Mr Paul Garnett

Paul Garnett is an accomplished leader with over 25 years of experience in telecommunications and technology law and policy, market development, business development, strategic alliances, and technology and business model incubation. Prior to founding the Vernonburg Group, Paul created and led Microsoft’s Airband Initiative, leveraging a partner-driven approach to extending broadband access to unserved communities in the U.S. and globally. The Airband Initiative’s portfolio encompassed over 100 projects in 20 countries across 5 continents, where Paul and his team worked with internet service providers, energy access providers, and other partners to deploy new last-mile access technologies, cloud-based services, and business models that extended broadband internet access for tens of millions of people. Paul and his team also focused on key enabling verticals such as agriculture, education, healthcare, and small business. While at Microsoft, Paul was also the founder and Chairman of the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance.

Throughout his career, Paul has consistently been drawn to the challenge of universal access. As Assistant Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, at CTIA-The Wireless Association​, he represented the U.S. wireless industry before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the U.S. Congress. Paul also worked at the FCC in its Wireline Competition Bureau working on complex rule makings on universal service and intercarrier compensation regulations. Paul was an Associate in Swidler Berlin’s telecommunications practice and a Consultant at Price Waterhouse advising on the privatization of state-owned telecommunications and utility monopolies. Paul Garnett earned his bachelor's degree in political science at Union College and his law degree at the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law. Paul is a member of the Bar of the District of Columbia.