MCNC's Community Connect is a podcast where leaders and innovators regularly meet to discuss some of today’s hottest technology topics and trends. Each episode is aimed to inspire fresh ideas and to have important conversations around technology’s increasing role in economic development, digital equity and inclusion, broadband infrastructure, cybersecurity, and more.
MCNC pulls curtain back on what it takes to build, operate a world-class broadband network
On today's MCNC Community Connect podcast, MCNC President and CEO Tracy Doaks pulls the curtain back and talks about what it takes to build and operate a world- class broadband network. She is joined by Chauncey Ray, MCNC's Senior Manager of Facilities Engineering and Operations; Jeremy Rollins, MCNC’s Senior Manager of Outside Plant Engineering and Operations; Matthew Valenzisi; MCNC’s Senior Director of Network Architecture and Management and Chief Network Architect; and Jammie Starks-Benthem, Chief Commercialization Officer with one of MCNC’s important networking partners at ECC Technologies.
9 Jun 2025
High Stakes in the High Court as Nation Awaits USF Decision
James Nester interviews Phil Emer, Jen Leasure, Ray Zeisz, and Kristen Corra about the potential impacts of the upcoming USF decision, exploring various scenarios and their implications for the community.
25 Apr 2025
Actionable Advocacy Digs Wells Before Going Thirsty
On today's MCNC Community Connect podcast, MCNC President and CEO Tracy Doaks is joined by John Graham, president of the North Carolina Telehealth Network Association (NCTNA), Jordan Rodgers, director of relationship marketing at NCTNA, and Ed Turlington and Drew Moretz from Brooks Pierce LLP in Raleigh. The focus of the conversation dives into the world of legislative advocacy – what it is, why it's important, and how you can get involved.
20 Dec 2024
Looking Back, Looking Forward with MCNC Senior Leadership
MCNC Senior Leadership shares reflections on 2024 and outlines key strategies for driving broadband innovation and growth in 2025
15 Oct 2024
eNCore’s First Impression is a Powerful and Lasting One
On today's MCNC Community Connect podcast, MCNC President and CEO Tracy Doaks is joined by Marshall Cherry, Chief Executive Officer of Roanoke Cooperative; Bo Coughlin, Chief Operations Officer at FYBE; and Jim Nester, MCNC’s Senior Director of Marketing and Client Advocacy, to discuss the story behind the creation of eNCore. eNCore was formed as a shared call to action to remedy the technology inequities that keep many in North Carolina from reaching their full potential.
12 Sept 2024
This is Our Moment! HERO Project Brings Generational Opportunity in North Carolina
On today's MCNC Community Connect podcast, MCNC President and CEO Tracy Doaks is joined by Nate Denny, Deputy Secretary of Broadband and Digital Equity at the North Carolina Department of Information Technology, and MCNC Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Tommy Jacobson to discuss this exciting new project that officially broke ground in Sanford on Sept. 5.
21 Dec 2023
Looking Back, Looking Forward with MCNC Senior Leadership 2023
For a dozen years, MCNC has highlighted a 12 broadband-related stories throughout December tocreate the 12 Days of Broadband. For the final day of this year's campaign, we are pleased to shareinsights from the entire MCNC Senior Leadership Team via a podcast as they look back at thesuccesses of this year and look forward to an exciting year in 2024.
25 Jul 2023
MCNC’s HERO Project reinforces our commitment to the betterment of North Carolina
On the latest MCNC Community Connect podcast, MCNC President and CEO Tracy Doaks is joined by MCNC Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Tommy Jacobson to discuss the exciting new HERO Project.
The lack of high-speed Internet and technology for many in North Carolina, particularly in rural areas, has deep social and economic consequences. Over the next few months, you’ll be seeing and hearing a lot about the HERO Project, and this latest podcast helps to paint the bigger picture of what it is we’re working on, the significance of it, and how you might be able to get involved.
8 Mar 2023
Building Digital Freedom One Community At A Time
On the latest episode of MCNC's Community Connect podcast, MCNC President and CEO Tracy Doaks is joined by Jeremy Collins, founder and president of Providence Omnistructure.
Listen as Tracy and Jeremy discuss Providence’s social enterprise model in Williamston as a way to build an innovation corridor to surrounding areas in Eastern North Carolina. This important work includes boosting broadband access and connectivity, supporting digital literacy and skills, and servicing important community anchor institutions in these communities.
14 Dec 2022
Looking Back, Looking Forward with MCNC Senior Leadership 2022
Tracy Doaks, Tommy Jacobson, and the rest of MCNC's Senior Leadership Team reflect on the past year of growth for MCNC and look ahead to the future of broadband in North Carolina.
25 Oct 2022
Sync Up! How High-Speed Tech Helps Develop People to Their Full Potential
On this epsiode, MCNC President & CEO Tracy Doaks is joined by two experts working to bring digital equity and inclusion to Winston Salem and surrounding Forsyth County: Lakisha Jordan, executive director of WinstonNet, and Layla Garms, the Equity in Education program officer at The Winston-Salem Foundation.
Listen as Tracy, Lakisha, and Layla provide insight into the socio-economic barriers to internet access in Forsyth County, discuss the work being done to bridge the digital divide there, and explain how funding and support for digital equity programs give voices to communities around the state and the nation.
31 Aug 2022
Cyberthreats & Cybersecurity in the Classroom
In this episode, MCNC President and CEO Tracy Doaks sits down with members of the MCNC Vital Cyber and K12 teams to examine cybersecurity in education, why it has become a hot target for criminals, and how institutions and staff can maximize resources to mitigate the growing number of attacks and threats increasing almost daily.
25 May 2022
Digital Equity & Inclusion in North Carolina
On the third episode of MCNC’s Community Connect Podcast, our host Tracy Doaks is joined by experts in the area of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): Dr. Marc Hoit, Vice Chancellor for IT and Chief Information Officer at NC State University, and Stephanie Jane Edwards, Senior GIS Analyst and Digital Inclusion Liaison at MCNC.
Listen as they discuss a range of topics, first illustrating what DEI means and its economic and social ramifications, then detailing approaches organizations like MCNC are taking to address DEI, including GIS (Geographic Information System) mapping, to break down barriers in high-speed Internet access. Finally, the experts discuss how MCNC is planning for North Carolina’s long-term growth with these initiatives and how national funding is helping the cause as well.
27 Apr 2022
High-Speed Health Care For North Carolina
The second episode of MCNC’s Community Connect Podcast, our host Tracy Doaks, MCNC’s President and CEO, is joined by two experts in the Healthcare Connect Fund Discounts program and providing broadband connectivity to rural healthcare locations: Tracy Olson, executive director of the North Carolina Telehealth Network Association (NCTNA), and John Graham, president of the NCTNA board of directors.
Listen as they discuss a host of topics starting with how the pandemic has forever changed healthcare by exposing inequities and connectivity gaps followed by how NCTNA and MCNC’s partnership addresses the challenges facing North Carolina head-on.
23 Mar 2022
It’s Not a Matter of ‘If’ but ‘When’: Cyber Experts Talk Cybersecurity in North Carolina and Beyond
On this premiere episode of MCNC’s Community Connect Podcast, our host Tracy Doaks, MCNC’s President and CEO, is joined by two experts in the fields of cybersecurity: Chris Beal, MCNC Vice President of Security Initiatives & Chief Information Security Officer, and Douglas Holland, Senior Solutions Engineer for Akamai.
Listen as they discuss a host of topics starting with world events – particularly those in Russia and Ukraine – as they relate to the growing focus on cyber security and threats to such around the globe and right here in North Carolina.
Who has been a guest on MCNC's Community Connect Podcast
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Phil Emer
Jen Leasure
Ray Zeisz
Kristen Corra
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 19 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
25
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
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