Welcome

Please join ATA, company board members, executives and senior managers in Valdez, located in the northeast corner of Prince William Sound. ATA will host the 2026 Annual Meeting at the Valdez Civic Center, overlooking the beautiful waters of Port Valdez, a deep fjord surrounded by the Chugach Mountains. Valdez is the northernmost port in North America that is ice-free year-round and is the terminus of the Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline. Come explore the area and get updates on the telecom industry in Alaska. Online registration is now open!

Sponsors

Alaska Telecom Association events are made possible by our generous sponsors. Sponsorships are a great way to increase your company’s exposure and to connect with current and potential customers. Please consider a sponsorship package for Annual Meeting 2026. With your support, ATA can continue to share current industry information, build coalitions and advocate on behalf of industry in Alaska. Not sure which level is right for you or have some other ideas?  Contact Shari Showalter at (907) 563–4000 or showalter@alaskatel.org.  We can work together to build an appropriate package to effectively deliver your marketing message! 

Program Schedule

The conference will be hosted at the Valdez Convention & Civic Center, centrally located in downtown Valdez at 314 Clifton Dr, Valdez, AK 99686. The general schedule is outlined below and will assist you in making your travel arrangements.

Tuesday, May 19th
5:00pm - 9:00pm Welcome Dinner Cruise (Stephens Cruises) / Registration & Badge Pick Up

Wednesday, May 20th
8:00am - 3:00pm Exhibitor Hall Open / Registration & Badge Pick Up
9:00am - 3:00pm General Session/Exhibitor Hall
3:00pm - 4:00pm Associate Member Committee Meeting

Thursday, May 21st
8:00am - 12:00pm Exhibitor Hall Open
9:00am - 12:00pm General Session/Exhibitor Hall
12:45pm - 1:45pm ATA Board Meeting
1:45pm - 2:45pm AECA Board Meeting
4:00pm - 6:00pm Closing Reception

Session content will include the following:

• Alaska Economic Trends - Karinne Wiebold, Alaska Department of Labor

• Alaska Broadband Update: BEAD Update - Thomas Lochner, Alaska Broadband Office

• Federal Updates Panel - Virdina Gibbs, NTCA & Stephen Goodman, WTA

• Building Alaska’s Telecom Workforce: What’s Working & What Isn’t - Moderated by Emily Dodge, SGV

• What is DAS and Why is it the Leading Early Warning - Michael Maziarka, Lumetec

• Telecom Engineering Program - University of Alaska, School of Engineering

• AI in Broadband: Strategy Before Tools - Kevin Kutcher, K2 Strategies

• ICC and the IP Network Transition - Chris Barron, Aldrich

• Permiting & BEAD - Theresa Dutchuk, DOWL

• FCC Rules & Foreign Routers - Dan Scroggin, Calix

• The State of Alaska’s Municipalities - Alaska Municipal League

Transportation

Fly
Flying from Anchorage to Valdez is a 40 min flight over Prince William Sound with views of glaciers and incredible mountains reaching directly to the sea. Arctic Legacy Airlines is the airline that regularly flies into Valdez from Anchorage. Scheduled flights are limited, so contact them as soon as possible for reservations. ATA will add additional charter options if the regularly scheduled flights fill to capacity. Please email Shari at showalter@alaskatel.org for information about charters. Charters will need to be secured by the end of April.

DRIVE
Valdez can be reached by car, plane or Alaska ferry.  The drive from Anchorage to Valdez is roughly 6 hours. Yes, that’s a long road trip, but most definitely worth it. Check out http://www.alaska.org/guide/anchorage-to-valdez to learn more about what sites you would see along the drive.

FERRY
For a truly Alaskan visit, try the Alaska Marine Highway System and ferry over to Valdez from Whittier (approximately 1 hour south of Anchorage). Check the website to see if this option works for your travel plans.

Lodging

ATA has contracted room blocks at two hotels: Totem Hotel & Suites and the Best Western Harbor Inn. Instructions for making reservations are listed below. If you find the contracted properties at capacity, check out additional options listed on the Discover Valdez website.  Short term rental sites (Airbnb; VRBO) may also generate some addtional options.  We encourage you to ask questions and ensure you find the right lodging that fits your style.

Totem Hotel and Suites

Situated within walking distance of the conference venue in downtown Valdez, the Totem Hotel and Suites offers a breakfast buffet each morning along with a pool and exercise room.

Make reservations by calling the hotel directly at (907) 835-4443 and note that you are with the Alaska Telecom group. Reservations must be made by April 18, 2026.

Best Western Harbor Inn

Also within easy walking distance of the conference venue in downtown Valdez, the Best Western Harbor Inn offers picturesque views of the harbor and a hot continental breakfast each morning.

To make reservations, please call the hotel directly at (907) 835-3434 and reference the “AK Telecom” room block.

Additional Accommodation Options in Valdez, Alaska

Although ATA contracted with the two previous hotels for guest rooms, these will not host all of the attendees that we are hoping to have join us.

A listing of hotels and lodges is available at the Discover Valdez website.

There are also Airbnb and VRBO options around the city.

Attire

The attire for ATA conferences is business casual.  Our opening and closing dinners will be hosted inside/outside (weather permitting) and dress for those events is casual.  We suggest bringing lots of layers as the weather can be unpredictable.  Rain gear and good walking shoes are recommended in Alaska.