IWCE 2026 Announces Industry-Leading Speaker Lineup Featuring Public Safety, Government And Technology Visionaries
Experts from Verizon Business, Nevada Office of Emergency Management and Texas Department of Public Safety
By Godson Umejiego, Bureau Chief, The Americas
The International Wireless Communications Expo has announced a powerful lineup of speakers for IWCE 2026, taking place March 16–19 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This year’s program will feature nationally recognized leaders from government, public safety, emergency management and the private sector addressing emerging technologies, interoperability and mission-critical communications strategies shaping the future of public safety.
Among the featured speakers is Vice President of Public Sector Sales for Verizon, who leads nationwide initiatives delivering wireless mobility, cloud, security and advanced communications solutions to meet the needs of the public sector and citizens they serve; Patty Roze followed by Administrator of the Nevada Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security Advisor for the State of Nevada Brett Compston. Also joining the keynote stage will be Chief of Information Technology for the Texas Department of Public Safety Jessica Ballew and CEO of GeoComm, a leader in GIS-driven solutions that enhance public safety and school emergency response TJ Kennedy.
“IWCE brings together the leaders and practitioners responsible for building and maintaining the communications systems that public safety depends on every day,” said Director of Events, IWCE, Informa Connect Erin LeMoine,. “Attendees will hear directly from the leaders building and operating next-generation emergency communications systems, AI and interoperability technologies, and leave with actionable strategies they can implement immediately to strengthen response capabilities, improve coordination and better protect the communities they serve.”
Additional speakers represent a diverse cross-section of public safety, federal government and communications leadership, including:
* Chief of Police for the Dallas Police Department with nearly four decades of law enforcement leadership, Joe Duvall
*Co-Founder of Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) that establishes better guidelines and metrics for school security to address the challenges and vulnerabilities schools face, Chuck Wilson
*6G Policy Lead in the Office of Policy Analysis and Development at National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to ensure networks are secure and resilient, Sarah Skaluba
*Senior Public Safety Advisor for the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority), working with public safety agencies in California, Kevin Nida,
*Assistant Fire Chief, CIO Montgomery County, Maryland, a leader in one of the nation’s most complex all-hazards public safety organizations, Michael Baltrotsky
*Chief, Threat Management Branch, DAS-FSO-Judiciary Security Division Administrative Office of the US Courts, with 32 years of experience in intelligence and analysis and counter-terrorism, Kyle Yoder,
*Emergency Response Team Lead, T-Mobile, advancing emergency communications policy and operational capabilities, Nicole Hudnet
The expansive speaker roster spans senior officials responsible for leading statewide interoperability programs, modernizing public safety communications infrastructure and advancing broadband and AI-enabled emergency response capabilities. Together, they will deliver real-world perspectives and actionable strategies that drive from the operational level to senior leadership.
This year IWCE will also play host to The ETA Education Forum. Offering hands-on technical training and certification opportunities for professionals across the wireless communications ecosystem, this sprawling partnership with ETA International provides a multi-day program by way of expert-led instruction on key topics including communications systems, antenna fundamentals, microwave radio and interference mitigation. Attendees will deepen their technical expertise, earn or advance ETA certifications onsite, and gain practical skills designed to support career growth and strengthen mission-critical communications capabilities.
