Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Episode 68: Getting ahead of the game: Pre-planning for Super Bowl LVII

The Super Bowl — America’s largest sporting event — requires significant pre-planning to ensure the safety of players, staff, and spectators. Coordinating public safety communications for Super Bowl LVII involved more than a dozen different cities and jurisdictions and posed unique challenges, including overlap with another major sporting event the same week. Through the FirstNet Authority’s Network Experience Engagement Program, public safety officials in Arizona received pre-planning assistance for the Super Bowl, helping responders be ready on game day.

Joseph M. Wassel

Joseph M. Wassel
Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Joseph Wassel is the Executive Director (CEO) of the First Responder Network Authority. He is responsible for overall management of all FirstNet Authority operations and the organization’s strategic direction, to include its unique public-private arrangement to deploy and enhance the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network.

Will Weinig

Will Weinig
Assistant Executive Director, Chief Procurement Officer

Mr. William Weinig leads a skilled and diverse team of procurement professionals managing the FirstNet Authority investment and procurement spend. Prior to joining the FirstNet Authority, he supported the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Contracting. Will's government career has also included time supporting the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, the U.S. Navy, and the Federal Aviation Administration. He learned the art of contracting while in private industry and started his professional career as a soldier in the U.S. Army.

Renee Gordon

Renee Gordon

Renee Gordon has served as the City of Alexandria Department of Emergency & Customer Communications Director since 2015. In addition, she serves as a Commissioner for the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). Previously, Director Gordon was the Director of 911 and Emergency Communications in Baltimore, Maryland. She began her public safety career as a member of the Prince George's County (MD) Police Department and transitioned to public safety communications in 2008.

Subscribe to