GPN & ARE-ON Joint Conference 2026: Full Schedule

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.

12:00pm CDT

Welcome

Monday June 22, 2026 12:00pm - 12:20pm CDT

NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Peterson Auditorium @ 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

Welcome to the participants for GPN's afternoon of organizational meetings, along with workshops for both GPN and ARE-ON members. Two of the committees are meeting concurrently with workshop activities, so they are open to all conference participants but please get your tickets at: https://gpnandareonjointconference2026.eventbrite.com/. The welcome will highlight GPN's actions and accomplishments of 2025/6 and what's coming soon.

Speakers

Mickey Slimp

Executive Director, Great Plains Network

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.

Monday June 22, 2026 12:00pm - 12:20pm CDT
NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Peterson Auditorium 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

General Session

Company Great Plains Network
Subject Collaboration & Applications, Strategy

3:15pm CDT

Keynote: GPN and the National Research Platform

Monday June 22, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm CDT

NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Peterson Auditorium @ 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

For more than a decade, GPN and the National Research Platform (NRP) have joined forces to assure researchers throughout the Midwest have the access to advance computing resources to conduct research and to teach researching skills. Dr. Frank Wuerthwin is a widely recognized leader in the field, as the director of the San Diego Supercomputing Center and the lead of the OSG network for science. Frank will discuss the emerging role of GPN within the national research infrastructure and share ideas on greater involvement over the next decade. He will be speaking in the Peterson Auditorium

Speakers

Frank Wuerthwein

Director, San Diego Supercomputer Center; CEO, Open Science Grid and the National Research Platform, University of California at San Diego

Monday June 22, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm CDT
NWACC Shewmaker Center For Global Business Development-Peterson Auditorium 900 SE Eagle Way, Bentonville, AR 72712, USA

General Session, Keynote

Company Great Plains Network

8:00am CDT

Welcome & Opening Remarks

Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:00am - 8:15am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Opening remarks from ARE-ON Executive Director Elon Turner. Housekeeping, conference logistics, and a brief overview of the day ahead.

Speakers

Elon Turner

Executive Director, ARE-ON

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 8:00am - 8:15am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

General Session

Company ARE-ON

8:15am CDT

Keynote: The State of Fiber with Its Role in Building A.I. Infrastructure

Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:15am - 8:45am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

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? As you're planning your campus and state infrastructures, renewing your leased broadband services, and navigating the emerging landscape of a BEAD universal connectivity deployment, learn what this means for you, your campus, and your students.

Speakers

Gary Bolton

President and CEO, Fiber Broadband Association

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 8:15am - 8:45am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

General Session, Keynote

Company Fiber Broadband Association
Audience IT Leaders, Researchers, Network Engineers
Subject Emerging Technologies

8:45am CDT

Gary Bolton Q&A: How Will Advances in Broadband and Fiber Technologies Change My Program?

Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:45am - 9:30am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program is reshaping broadband infrastructure across the country, and state implementation is where policy meets reality. This panel brings together stakeholders from across the region to share where their states stand — what's working, where the friction is, and how institutions like universities and research networks fit into the buildout. Gary Bolton, President of the Fiber Broadband Association, moderates.

At the conclusion of his keynote session, Gary Bolton will field questions from a panel of Research and Education Network leaders and the audience members on the future of fiber and advanced needs for campus/community broadband connections.

Moderators

Mickey Slimp

Executive Director, Great Plains Network

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.

Speakers

Gary Bolton

President and CEO, Fiber Broadband Association

Chris Crook

KanREN

KanREN, the national leader in public service connectivity, provides Internet and
network technologies to research, education, and public service institutions in
Kansas. Connect to the exclusive high-speed network that connects Research,
Education and Community Anchors throughout Ka... Read More →

John Woods

Network Engineer – CORE/Optical, MOREnet

John Woods is a Principal Network Engineer and highly valued member of MOREnet’s Core Network team, where he has contributed his expertise for nearly 17 years. With a specialized focus on optical networking, he plays a key role in designing, optimizing, and maintaining the organization’s... Read More →

Tuesday June 23, 2026 8:45am - 9:30am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

General Session, Panel

Company Fiber Broadband Association
Audience IT Leaders, Policy
Subject Strategy, Collaboration & Applications

10:00am CDT

Blueprint for Collective Defense: Scaling Threat Intelligence Across State Lines

Tuesday June 23, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Strategic cybersecurity is no longer just about buying tools; it’s about building alliances. This presentation provides a behind-the-scenes look at the North Dakota JCSOC, a pioneering model for multi-state collaboration. We will break down the "Strategy, Collaboration & Applications" required to get stakeholder buy-in for a shared threat intelligence program. We will dive into the strategic mission required to harmonize regional intelligence and the collaborative hurdles of building a sustainable multi-state threat program. Attendees will discover how to better prepare for AI-driven adversaries, and why regional collaboration supported by networks like ARE-ON and GPN is no longer optional, but the only viable strategy for achieving cyber resilience in a hyper-connected world.

Speakers

Michael Gregg

CISO, Palo Alto Networks

Sponsors

Palo Alto Networks

Tuesday June 23, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

General Session, Sponsor

Company Palo Alto Networks
Area Quantum Sponsor

12:30pm CDT

State of ARE-ON: Built for What's Next

Tuesday June 23, 2026 12:30pm - 12:45pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Twenty years of investment in shared research and education infrastructure has changed what is possible for Arkansas higher education and healthcare. This session reflects on that progress, examines the current state of ARE-ON's network and services, and turns to the strategic questions that will define the next era. Attendees will hear from ARE-ON Executive Director Elon Turner and learn how to engage in an upcoming formal strategic planning process.

Speakers

Elon Turner

Executive Director, ARE-ON

Tuesday June 23, 2026 12:30pm - 12:45pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

General Session

Company ARE-ON
Audience IT Leaders
Subject Strategy, Collaboration & Applications

1:00pm CDT

Keynote: Internet2's Support for State Networks

Tuesday June 23, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Tripti Sinha, President and CEO of Internet2, discusses Internet2's role in supporting state research and education networks and the evolving national R&E infrastructure landscape. From network infrastructure and cloud services to identity, research computing, and community programs, this session offers a direct look at how Internet2 and networks like GPN and ARE-ON work together to serve institutions of every type. The session also explores why collaboration is the foundation of a competitive R&E ecosystem and offers a practical look at emerging technologies that every institution should have on its radar.

Speakers

Tripti Sinha

President and CEO, Internet2

Tripti Sinha is the President and CEO of Internet2, where she champions the organization’s core mission of enabling U.S. higher education and research institutions to collaborate on mission-critical technology services.Sinha is a leader in information technology, operations, governance... Read More →

Tuesday June 23, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

General Session, Keynote

Company Internet2
Audience IT Leaders, Network Engineers
Subject Infrastructure, Security & Operations

3:15pm CDT

AMD Empowering the Future of HPC and AI Datacenters

Tuesday June 23, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

This session will dive into how AMD technologies are empowering the future of HPC computing and preparing customers for AI in the datacenter.

Speakers

Keith Jones

Senior Field Applications Engineer, AMD

Keith Jones is a Senior Field Applications Engineer at AMD, supporting the Energy sector and high-performance computing (HPC) workloads. With over 30 years of industry experience, he brings deep expertise spanning energy, OEM infrastructure, and data center solutions. Since joining AMD, Keith... Read More →

Sponsors

AMD / Cambridge Computer

AMD / Cambridge Computing

AMD is the high performance and adaptive computing leader, powering the products and services that help solve the world’s most important challenges. Our technologies advance the future of the data center, embedded, gaming and PC markets.Founded in 1969 as a Silicon Valley start-up... Read More →

Tuesday June 23, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

General Session, Sponsor

Company AMD

12:45pm CDT

Closing Remarks & Thank You

Wednesday June 24, 2026 12:45pm - 1:15pm CDT

Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V @ 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

Closing remarks from GPN and ARE-ON leadership. Final sponsor recognition and giveaways.

Speakers

Mickey Slimp

Executive Director, Great Plains Network

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.

Elon Turner

Executive Director, ARE-ON

Wednesday June 24, 2026 12:45pm - 1:15pm CDT
Embassy Suites Conv. Center - Grand Ballroom V 3303 Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Rogers, AR 72758-8936

General Session

12:00pm CDT

3:15pm CDT

8:00am CDT

8:15am CDT

8:45am CDT

10:00am CDT

12:30pm CDT

1:00pm CDT

3:15pm CDT

12:45pm CDT

Get help with the event