Panelists will open by discussing what 5G is and how, once fully deployed, it will impact almost every aspect of modern life. They will address frequently asked questions about 5G – including, but not limited to, the technology necessary to make it a success, health and safety concerns as well as widely debunked conspiracy theories. The panel will then turn its attention to the power of 5G to help New York in its post-pandemic recovery, with a particular focus on both education and healthcare. Topics for discussion will include the potential for revenue generation and job creation by investing in 5G, as well as the existing roadblocks – policy and otherwise – that are standing in the way of realizing these benefits.
Ana Rua
Government Affairs Manager, New York, Crown Castle
Driven by telecommunications’ ability to empower communities, Ana Rua leads New York Government Affairs City & State strategy at the nation’s largest provider of shared wireless infrastructure, Crown Castle. An immigrant from Colombia, Rua has spent her career in New York paying it forward on the American Dream by working with the intention of social responsibility at public and private institutions.
Prior to her role at Crown Castle, Rua was part of the team that spearheaded Governor Andrew Cuomo’s $500M initiative to connect the most rural and remote regions of New York State with high-speed internet access, traveling to 56 of the state’s 62 counties to facilitate the program’s implementation. Also, at Governor Cuomo’s office, she inherited a $70 million portfolio of legacy projects in dire need of management and by coordinating with utilities, establishing availability of services and ensuring minority and women-owned businesses got seat at the table, the projects are now on track and on-budget.
In her current work for Crown Castle, where she paves the way for next generation wireless infrastructure with the aim of transforming the digital landscape of the region. By educating and informing residents, influencers, municipal staff, and elected officials, she helps shape public policy and opinion, generates advocates, and builds community relationships with the objective of connecting those in disenfranchised and far-reaching communities with tools to empower themselves via telecommunications. “I get a tremendous sense of purpose because I work in this industry that has a fundamental focus to make people’s lives easier, better and more connected,” she says.
