Nothing stays the same forever, and we want to formally thank Bob Metcalfe, founding member of the US Ignite Board of Directors, for his seven years of tireless service before he heads off on a well-deserved sabbatical.

Bob – who is also professor of innovation and entrepreneurship at UT Austin, the inventor of Ethernet, and founder of 3Com – is leaving the US Ignite Board after helping to launch the organization in 2012 and guiding US Ignite’s growth from its infancy through its success today. The advice and guidance that Bob has provided over these years, drawing on his tremendous experience as an entrepreneur and network scientist, have proven invaluable as we continue our mission of advocating for smarter networks and communities.

But this is not goodbye! After he returns from his upcoming sabbatical, Bob has agreed to reprise his founding role as the first member of the to-be-formed US Ignite Advisory Council. More information about the Council and ways you can join will be provided this fall.

Additionally, US Ignite is proud to announce two new members of its Board this year: Dorothy Robyn and John Leibovitz. Dorothy is a public policy expert who writes and consults on transportation, energy and telecommunications policy and has served in numerous senior appointed roles in the Department of Defense, the General Services Administration, and the White House National Economic Council. John is a Venture Partner with Columbia Capital, and he previously served in leadership roles at the Federal Communications Commission and as a wireless networking entrepreneur. You can learn more about John and Dorothy from the Board of Directors page on our new website. We are honored to have them join the US Ignite family, and we look forward to their help and advice as we continue to grow and evolve.