Driving Innnovation
Graduates
Class 3: August – October 2018
- Kelly Carper
Marketing Director
WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone
- Ubek Ergashev
Senior Analyst
Strategic Development
Comcast
- Hannah Frisendahl
Sr. Analyst - Video Product
Charter Communications
- Whitney Fennell
Vice President
B2C Sales & Distribution
FLOW Jamaica
- Jacob Ferlin
Mgr. Product Reporting, Residential
Charter Communications
- Austin Flynn
Sr. Mgr. Prod Management Residential
Charter Communications
- Stephanie Gall
Product Manager
605
- Liz Kennedy
Director of Planning, Analysis, QA, and Salesforce
WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone
- Michelle Macfee
Senior Director Products
WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone
- Joseph Rysavy
Consumer Products Manager
Midco
- Avinash Sammeta
Principal Engineer
Charter Communications
- Kym Semmens
Senior Program Manager
Charter Communications
- TJ Simons
Engineer 4
Comcast Cable - West Division
- Ann Sookswat
Senior Manager
Business Development
Charter Communications
- Sarah Sprague
Office Manager
Comcast
- Cody Stansbery
Senior Manager
Enterprise Technical Support
Comcast
- John Sweet
Mgr. Accessibility
Charter Communications
- Lagwana Tyler
Director Field Support
Mediacom
- T. Jerome Utley, Jr.
Manager, Strategic Development
(New Business)
Comcast
- Stephan J. Vaccaro
Manager Data Analytics
Mediacom Corporation
- Lisa Warther
Sr Project Manager
Testing Services
CableLabs/Kyrio
- Lisa Wiles
Product Manager
Charter Communications
- Tess Wolf
Project Manager
Charter Communications
Kelly Carper
Marketing Director
WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone
Kelly Carper manages the WOW! brand, brand strategy, as well as acquisition campaign and offer strategy. She is the main point of contact with advertising agency partners, and collaborates with the various members of the marketing team and vendors to assess media attribution, results related to media mix by market, and then determine proper media mix and targeting strategy by market. She has served at many levels within the cable industry, including field, regional and corporate levels in both marketing and sales roles. She has also worked within the shoe retail industry and for direct marketing and advertising agencies. Kelly is a devoted aunt, a sports and exercise enthusiast and a Colorado native.
Ubek Ergashev
Senior Analyst - Strategic Development
Comcast
Ubek Ergashev has been working with innovative groups within corporate companies for the last four years – the first two years as a Consultant at PwC and most recently as part of machineQ, a new Internet of Things service by Comcast. Ubek received a BS from the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School and a BA from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Hanna Frisendahl
Sr. Analyst - Video Product
Charter Communications
Hanna Frisendahl is an avid consumer of video content and loves everything about data. She has a burning curiosity for what people are watching and why, and that drives her every day to better understand consumers and the value Charter provides them. She is originally from Dallas and has lived in Denver for about four years. Hanna recently earned her masters of science in marketing with a focus in analytics from DU. She was a finalist in the Cable Apprentice competition hosted by the RMCA in 2016, which is how she entered the industry. She is also a music enthusiast and is always looking for recommendations!
Whitney Fennell
Vice President - B2C Sales & Distribution
FLOW Jamaica
Whitney Fennel has 26 years of experience in the cable industry. Since the merger between Columbus Communications & Cable and Wireless in 2015, he has been leading the dramatic transformation of FLOW retail sales and distribution. Whitney is an innovative, inspirational and transformational leader who is constantly implementing initiatives to improve customer experience, operational efficiencies, people empowerment and team engagement.
Jacob Ferlin
Mgr. Product Reporting, Residential
Charter Communications
Following four years as an information system technician in the Navy, Jacob Ferlin worked as a data analyst at various organizations before joining Charter Communications in 2016. Jacob was a Junior Achievement volunteer from 2013 – 2017, where local middle school and high school students come to learn about finance, budgeting, and economics, and also volunteered for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Youth of the Year Coach, from 2014 – 2016.
Austin Flynn
Sr. Mgr. Prod Management, Residential
Charter Communications
A recent entrant into the cable industry, Austin Flynn excels at providing in-depth analysis coupled with strong systematic thinking. Personable and sharp, Mr. Flynn has experience in project management, financial analysis, and new product development. He is a proactive team player with exceptional written and oral communication skills and fluent in Spanish. He earned his International MBA with a focus in Business Intelligence from the University Of Denver Daniels College Of Business.
Stephanie Gall
Product Manager
605
Stephanie Gall worked in the media industry for the last six plus years, starting as a national broadcast media buyer at a traditional agency, before transitioning to a product manager role at 605, focused on bringing new methods of measurement and planning to TV advertising. Stephanie is originally from Seattle and has lived in several of the biggest cities in the world - LA, London, Madrid and NYC. Stephanie enjoys traveling but also sports – she plays on four co-ed rec softball teams and is a big baseball fan (Dodgers and Mariners). If you are looking for a fun fact, her dad owned a waterpark when she was growing up!
Liz Kennedy
Director of Planning, Analysis, QA, and Salesforce
WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone
Liz Kennedy is a Colorado native with over 13 years of experience in various forms of analysis, project management, and software delivery in the IT industry, with her experience being primarily telecom. Liz has a BS in economics and business from the Colorado School of Mines, and is also a Certified Scrum Master. Liz is an animal lover, lip balm addict, and all things sugary enthusiast.
Michelle MacFee
Senior Director Products
WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone
Michelle MacFee manages WOW!’s residential product portfolio growing HSD, video and phone subscribers. Michelle develops and executes feature roadmap and future product strategy to enable WOW! to remain competitive in the market, conducts competitive market analysis to understand and apply trends and prices to WOW's product position, and is responsible for executing new product development from concept, to business case, to development, testing and go to market. She works with marketing and sales to develop reasons to believe and value prop positioning in creative material and sales scripting. Michelle is always looking to innovate and deliver exciting new products in an industry she loves.
Joseph Rysavy
Consumer Products Manager
Midco
As a Product Manager at Midco, Joseph Rysavy is responsible for Midco Business’s data, video, and voice products. Joseph joined the Midco team in April, 2018 after working as manager of strategic planning at Comcast Business in Chicago. Prior to his time at Comcast Business, Joseph held various roles at Jostens on the marketing and digital teams. Joseph graduated with his bachelor’s degree in marketing and accounting from St. Mary’s University in Minnesota. Joseph earned his MBA at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management with a triple major in marketing, strategy, and managing organizations. When he’s not working, Joseph enjoys participating in intramural sports, walking his dog, snowboarding, biking, and watching professional sports.
Avinash Sammeta
Principal Engineer
Charter Communications
Avinash Sammeta is a principal engineer at Charter communications with more than 10 years of experience. He is an accomplished software engineer specializing in execution of business critical and strategic projects, and technology development initiatives involving multiple cross functional technologies and team. Avinash is currently working as a lead engineer supporting the Spectrum's cloud based STB application end to end which caters to 4 million households across 26 different markets in US.
Kym Semmens
Senior Program Manager
Charter Communications
Kym Semmens is a results-focused manager with over 20 years of broad-based experience in cost-effective project management strategies, efficient project fulfillment, and effectual critical path management. Kym has a proven ability to forge relationships, create strategic alliances, and lead through influence to achieve time sensitive goals, and is acknowledged for the capability to identify and transform traditional patterns of business into innovative ideas and strategies for improving productivity and cutting costs. Kym is a problem solver who loves to learn from others and share experiences for the benefit of others.
TJ Simons
Engineer 4
Comcast Cable - West Division
TJ Simons is a telecommunications expert with a strong drive to design and do research in small teams. He wants to build on a background in signal processing and telecommunications by applying innovative techniques in order to increase the system performance of communication systems. His specialties include: development of software defined radios, signal processing algorithms, digital signal processor programming, excellent presentation and reporting skills, and consultancy in the telco area. He’s been living in Denver for 10+ years and working for Comcast just as long. He enjoys hiking, camping and being outdoors with family.
Ann Sookswat
Senior Manager
Business Development
Charter Communications
Possessing a BSBA from University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business, a Juris Doctor from the Sturm College of Law and an MBA from the Daniels College of business, this Colorado native has been with Charter since 2017. An outdoor enthusiast, Ann is a fast uphill hiker and even faster downhill cyclist.
Sarah Sprague
Office Manager
Comcast
Sarah Sprague entered into the workforce at a small retail business and worked her way up from clerk to manager over her 14 years there. In retail, she learned valuable customer service skills that have translated well in her nine year corporate career at Comcast. As the Office Manager at Comcast Silicon Valley, Sarah makes sure people don't run with scissors. She keeps the facilities running efficiently with the assistance of her administrative team. She has cultivated a reputation as being helpful, approachable, and adaptable. Sarah is a proud mother of a spirited 7-year-old daughter and dinosaur loving 4-year-old son.
Cody Stansbery
Senior Manager
Enterprise Technical Support
Comcast
As senior manager, enterprise technical support, Cody Stansbery is currently leading a team of 60 engineers and four managers across locations in Denver and Chicago. The team is responsible for providing 24/7, Tier 2 support for all mid-market data products; Metro Ethernet, SD-WAN, Wavelength, and BCI. Cody has 19 years’ experience in telecommunications with a cross section of; field operations, sales support, tech ops, in residential, SMB and Enterprise level products.
John Sweet
Mgr. Accessibility
Charter Communications
With a BA from the University of Southern California and an MS from California State University, California transplant, John Sweet, has been part of the Denver product team at Charter for two and a half years.
Lagwana Tyler
Director Field Support
Mediacom
Lagwana Tyler has been in the cable industry for 20 years and has only worked for two companies – Time Warner Cable and Mediacom. Over the years, Lagwana has worked in tech ops, warehouse, customer service, and dispatch. The fast-paced and ever-changing cable industry is very interesting to Lagwana, which is why she continues to grow and develop within the industry. Her favorite activity when not working, is going out to the movies, superhero movies in particular. Her favorite quote is by Dr. Seuss, "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind".
T. Jerome Utley, Jr.
Manager, Strategic Development
(New Business)
Comcast
After five years in investment banking, Jerome Utley joined the cable industry, and Comcast, in 2017. At Comcast, Jerome configures business plans around innovative ideas or scalable tertiary services capable of contributing at least $1 billion of revenue and measurable EBITDA to the core business in the medium-term. Jerome received his BS from Duke University.
Stephen J. Vaccaro
Manager Data Analytics
Mediacom Corporation
Stephen Vaccaro is a financial operations professional from New York. He attended Loyola University, Maryland and began professional career at Mediacom in 2015. Currently part of the financial operations department, working as the Manager of Data Analytics within its data warehouse. His responsibilities include billing system analysis, design / architecture, business intelligence development, and project implementation. Stephen is a dog lover / Owner of 4-year-old Border collie, Bubs; Avid Red Hot Chili Peppers fan.
Lisa Warther
Sr Project Manager - Testing Services
CableLabs/Kyrio
Lisa Warther has over 20 years’ experience implementing innovative projects at companies of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. At CableLabs/Kyrio, Lisa works to improve processes and gain efficiencies within the DOCSIS Certification Lab team. Lisa’s passion, determination, and love of learning merge together as she works to implement new projects. She is a certified project manager and Scrum Master and leverages agile methodologies in her project implementations. When Lisa is not busy on a projects at work, you can find her on some sort of adventure. She enjoys travel, skiing, mountain biking, hiking, camping, going out on photography adventures with her oldest son, Austin (17), or working with her son Evan (15), on building his movie studio quality Star Wars Clone Trooper armor.
Lisa Wiles
Product Manager
Charter Communications
Lisa Wiles began her product management career in 2013 at a small company in Denver. Since then she has embraced her innovative side, and her enjoyment of building quality products for customers has grown into a passion. Lisa has taken on major initiatives (Unify Identity, Multi Factor Authentication) that impact various cross functional teams and delivers tremendous customer value. She is passionate about creating the best possible customer experience and is a SME in Identity space. Outside of work, she lives with her husband, Bryan, and their Chocolate Lab, Marley. In her free time, she enjoys Disc Golf, long mountain drives, and trips to the California Coast as often as she can get them.
Tess Wolf
Project Manager
Charter Communications
Tess Wolf is a Project Manager at Charter Communications. She has spent the last year working on the recent and wildly successful Spectrum Mobile product launch. In her free time Tess volunteers with a local youth music program and is attending Embry Riddle in pursuit of a masters in engineering.