DeREN Team

Mark has over 20 years of designing and implementing enterprise and carrier grade network networks for the state, k-12 and Delaware’s higher education institutions. Mark currently serves as the Director of Network and Infrastructure Services at the University of Delaware and previously served as the Director of Network Engineering for the Department of Technology and information. Mark’s 20 year collaboration with the Department of Transportation and the University of Delaware has yielded extensive broadband expansion throughout the state and beyond, networking mid Atlantic states and institutions as well as establishing connectivity to carrier hotels in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Ashburn, Virginia. Mark architected Delaware’s broadband grant efforts in 2014 resulting in rural dark fiber expansion throughout Kent and Sussex County, Delaware This was further expanded, in a 2019 grant to deploy TD-LTE fixed wireless on licensed spectrum aimed at connecting Delaware’s unserved and underserved residents.

John brings over 20 years of academic research computing support with a focus on high performance computing and advanced visualization applications to UD-IT. He will work closely with the Vice President for Research, Scholarship, and Innovation as well as the college research deans and other key stakeholders in research computing including faculty, research centers, the University Library, and IT leadership to plan and provide the infrastructure, applications and services required to support the University’s diverse and growing research portfolio. John also will assist with the development of research computing strategies, deploy technologies to enable data intensive research programs, and improve coordination between university-wide and departmental IT teams.

Over the past 20 years Joe has served the University of Delaware (UD) in a variety of IT roles, learning the intricate details and strategy across UD’s administrative, instructional, research, and client support services. Currently Joe is the interim vice president of UD Information Technologies and CIO overseeing the 8 core IT units: Academic Technology Services, Client Support & Services, Enterprise Systems and Cloud Services, Information Security, Network & Infrastructure Services, Project Management Office, Research Cyberinfrastructure and University Media Services. Previously Joe served as the AVP for Client Support & Services and the interim director for Research Cyberinfrastructure.

Gwendolyn (Wendy) Huntoon has worked in the fields of high performance networking and computing for over 30 years and is currently co-PI on the NSF funded Women in IT Networking at SC (WINS) project aimed at addressing the prevalent gender gap that exists in Information Technology (IT). Throughout her career she has worked to enhance high performance networking infrastructure, technology, and services for the research community, including cyberinfrastructure deployment and network performance analysis and tuning. From 2014 – 2019 she was the president and CEO of KINBER, the Keystone Initiative for Network Based Education and Research where she expanded KINBER’s PennREN network and enhanced the support for campus and regional network infrastructure in support of science drivers and applications. Prior to joining KINBER, she was the Director of Advanced Networking at the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center and also served the Senior Director of Research and Science Engagement for Internet2’s CTO’s Office. She has a Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering from Northeastern University and a Bachelors Degree in Mathematics and History from Bowdoin College.

Rob brings over 30 years of state and national infrastructure experience, including creation of the Connecticut Education Network and serving as Vice President of Network Services for Internet2 where Rob was responsible for the management and operation of Internet2’s advanced global network, its relationships with regional and global network partners, and research and development for the network. Rob has successfully collaborated with dozens of research and education (R&E) community partners to create the environment that brought over $1.5B in ARRA stimulus funds to the R&E community. Prior to this role at Internet2, Rob worked at the University of Connecticut as the Founding Director and Network Architect of the Connecticut Education Network, where he led the development of the nation’s first all-optical K-20 education network. Since summer of 2022, Rob has led Insight Infrastructure Services, a consulting firm supporting state and regional network teams in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, and Vermont. He is a graduate of the University of Connecticut.