Nominee Questionnaire

Please provide a short bio for voters to get to know you.	Jordan Gross is the Director of State Government Affairs at Lumen Technologies where he works on policies impacting their national middle mile network for both broadband and AI data centers. Jordan also serves as a co-chair to FBA’s public policy committee- a position he has held for the last couple years- where he counsels the association on public policy priorities. Before joining Lumen, Jordan was a Government Affairs Manager for Corning Incorporated where he was the lead on broadband policy and domestic sourcing requirements like Buy America. Before entering the telecom space, Jordan worked on policies impacting the small drone industry on behalf of the largest manufacturer of consumer drones. He also worked at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for their technology policy division, C_TEC, where he worked alongside both large tech companies as well as startups. The constant thread through his career has been serving as an ambassador between two vastly different worlds- technology and government. In each role, Jordan has worked to bring these two worlds closer together and provide each with greater understanding of the other and how they operate. Jordan lives in Arlington, VA with his fiance, Maddison, and their corgi, Lincoln. In his free time, Jordan hikes, plays tennis and golf, cooks for friends, and loves to travel.
Please explain why you consider yourself an excellent candidate for the Board of Directors of the Fiber Broadband Association.	As co-chair of the public policy committee, I have been serving the association and shown my dedication to the success and growth of the organization. I have been involved in a number of challenging situations where there has been disagreement between members and I have helped to navigate these situations to find compromise. One example of this was the drafting of comments related to Build America, Buy America. We had a countless number of calls to build consensus as to what FBA’s position would be on several specific portions of the requirements. I was able to balance the position of my employer at the time with the overall need of the association to have compromise struck. These are not easy situations. Tensions can be high. But I understood that in order for the association to be most impactful and function well, there has to be give and take. This level of tact is what I would bring as a board member to FBA. I recognize that our membership is large and diverse. This is what makes this group so great. I believe that my experience working with and for trade associations is a valuable addition and that as a board member I will help steer the organization towards greater growth and accomplishments.
How many years has your company been a Fiber Broadband Association Member?	10+
How many years have you participated in Fiber Broadband Association activities?	4
Please indicate any Fiber Broadband Association Committees or working groups you have participated on including position and years served.	Public Policy Committee- Member for 4 years and Committee Co-Chair for the last 2 years Middle Mile Working Group- Member for the last 8 months
Please list any Fiber Broadband Association Contributions (activities supported, assets developed, documents drafted, webinars presented, etc.)	Assisted with FBA Fly in Days and Fiber Days on the Hill for the last two years. Assisted with FBA’s response to comments to NTIA related to the BEAD program and responses to NTIA and OMB regarding Buy America. Participated in several FBA webinars regarding Buy America and BEAD as well as a Fiber for Breakfast on Middle Mile.
How many years have you been in your current position?	1 year
Describe your current job and functional responsibilities.	In my current role with Lumen I provide government affairs support to several of our enterprise focused teams. I’m responsible for engaging with federal, state, and local governments to support projects related to our middle mile infrastructure. In this role I engage with trade associations, build out our messaging, identify policy opportunities, and help tell Lumen’s story.
What was your previous position?	Manager for Government Relations at Corning
How many years did you hold your previous position for?	3
Do you have experience as a member of a Board of Directors?	No
If you answered yes, please provide the entity, the number of years served, and the officer position held.	No but while I have not served as a Board member I have provided support to Board members in a number of my capacities. When I was at Corning, we were board members of both FBA and TIA. My role meant that I was supporting our board members especially on matters of public policy. When I worked for DJI, we were members of the Association for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles- which I helped provide support to, and when I worked for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, I helped with management of that Board which included a number of Fortune 100 companies.
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 had the opportunity to work for both a manufacturer and a provider of fiber. This diverse background means that I understand the challenges and priorities of a large chunk of FBA membership. While my role is policy and government affairs, I have been in and am currently in a role where I spend a lot of time with our business team. This means my perspective is broader than just government affairs.
Please describe the goals you would like to accomplish during your term as Fiber Broadband Association Board Member.	As a Board Member, my biggest goal is that I want to help take FBA to the next level. What does that mean? FBA has established itself within the industry and has been making major strides DC and policy circles in being a premier telecom association. The association also does a remarkable job at building great white papers and useful industry data points. But as broadband has become so front and center in the national and regional media, we have work to do to make sure that FBA’s voice is being amplified. We have got to get our messages into the communities that stand to benefit most from this technology. We must capitalize on the BEAD fiber priority to showcase why fiber is the best investment. Not until we have broken through in the national discourse will we have solidified our position. Not until we have dispelled myths of fiber being too expensive or being “unnecessary” will we truly be in a winning position. From a public affairs standpoint, LEOs benefit from the fact that their champion is extremely public and the richest person on the planet. My goal as board member is to ensure that we as an association use our voice to the best of our ability and break through in the communities that need to hear from us most.
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.	If given the opportunity, I will bring my full effort, creativity, and resources to ensure that I leave the Association even better than I found it. As policy co-chair, I have shown that commitment extends far beyond normal work hours. I have always been available for a last minute call or to sub in for a panel or even spend the weekend of my engagement party helping to assist with having FBA members’ fiber on stage at a White House event (yes, that happened). I have been inspired by some of the great FBA board members that have come before me and I would strive to put that same level of commitment if given the opportunity.