Ashley Travers
Vice President- Partner Strategy and Business Development - KGPCo
Nominee Questionnaire
| Please provide a short bio for voters to get to know you. | I have over 23 years of proven leadership experience in network engineering and global supply chain management. Throughout my career I have scaled critical projects for KGPCo and Verizon Communications both domestically and internationally.
The majority of my experience (and passion) is in Outside and Inside Plant engineering and construction with Verizon Communications. I had end to end responsibility for OSP and pioneered the first 5G build from NJ to Miami. My supply chain leadership experience included transforming US Sourcing operations which led to the establishment of Verizon Services in Dublin, Ireland. In 2015 I was given the Credo Award for this accomplishment, Verizon’s highest honor. Being a part of FBA has catapulted my career and enabled me to substantially expand my network, stretch my capabilities personally and professionally and learn the most relevant information in the industry. I hold an MBA from Rutgers University and BS from Emerson College. I have attended professional development programs at Harvard University, UPenn Wharton School and Penn State University. In 2019 I was named an ISE Visionary and recently earned the Women of Achievement award in 2024 from the Tri-County Scholarship Fund. I am deeply involved in giving back to my community. I volunteer my time supporting homeless and at-risk youth and coach youth lacrosse for my local recreation program. Additionally, I am a leader within KGP Thrive, an organization dedicated to empowering female employees at KGPCo. |
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| Please explain why you consider yourself an excellent candidate for the Board of Directors of the Fiber Broadband Association. | My extensive leadership experience in fiber broadband engineering, construction, and supply chain uniquely qualifies me for a position on the Board of Directors. I bring not only a deep understanding of what needs to be done, but also a wealth of hands-on experience from directly executing complex projects. With over 23 years of experience that began with Verizon, I’ve led major Outside Plant construction and engineering initiatives, including managing the simultaneous fiber build across 18 cities from New Jersey to Miami. This firsthand experience equips me to fulfill board responsibilities with both strategic insight and practical expertise.
Dycom, Quanta, and Mastec were just a few of the construction firms I partnered with to have the most successful fiber build in the country. I have learned countless lessons from my OSP build experience that will benefit FBA particularly with the current government funded fiber projects. Since joining KGPCo, I have been actively engaged with the FBA, which has served as a vital resource for my personal and professional growth. I am committed to continuing this involvement throughout my career and look forward to contributing to the FBA’s mission. |
| How many years has your company been a Fiber Broadband Association Member? | 12 |
| How many years have you participated in Fiber Broadband Association activities? | 1 |
| Please indicate any Fiber Broadband Association Committees or working groups you have participated on including position and years served. | The committees that I have served on for the past year: Supply Chain, Public Policy and Women in Fiber. Most recently since FBA Connect, Rich Williams asked me to join the Conference Committee which I’m loving so far. |
| Please list any Fiber Broadband Association Contributions (activities supported, assets developed, documents drafted, webinars presented, etc.) | Women in Fiber Webinar- July 16, 2024 Created co-ed happy hours for regional 2024 Fiber Connects- Deer Valley, Des Moines and Albuquerque Supply Chain committee is in the process of writing a white paper |
| How many years have you been in your current position? | 1 |
| Describe your current job and functional responsibilities. | Currently as the Vice President of Partner Strategy and Business Development, I am responsible for building the BEAD and government-funded strategy for all fiber build programs. I am tasked with meeting strategic state broadband offices, developing OEM partnerships and consortiums and successfully executing to win share and gain revenue. Facilitating capital funding based on strategic projects is my responsibility while presenting regularly to the CEO and senior leadership team. |
| What was your previous position? | Director- Network Supply Chain and Competitive Intelligence |
| How many years did you hold your previous position for? | 1 |
| Do you have experience as a member of a Board of Directors? | Yes |
| If you answered yes, please provide the entity, the number of years served, and the officer position held. | Junior League of Morristown- 2012-2014 Membership Chair |
| The bylaws prohibit convicted felons from serving on the board. Is there any legal impediment that would prevent you from serving on the Board? | No |
| Is there any legal issue personally of which the Association should be aware? | No |
| Being a Fiber Broadband Association Board Member requires a considerable time commitment. Please confirm that you have the support of your company if you are elected. | Yes |
| Please provide a short overview of your experience with telecommunications, fiber optics, and FTTH technologies. | I have been a leader in the telecom industry 23+ years- 22 of those in management with Verizon starting as a field foreman managing union outside plant technicians in New Jersey. I have held positions of increasing responsibility in Network Engineering, Outside and Inside Plant, Supply Chain, Marketing and Sales Operations. I led the 5G RAN fiber build most recently at Verizon leading a team of over two hundred engineers, project managers and 24 construction general contractors. My team had responsibility for building 16k miles of fiber in 17 markets which included three Super Bowls.
My team and I developed the start-up Build Operations Center during COVID centered around data analytics to support the fiber build across 72 markets. I was promoted to the Dispatch Resource Center where my team dispatched all fiber installation and maintenance operations for Manhattan. I also led the National Sales Operations team for fiber installation for Multi-Dwelling, Multi-Tenant and Single Family Unit builds throughout the US. My Supply Chain leadership experience at Verizon includes managing global operations for Verizon Services Solutions logistics services and directed four outsourced business operations suppliers responsible for forward and reverse logistics and order management (India, Philippines and Czech Republic). |
| Please describe the goals you would like to accomplish during your term as Fiber Broadband Association Board Member. | One goal that I’d like to reach with the FBA members is to bring attention to supply chain strategies, suppliers and challenges. I’d advocate for Supply Chain discussions to take place at each Fiber Connect Regional and Annual conference. Another goal is to chair or co-chair the Supply Chain Committee, and I would encourage members to join and also reach out externally to encourage new members to join. One area I’d like to develop is becoming more active with my LinkedIn participation in conjunction with FBA. LinkedIn in a great platform to draw awareness and engagement for FBA and Supply Chain topics. |
| Have you reviewed the Board of Directors’ Responsibilities document, and do you understand what is required? | Yes |
| Please describe the level of commitment (in terms of time and effort) that you intend to make to the Association during the three-year term. | I will attend all Fiber Broadband Association Board meetings as well as every regional and annual Fiber Connect conference and Premier Members meeting. I enjoy public speaking so if there is opportunity to represent FBA I will happily do so when my schedule permits. Tackling new challenges is a sport for me, so if there is an area where I am needed I would like to step in and lead. Becoming a board liaison also greatly interests me since I will learn new perspectives from the committee I will represent. |
| Please inform us of any other information, issue, or concern of which the Association should be aware. | n/a |