WIA Foundation Announces $150,000 in Funding for Telecom Trailblazers Initiative
ARLINGTON, VA – Today, the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) Foundation announced U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX) as recipients of its inaugural Wireless Leadership Awards.
Senator Capito and Congresswoman Fletcher received the awards during the annual Wireless Women’s Leadership Luncheon in Washington, D.C., hosted by the WIA Foundation in partnership with Women’s Wireless Leadership Forum (WWLF), powered by WIA.
“On behalf of WIA, the WIA Foundation and WWLF, we are honored to present Senator Capito and Congresswoman Fletcher with the 2025 Wireless Leadership Awards,” said Patrick Halley, President and CEO, WIA. “They are forward-leaning national leaders who have consistently supported policies to advance the full capabilities of wireless communications.”
“In addition to their policy prowess, Senator Capito and Congresswoman Fletcher are exemplars and have paved the way forward for the next generation to lead our connected future,” said Amy Jo Samuel, WIA Foundation Chair and Vice President, Data and Digital Solutions, U.S. Tower Division, American Tower Corporation. “For their commitment and dedication, WIA Foundation is pleased to name them as our first Wireless Leadership Awards recipients.”
The WIA Foundation established the Wireless Leadership Awards to recognize leaders in government and the wireless infrastructure industry who embody the organization’s mission to advance the industry, including support for a strong wireless workforce necessary to achieve WIA’s mission of connectivity everywhere.
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito
Katharine Saunders, Vice President & Deputy Counsel for Verizon announces Senator Capito as a recipient of the WIA Foundation’s inaugural Wireless Leadership Awards.
As West Virginia’s first female United States Senator, Senator Capito has made it a point to inspire the next generation of female leaders. In 2015, she launched her West Virginia Girls Rise Up program to empower young women through education, physical fitness, and self-confidence. She has also been a leader in closing the digital divide, both in West Virginia and across the country, with legislation like the Rural Broadband Protection Act as well as consistent advocacy for fixed wireless home internet.
Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher
Cathy Piche, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Crown Castle announces Congresswoman Fletcher as a recipient of WIA Foundation’s inaugural Wireless Leadership Awards.
Congresswoman Fletcher has been a leader in supporting the importance of strong Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs for students and their importance in preparing young people for the jobs of the future. She has been a constant advocate for broadband and wireless expansion, including sponsoring the bipartisan Reforming Broadband Connectivity Act and the Broadband Incentives for Communities Act, which encourages communities to improve permitting processes and deploy wireless faster. Fletcher has also been dedicated to ensuring connectivity benefits everyone through her support of the Affordable Connectivity Program and urging the FCC to expand language offerings for Wireless Emergency Alerts.
WIA Foundation Invests in Expansion of Telecom Trailblazers Initiative
During the Wireless Women’s Leadership Luncheon, the WIA Foundation Board also announced it will provide $150,000 in funding to Telecom Trailblazers. Telecom Trailblazers is a WWLF initiative to encourage STEM learning, teach young women about digital infrastructure and inspire them to pursue careers in telecommunications. Telecom Trailblazers was established in 2024, reaching numerous students who were shown the incredible opportunities possible through careers in the wireless industry. The program expects to expand the number of events and outreach in 2025.
“We are very pleased with the results of the Telecom Trailblazers program in its first year and we are excited to take the initiative to the next level with the WIA Foundation’s support,” said Victoria Weidenthaler, President of WWLF. “Our goal is to reach more girls and provide experiences that will pique their interest in STEM fields like the telecom industry, encouraging them to be the innovators we need for our connected future.”