On the night of December 2, 2024 in London, SSPI and its UK Chapter held their annual Dinner to present Awards to three individuals and organizations that have made the world a far better place through their efforts. In this podcast series, you will hear their stories. The second episode features Will Mudge, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Speedcast, who joins us to discuss Speedcast's provision of essential connectivity solutions during humanitarian crises and natural disasters.

Will Mudge is the Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Speedcast. In his current role, Will is responsible for managing 600 people across 44 countries with disciplines including supply chain, field engineering, IP engineering, teleports, R&D, NOC and systems engineering. He has built and improved numerous high-performing teams at Speedcast and is also an active contributor in industry panels and podcasts as well as a creator of video content and author of multiple papers. Before his current role, Will served as Vice President of Engineering Operations at Speedcast, a role in which he was responsible for a large part of Speedcast's global infrastructure and the delivery of a positive experience to customers. Prior to his current role, Will served as the Director of Satellite Capacity and Technology at Speedcast, developing global teleport and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation strategies. He also previously served as the Director of Satellite Capacity and Technology, the R&D engineering lead, and as a strategic product marketing manager and program manager at Speedcast (formerly as Harris CapRock). Will holds a Bachelor's degree in Engineering Physics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Speedcast has consistently demonstrated a commitment to humanitarian aid and disaster response efforts by providing essential connectivity solutions during crises. In areas affected by natural disasters, the company has delivered reliable communications as a vital lifeline for both the affected communities and first responders working to aid them. In May 2024, Speedcast contributed to disaster response efforts in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, when the region experienced catastrophic flooding. Rio Grande do Sul received an entire year's worth of rain in a matter of hours, leading to widespread landslides, the collapse of a key dam and many deaths. Speedcast took quick action to donate and deliver Starlink terminal kits and airtime to the Brazilian government, providing necessary connectivity to police, hospitals, the Brazilian army and various local and state government departments, which dramatically improved disaster response efforts. These quick-to-deploy solutions from Speedcast proved instrumental in reaching isolated areas and supporting recovery operations. Read more about Speedcast.