The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) in January announced the launch of its Women in Fiber Committee, which aims to further provide FBA members with the necessary resources "to identify, develop and promote women in the fiber broadband industry, and highlight the link between female leadership and improved business performance," per an FBA statement.
As explained by FBA:
The development of the Women in Fiber Committee stems from the success of FBA’s Women in Fiber Working Group that was created in 2014 for female members to share professional development resources and opportunities. By formalizing the Group into a Committee, FBA will devote more resources to the cause and provide more structured programs.
The Women in Fiber Committee is led by Chair Alexa Edens, KGPCo’s Senior Director of Cloud Service Providers, and includes five subcommittees: Association Partnerships; Events; Professional Development and Mentorship; Social Media and Marketing; and STEM Promotion for Women and Girls.
Edens commented, “FBA is the go-to resource for the fiber broadband industry, so what better place to launch this committee that is dedicated to promoting women in fiber. I want all FBA members, especially women, to gain confidence in knowing that the FBA has the best leadership and support in place to promote professional growth and success. It is exciting to kick off 2022 with the launch of the Women in Fiber Committee as we structure volunteer opportunities alongside some of the greatest leaders in our industry.”
Among the first resources the Women in Fiber Committee will offer is a quarterly webinar series to present expert advice on issues facing the industry, workplace, country and world.
The first webinar of the series, “The Road to Women in Fiber: Diversity, Mentorship & Networking,” aired on Jan. 27 and featured Allison Philbert, CEO of Digicel Jamaica. Philbert is a 20-year telecom leader with a wealth of experience advising companies on technology innovation and business transformation. The webinar discussion explores themes that impact every professional—especially women—including diversity, networking, mentorship and entrepreneurship. You can access the webinar here.
“There has never been a more important time than now for women in the fiber industry,” said Gary Bolton, President and CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association. “The Women in Fiber initiative at the Fiber Broadband Association has accelerated with a strong surge in interest and momentum. With Alexa’s leadership, we have formalized the Women in Fiber Committee to extend our support for women in our industry and provide even more opportunities to advance their careers, their businesses and our industry.”
