Experienced Leadership - FirstLight (2024)

Experienced Leadership - FirstLight (1)

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FirstLight combines advanced, proven technology with a staff experienced in the design, construction, deployment and operation of high-quality communications networks. FirstLight senior management has over a century of direct and related industry experience.

Experienced Leadership - FirstLight (2)

Jason is a strategically-minded executive with 25 years of operating experience in the telecommunications & infrastructure sector.

Over the last 14 years, Jason has held Chief Operating Officer positions at Segra, Crown Castle Fiber Solutions and Lightower Fiber Networks. Prior to his work within fiber infrastructure platforms, Jason held numerous management positions at One Communications and Conversent Communications. In addition to his telecommunications positions, Jason previously served as an Operating Executive at Berkshire Partners.

Jason holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from New England College.

Experienced Leadership - FirstLight (3)

Mr. Coughlin joined FirstLight in February, 2013 and currently serves as its Chief Development Officer, where he is responsible for leading all aspects of corporate development, including M&A, business development, market expansion, corporate strategy and innovation as well as leading the Company’s ILEC division on behalf of the organization. He also serves on FirstLight’s Board of Directors as well as the Vermont Technology Alliance (vtTA) board. Previously, he served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Fibertower. From 2005-2009, he served as Vice President of Sales at RCN Metro (formerly NEON Communications and Globix Corporation), where he was responsible for sales and marketing for the entire U.S. and oversaw a sales team comprised of 55 people. Prior to that position, he served as Senior Director of Sales at NEON from October 2001 until December 2005. Mr. Coughlin also served as a Senior Account Executive with NEON and other telecommunications companies, including AT&T and USTelecenters, during which time he was recognized for being a leading sales contributor for major accounts.

Mr. Coughlin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Experienced Leadership - FirstLight (4)

Peter Zarrella joined FirstLight in June of 2023 and holds the position of Chief Financial Officer. In this role, he is responsible for all aspects of financial and strategic management as well as driving empowerment by leveraging financial analytics. Prior to FirstLight, Mr. Zarrella was Senior Vice President of Corporate Development for Lightpath. Prior to that he was Chief Financial Officer for Segra and VP of Finance for Crown Castle. Mr. Zarrella began his career at Ernst and Young.

Mr. Zarrella earned a BS in Accounting from Bentley University.

Experienced Leadership - FirstLight (5)

Mike Constantino joined FirstLight in September of 2023 as the Chief Operating Officer, where he is responsible for leading all aspects of Engineering, Customer Operations, Network Operations, Construction Services, Service Delivery and Outside Plant. Previously, he held various leadership roles at Crown Castle including VP of Network Engineering, VP Network Programs and VP of Service Delivery. In addition to these roles, he led several company-wide transformation initiatives focused on asset management, automation of the estimation process and combining multiple project delivery platforms into one. Prior to that, he was VP and General Manager of New England Operations at Lightower. He started his career with Broadwing Communications serving in several operations roles.

Mr. Constantino also honorably served in the US Army.

Mr. Leuzzi holds the position of Chief Revenue Officer for FirstLight. In this role, he is responsible for sales management and results as well as marketing and product management. Prior to joining FirstLight, he was Head of Carrier and Wholesale at Crown Castle. Throughout his career he has held management positions of increasing responsibility at several well-known carriers including Lightower, Earthlink and One Communications.

Mr. Leuzzi attended SUNY Geneseo and holds a BS in History and Economics.

Experienced Leadership - FirstLight (7)

Bruce Dyke joined FirstLight in December, 2023 as the Chief Information Officer. Bruce is a highly experienced IT/IS leader and has been materially involved with many telecom mergers, acquisitions & integrations. Bruce has a deep background in the implementation of OSS/BSS platforms and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems to improve workflow processes and access to data. Bruce’s experience with IT Stack implementations and his leadership qualities related to an environment of inclusion and positive culture, make him an ideal addition to FirstLight Fiber. Prior to joining FirstLight, he held senior management positions, including Chief Information Officer for Segra, as well as senior IT roles at Crown Castle, Lightower and One Communications.

Mr. Dyke holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Management from Franklin Pierce College and an Associates degree in Computer Information Technology from NH Technical Institute.

Experienced Leadership - FirstLight (8)

Jill Sandford joined FirstLight Fiber in June of 2015 and currently serves as its Chief Legal Officer. Ms. Sandford manages all aspects of legal, regulatory, compliance, safety, and human resources. Ms. Sandford has over twenty-five years’ experience in the telecommunications sector. From 1995-2001, Ms. Sandford served as a section chief in the New York State Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Telecommunications and Energy. From 2001-2014, Ms. Sandford held legal roles at Metromedia Fiber Network, AboveNet and Zayo each with increasing and broad responsibilities. Ms. Sandford serves as a member of the Board of Directors of INCOMPAS and a member of the Steering Committee for the Federal Communications Bar Association, New England Chapter.

Ms. Sandford earned a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University, a Juris Doctor from Albany Law School, and a certification in Cybersecurity: Managing Risk in the Information Age from Harvard University.

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Lessons from the CrowdStrike Glitch: Cybersecurity Insights and Takeaways Blog In the fast-evolving world of technology, even industry leaders occasionally face technical issues. When CrowdStrike, one of the top names in cybersecurity, experienced a notable… FCC Pilot Program: Cybersecurity Funding for Schools Light Thoughts K-12 schools across the country have been victims of a rash of ransomware and DDoS attacks over the past several months. Many schools face the… FirstLight Sponsors Tournament to Benefit Make-A-Wish New Hampshire Press Releases Tournament proceeds will help critically ill youth realize their dreams Albany, NY – April 17, 2024 – FirstLight, a leading provider of digital infrastructure services… How do you communicate in an emergency? Blog Today’s Reality In an age of instant communication and multiple devices, it’s easy to assume that notifying individuals during an emergency would be straightforward. After… The FirstLight Difference Blog Ten Reasons Why the FirstLight Channel Program Means Success for You
Unveiling the Future of Networking: Understanding SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) Light Thoughts In an era defined by digital transformation, the way organizations approach networking and security is evolving rapidly. One of the groundbreaking innovations in this space… Bell and FirstLight to offer new high-speed routes with triple redundancy between Secaucus, NJ, Toronto, and Montréal Press Releases FirstLight Enhances Its C-Suite with Two Industry Veterans Press Releases FirstLight augments its executive team with the appointment of Mike Constantino as Chief Operating Officer and Lorenzo Leuzzi as Chief Revenue Officer Albany, NY –… Aqua Comms Selects FirstLight for Unique Fiber Routes in the Northeast Press Releases Leading provider of global subsea connectivity services selects FirstLight to help diversely connect their transatlantic routes Albany, NY – August 3, 2023 – FirstLight, a… FirstLight Wins Four Visionary Spotlight Awards Press Releases ChannelVision Magazine honors FirstLight for its “innovative solutions and emerging technologies” Albany, NY – July 12, 2023 – FirstLight, a leading provider of digital infrastructure…
New Area Code Coming to Western New York Press Releases The new 624 area code will be an overlay to the existing 716 area code Albany, NY – July 11, 2023 – FirstLight, a leading… FirstLight Appoints Peter Zarrella as CFO Press Releases Seasoned Executive brings a wealth of experience and expertise in financial management, strategic planning as well as driving empowerment at all levels of an organization… Wirebelt Company of America Chooses FirstLight to Support its New, Energy Efficient Manufacturing Facility Press Releases Metal conveyor belt manufacturing company selects FirstLight for its reliable, secure, and compliant data center services, Internet and dark fiber connectivity Albany, NY – May… A Beginner’s Guide to Disaster Recovery as a Service Blog In today’s connected world, downtime is not an option. FirstLight Fiber, Inc. Names Jason Campbell as Chief Executive Officer Press Releases Albany, NY – April 6, 2023 – FirstLight, a leading provider of fiber-optic data, Internet, data center, cloud, unified communications, and managed services to enterprise…
FirstLight Continues Fiber Network Expansion in Hebron, Sumner Press Releases Rural Maine communities to benefit from high-speed Internet Albany, NY – April 4, 2023 – FirstLight, a leading provider of digital infrastructure services to enterprise… The 2023 Hype Alphabet Soup Blog With 2023 in full swing, tech leaders everywhere might be feeling stretched thin. Caught between strategic activities that set the guideposts for your team and… New 329 Area Code Coming to the 845 Region in New York General News New assigned area codes begin March 24th, 2023 Albany, NY – February 1, 2023 – FirstLight, a leading provider of digital infrastructure services to enterprise… FirstLight Receives 2022 Backup and Disaster Recovery Award from Cloud Computing Magazine General News Ransomware Protection, Data Backup and Disaster Recovery as a Service Honored for Enhancing Organizational Security Albany, NY – January 30, 2023 – FirstLight, a leading… FirstLight Announces Expansion of Residential Broadband in Maine General News This investment helps to bridge the digital divide in unserved and underserved areas throughout the state Albany, NY – December 7, 2022 – FirstLight, a…
Lessons from the CrowdStrike Glitch: Cybersecurity Insights and Takeaways Blog In the fast-evolving world of technology, even industry leaders occasionally face technical issues. When CrowdStrike, one of the top names in cybersecurity, experienced a notable… FCC Pilot Program: Cybersecurity Funding for Schools Light Thoughts K-12 schools across the country have been victims of a rash of ransomware and DDoS attacks over the past several months. Many schools face the… FirstLight Sponsors Tournament to Benefit Make-A-Wish New Hampshire Press Releases Tournament proceeds will help critically ill youth realize their dreams Albany, NY – April 17, 2024 – FirstLight, a leading provider of digital infrastructure services…
How do you communicate in an emergency? Blog Today’s Reality In an age of instant communication and multiple devices, it’s easy to assume that notifying individuals during an emergency would be straightforward. After… The FirstLight Difference Blog Ten Reasons Why the FirstLight Channel Program Means Success for You Unveiling the Future of Networking: Understanding SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) Light Thoughts In an era defined by digital transformation, the way organizations approach networking and security is evolving rapidly. One of the groundbreaking innovations in this space…
Bell and FirstLight to offer new high-speed routes with triple redundancy between Secaucus, NJ, Toronto, and Montréal Press Releases FirstLight Enhances Its C-Suite with Two Industry Veterans Press Releases FirstLight augments its executive team with the appointment of Mike Constantino as Chief Operating Officer and Lorenzo Leuzzi as Chief Revenue Officer Albany, NY –… Aqua Comms Selects FirstLight for Unique Fiber Routes in the Northeast Press Releases Leading provider of global subsea connectivity services selects FirstLight to help diversely connect their transatlantic routes Albany, NY – August 3, 2023 – FirstLight, a…
FirstLight Wins Four Visionary Spotlight Awards Press Releases ChannelVision Magazine honors FirstLight for its “innovative solutions and emerging technologies” Albany, NY – July 12, 2023 – FirstLight, a leading provider of digital infrastructure… New Area Code Coming to Western New York Press Releases The new 624 area code will be an overlay to the existing 716 area code Albany, NY – July 11, 2023 – FirstLight, a leading… FirstLight Appoints Peter Zarrella as CFO Press Releases Seasoned Executive brings a wealth of experience and expertise in financial management, strategic planning as well as driving empowerment at all levels of an organization…
Wirebelt Company of America Chooses FirstLight to Support its New, Energy Efficient Manufacturing Facility Press Releases Metal conveyor belt manufacturing company selects FirstLight for its reliable, secure, and compliant data center services, Internet and dark fiber connectivity Albany, NY – May… A Beginner’s Guide to Disaster Recovery as a Service Blog In today’s connected world, downtime is not an option. FirstLight Fiber, Inc. Names Jason Campbell as Chief Executive Officer Press Releases Albany, NY – April 6, 2023 – FirstLight, a leading provider of fiber-optic data, Internet, data center, cloud, unified communications, and managed services to enterprise…
FirstLight Continues Fiber Network Expansion in Hebron, Sumner Press Releases Rural Maine communities to benefit from high-speed Internet Albany, NY – April 4, 2023 – FirstLight, a leading provider of digital infrastructure services to enterprise… The 2023 Hype Alphabet Soup Blog With 2023 in full swing, tech leaders everywhere might be feeling stretched thin. Caught between strategic activities that set the guideposts for your team and… New 329 Area Code Coming to the 845 Region in New York General News New assigned area codes begin March 24th, 2023 Albany, NY – February 1, 2023 – FirstLight, a leading provider of digital infrastructure services to enterprise…
FirstLight Receives 2022 Backup and Disaster Recovery Award from Cloud Computing Magazine General News Ransomware Protection, Data Backup and Disaster Recovery as a Service Honored for Enhancing Organizational Security Albany, NY – January 30, 2023 – FirstLight, a leading… FirstLight Announces Expansion of Residential Broadband in Maine General News This investment helps to bridge the digital divide in unserved and underserved areas throughout the state Albany, NY – December 7, 2022 – FirstLight, a…

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Experienced Leadership - FirstLight (2024)
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