Current Members

Laura Forlano – Secretary

Laura Forlano is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Human Computer Interaction Lab at Cornell University. In 2008-2009, she was Kauffman Fellow in Law at the Information Society Project at Yale Law School. Forlano received her Ph.D. in Communications from Columbia University in 2008 following the completion of her dissertation, “When Code Meets Place: Collaboration and Innovation at WiFi Hotspots.” Forlano is an Adjunct Faculty member in the Design and Management department at Parsons and the Graduate Programs in International Affairs and Media Studies at The New School where she teaches courses on Innovation, New Media and Global Affairs, Technology and the City, Technology Policy, Sustainable Design and Business Ethics. Forlano received a Master’s in International Affairs from Columbia University, a Diploma in International Relations from The Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor’s in Asian Studies from Skidmore College.

Areas of Interest
Laura’s main areas of interest are social computing, urban informatics and open innovation systems. She conducted a survey of Wi-Fi hotspot users in 2006 with funding from Microsoft Research. Forlano represented NYCwireless on the FCC’s Consumer Advisory Committee from 2005-2006.

Dustin Goodwin

Dustin Goodwin has spent the last 15 years designing, building and running enterprise networks. Dustin found himself with some extra wireless gear after leaving a failing dotcom in 2001. He contacted Terry & Anthony because of a article he read about NYCw in the Village Voice. Next thing he knew there were 10 sweaty geeks in his tiny West Villaage apartment trying to figure out how to get the best wireless coverage on his street. From this first encounter he got the bug and became a regular presenter at NYCw monthly meeting and assisted in the build out of numerous public networks including the ground breaking network NYCwireless built in Bryant Park. When NYCwireless incorporated as non-profit Dustin became one of the founding board members. Currently he is a Director at the Blackstone Group responsible for Data Center and Security Architecture.

Areas of Interest
As director of the NYCwireless NeedyNets program Dustin has been focusing on building wireless networks in low income housing around NYC. He has lead the build out of the Community Access wireless networks that now spans 3 buildings in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx. If you represent a organization that operates affordable housing NYC and are interested in discussing the possibility of installing free Internet access please contact us.

Joe Plotkin

Joe Plotkin is Director, Marketing/DSL for Bway.net, the independent ISP in New York City. Bway.net has long championed the free public wireless Internet movement, and hosts the monthly meetings of NYCwireless. Plotkin is also Senior Strategist for TeleTruth.org, an alliance for customer rights in telecommunications. An outspoken advocate for broadband connectivity as well as regulatory fairness, Plotkin has lobbied on behalf of ISPs in Washington, D.C. and has been quoted frequently in the press. Plotkin received a Master’s degree from NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program.

Ben Serebin — Treasurer

Ben Serebin, the principal owner of REEF Solutions, a network & technology consulting firm in NYC. REEF Solutions has been serving financial, education, and small businesses and been involved in IT for almost 15 years. Ben founded and runs the first in NYC and only NY Microsoft Exchange Server User Group, and is heavily involved in other IT related user groups.

Areas of Interest
Ben is responsible for organizing our monthly meetings and special events. Please contact him if you are interested in presenting at a meeting.

Dana Spiegel – President and Executive Director

As a Founder and Chief Code Therapist at FounderTherapy, Dana helps early stage startups bring their software products to market, implementing best practice software development processes, building agile software teams, and architecting scalable systems and infrastructures. He also helps founders and company leadership understand the necessary ingredients to create highly performant, resilient teams. He is an advisor to a number of startups, including ClearServe and WorkMarket. He has appeared as a speaker at Wireless and Media Industry conferences, and has guest lectured at NYU, SUNY Purchase, Parsons School of Design, and The New School University. Dana holds a Bachelors Degree in Brain and Cognitive Sciences from MIT and a Masters Degree in Media Arts and Sciences from the MIT Media Laboratory’s Sociable Media Group.

Areas of Interest
As Executive Director of NYCwireless, Dana created and produced Spectropolis: Mobile Media, Art and the City, a three-day event on October 1, 2, and 3 that highlights the diverse ways artists, technical innovators and activists are using communication technologies to generate new urban experience and public voice. Spectropolis was co-produced by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and the Alliance for Downtown New York.

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Members Emeritus

Terry Schmidt

Terry Schmidt is a co-founder, board member, and former President of NYCwireless. Schmidt currently works as a Consulting Systems Engineer for Cisco Systems. Terry enjoys motorcycling around the world and new technologies. Terry got his start with public community wireless by running an Ethernet cable from the coffee shop in the adjoining building to his Manhattan apartment and setting up an Wireless AP offering free wireless.

Anthony Townsend

One of NYCwireless’ original founders, Anthony is a Research Director at the Institute for the Future in Palo Alto, California. For the last five years, Anthony dedicated lots of time to NYCwireless while teaching and doing research at New York University’s Interactive Telecommunications program and Wagner School of Public Service.

Areas of Interest
Anthony’s main areas of interest are municipal wireless policy, spectrum regulation, community organizing and unlicensed amateur emergency communications.