May as additional sessions and details are added.
Log in to add sessions to your schedule and sync them to your phone or calendar.
The United States is experiencing unprecedented investment in fiber infrastructure, with fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) deployment accelerating toward near-universal coverage of homes and businesses by the end of the decade. At the same time, the rapid growth of artificial intelligence is driving a new wave of demand for high-capacity fiber networks to connect data centers and support next-generation digital infrastructure. What do these converging investment cycles mean for the future of broadband, networks, and the broader technology ecosystem?
Gary Bolton is President and CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA), the largest industry association dedicated to advancing all-fiber-optic broadband networks. Prior to joining FBA, he held senior executive roles at both venture-backed technology startups and large publicly... Read More →
Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:05am - 8:45am CDT Grand Ballroom I–IV3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936
Gary Bolton is President and CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA), the largest industry association dedicated to advancing all-fiber-optic broadband networks. Prior to joining FBA, he held senior executive roles at both venture-backed technology startups and large publicly... Read More →
Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:45am - 9:30am CDT Grand Ballroom I–IV3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936
Elon has spent his entire career in education IT, with seven years in K-12 and thirteen years in higher education as both a technical practitioner and in technology leadership roles. He believes there is no greater way to impact the future of Arkansas and the quality of where he lives... Read More →
Tuesday June 23, 2026 12:30pm - 1:00pm CDT Grand Ballroom I–IV3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936
Building collaborations by using non-research funding mechanisms Using federal and state funding sources to imagine sustainability, collaborations, customer engagement. Audience: CIOs / CTOs, Grant Administrators and PIs, Faculty and Academic Researchers
The Statewide Quantum Computing Working Group is a multi-disciplinary collaborative initiative launched in March 2026 to establish an integrated educational framework for quantum computing curricula across Arkansas. Led by the Emerging Analytics Center at UA Little Rock, the group brings together academic faculty from the Arkansas Quantum Network, industry partners, and technical experts to bridge expertise gaps in the field. Its primary goal is to develop shared instructional materials and identify best practices for research data management and cyberinfrastructure to prepare a highly skilled STEM workforce.
The key takeaway for attendees is the opportunity to participate in the co-development of a foundational Quantum Computing Curricula designed for use by academic institutions throughout Arkansas.
Audience: CIOs / CTOs, VPs of IT, IT Directors and Managers, Network Engineers and Administrators, Cybersecurity Professionals, HPC & Research Computing Professionals, Grant Administrators and PIs, Faculty and Academic Researchers, New and Emerging IT Professionals
Elon has spent his entire career in education IT, with seven years in K-12 and thirteen years in higher education as both a technical practitioner and in technology leadership roles. He believes there is no greater way to impact the future of Arkansas and the quality of where he lives... Read More →
Wednesday June 24, 2026 8:45am - 9:15am CDT Grand Ballroom I–IV3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936
This keynote presents research on how IT organizations can build resilience in the face of environmental turbulence by focusing on the foundational pillars of IT service quality (people) and IT governance (process). Drawing on a study of 157 IT leaders, it demonstrates that resilience is not reactive, but proactively developed through mature governance practices and a strong service culture. Attendees will gain practical, research-backed insights on how to strengthen their IT organizations to adapt, recover, and lead through disruption.
Attendees will leave with a clear, actionable framework to strengthen IT organizational resilience by intentionally advancing IT service quality (people) and IT governance maturity (process), enabling them to lead their organizations more effectively through disruption.
Recently joined GPN after working on NTIA, HUD, and HRSA grants in Texas. Now constructing a home near UAMS, UALR, and Philander Smith University in Little Rock.
Wednesday June 24, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am CDT Ambassador Ballroom C3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936
