Leadership

TIA Executive Leadership

Grant Seiffert-President

As president of TIA, Grant Seiffert oversees the policy, standards, tradeshow and marketing efforts for the leading advocate in Washington, D.C., for the information and communications technology (ICT) industry. TIA’s member companies represent the entire supply chain of the ICT industry; these companies manufacture products, provide services and offer applications that transmit content by video, voice and data, thereby merging communications and entertainment options. As leaders in the industry, the companies and organizations participating in TIA develop and deliver communications innovations for consumers, government users and businesses alike, while improving productivity and access to information around the world.

Seiffert joined TIA in 1996 as director of government relations. His main priority was the representation of the equipment industry's interests, particularly regarding competitive issues during implementation of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). He was promoted to vice president in 1998, directing domestic and global policy to help the association's supplier members gain marketing opportunities around the world. In that role, he oversaw policy, including interaction with the U.S. Congress, the FCC and the Administration, as well as with international regulatory bodies and government leaders and fulfilling the senior management role for association membership and TIA tradeshows. He succeeded Matt Flanigan as president of TIA in January 2007. Prior to joining TIA, Seiffert served five years with Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.).

Seiffert serves on the Executive Committee of Connected Nation, the American National Standards Institute's (ANSI) CEO Advisory Committee, and the Board of Directors of the Sustainable Technology Environments Program (STEP).

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in political science from Radford University. He and his wife, daughter and two sons reside in Mt. Vernon, Virginia.

John Jacobs-Senior Vice President, Membership, Marketing & Business Development

John Jacobs joined TIA as Vice President, Membership, Marketing & Business Development in January 2010. An accomplished, international marketing executive, John brings extensive global marketing, product management, and business development experience to TIA; providing thought leadership for the association as it works on behalf of the continually evolving information and communications technology industry. John also oversees TIA's member services activities.

Prior to joining the TIA leadership team, John was Chief Marketing Officer and General Manager, Americas Region of Decisive Media, Ltd., and its cutting-edge online industry media network, TelecomTV.

Earlier John worked at Yankee Group Research as Senior Vice President, Marketing & Product Management. John has also served as Head of the Marketing & Business Development Division for the United Nations' International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Prior to this John worked at MCI Communications Corp., where he was Director of Marketing for the Wireless and Prepaid Communications Groups.

John holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs from The American University in Washington, DC and a Masters of Business Administration from Georgetown University.

Cheryl Blum-Vice President, Technology and Standards

Cheryl Blum is the Vice President, Technology and Standards at TIA. Prior to joining TIA in September 2009, Cheryl was a Senior Manager with Alcatel-Lucent and had been with the company for over 30 years. She has extensive experience with various aspects of telecom systems, including software development, systems engineering, network architecture and standards development.

Cheryl has been active in TIA Standards Development for over 15 years. Her focus has been in wireless core network development, including its evolution to IP-based networks. She has also been involved with standards development for Public Safety and Homeland Security standards for Lawfully Authorized Electronic Surveillance (CALEA), E911, Wireless Priority Services, and Commercial Mobile Alert Service (CMAS).

Cheryl was the Chair of TIA Engineering Committee TR-45, Mobile and Personal Communications Systems Standards, and held that position for more than eight years. She is also TIA's Head of Delegation to the 3rd Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2) and is the 3GPP2 Steering Committee Chair for the two-year term, 2009-2010.

Eileen Bramlet-Vice President for Marketing and Communications

Eileen Bramlet, Vice President for Marketing and Communications, joined TIA in April 2011.

Prior to joining TIA, Eileen was Vice President, Communications Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), Chief Operating Officer Mobile Posse Inc., Chief Operating Officer at ePals, and Senior Vice President, Studio@AOL and  SVP, AOL Int'l America Online Inc.

Eileen is also currently Vice President of Communications and serves on the Board of Directors of American Marketing Association's DC Chapter.

She is a graduate of Radford University, where she earned a BA in Political Science and Public Relations, and an MS in English with minors in Communications and French. Eileen also has a Business Leadership Certificate from Harvard University.

Eileen is a seasoned "jack of all trades" when it comes to association and business management from a strategic and tactical perspective. She  specializes in marketing/communications, Public Relations, operations, cutting edge technology implementation and management, business development, partner relationships, program development, event execution and team management. Strategizing - followed by successful tactical execution - is her hallmark.

Eileen resides in Northern Virginia with her husband and two children.

Danielle Coffey-Vice President, Government Affairs

Danielle Coffey, TIA Vice President of Government Affairs, has been with the association since 2004. Danielle leads the development and advocacy efforts for member companies on issues such as broadband and broadband-enabled services, content regulation and antitrust issues, accessibility regulations, spectrum availability and use, research and development, health IT, public safety, international development, and other important regulatory and legislative matters inside the Beltway and abroad. She is responsible for informing and educating government representatives about member companies' technologies and TIA policy proposals.

Before joining TIA, Danielle worked at the San Diego law firm Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Schmidt, for U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of California James F. Stiven, and on Capitol Hill for U.S. Representative Bob Filner (D-CA).  Danielle attended Catholic University Law School, during which time she interned at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the Office of Chairman Powell, the Wireline Competition Bureau and the Media Bureau; the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA); and the Federal Regulations and Public Policy Division of MCI.

Danielle is licensed by the California Bar and is certified by the Communications Law Institute of CUA. She was born and raised in California and obtained her undergraduate degree from San Diego State University.  Danielle lives with her husband and two daughters in Alexandria, Virginia.

Andrew Kurtzman-Vice President and Corporate Counsel

Andrew Kurtzman is Legal Counsel of the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) and has served with the association for eight years. Mr. Kurtzman oversees the contracting for TIA and its tradeshows, both domestic and international. He also serves as the Counsel for the TIA standards department, reviewing meeting reports and publications and helping to ensure fair, technology-neutral processes for the fourth largest ANSI-accredited standards developing organization.

Mr. Kurtzman, an attorney with a distinguished career assisting small businesses and associations, came to TIA from Infostar Inc., an IT consulting firm where, as vice president, he ran a data network of more than 1,000 long term care facilities, the largest of its type in the world. At Infostar, Mr. Kurtzman consulted to MCI Worldcom and to the American Health Care Association. Prior to Infostar, Mr. Kurtzman consulted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on its state revolving fund loan program.

Mr. Kurtzman is a member of the Bar of the District of Columbia and has a Juris Doctorate from the Washington College of Law and a BA in Art History from the University of Michigan.

 Taly Walsh-Vice President, Sustainability, Intelligence and Networking

As companies in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) increasingly focus on energy efficiency and environmental compliance, TIA has created an Environmental Pillar highlighting its response to industry need. In January of 2010, Taly Walsh, who formerly served as Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at TIA, was tapped to head up the Environmental Pillar, with responsibility for EIATRACK, the Environmental Intelligence Analysis service.

As Vice President, Sustainability, Intelligence and Networking, Walsh is also responsible for industry events for TIA and is charged with growing the Market Intelligence pillar of TIA, building upon the annual ICT Market Review & Forecast produced by TIA.

Walsh joined TIA in 2008, bringing more than 20 years' experience in association and tradeshow marketing, strategic branding and positioning, web development, technology, and public and membership relations.

She was previously Senior Vice President for Marketing and Membership at InfoComm International, an association representing the audiovisual industry. Before that, Walsh led the marketing for CardTech/SecurTech, a tradeshow for the biometrics and security industries, and for Public Technology, Inc., an association advancing research and technology in local and state government. Walsh has also been a small business owner in the graphics and publishing sector.

Mary Piper Waters-Senior Director of Operations

Mary Piper Waters is Senior Director of Operations for TIA, with responsibility for Board of Directors' events, IT services, meeting planning and office administration. She also serves as Executive Assistant to Grant Seiffert, TIA's president.

Ms. Waters joined TIA in 1991 as Secretary to the Vice President of the Fiber Optics and User Premises Equipment Divisions. She became Standards Technical Assistant/Meeting Planner, providing all secretariat duties to TIA's dozens of engineering committees, before being named Manager of Meetings and Special Events in 2002. Ms. Waters was promoted to Director of Operations for the association in 2008. She has also supported TIA's USA Pavilions in International Telecommunication Union (ITU) exhibitions in Europe, Latin America and Asia.

A graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration, Ms. Waters was Customer Service Associate/Store Controller and Accounts Payable Associate in the corporate headquarters of Parisian, Inc., a chain of U.S. department stores. She moved to Washington, D.C., in 1989, where she joined Hecht, Spencer & Associates, a lobbying/ consulting firm.

Ms. Waters is a member of the Association of Meeting Professionals and the American Society of Association Executives.