Kim Friends is a nationally recognized expert in the Universal Service Administrative Company’s E-Rate program. She participated in the ground floor of the program, training school districts throughout San Bernardino County to effectively and efficiently take advantage of the funds provided through the reauthorization of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Ms. Friends intimately understands the E-Rate process and program and is considered one of the very few premier experts in her field.

Cathy has guided CSM's clients to success in the E-Rate program for over 20 years. She leads CSM's efforts to educate members of Congress, the Federal Communications Commission, national educational organizations, and state and local leaders on how E-Rate impacts our clients at the local level and to ensure our clients' concerns are heard.

In 2004, Frank started consulting with school districts on other Federal reimbursement programs and joined CSM Consulting as an E-Rate Consultant.  He specializes in helping schools and libraries navigate the E-Rate program with confidence, from competitive bidding to post-funding audits. Frank has become a trusted advisor, guiding districts through every step of the E-Rate program. His ability to combine financial precision with a dedication to education has helped countless schools thrive.

Nicholas Cichella is a Certified E-Rate Management Professional at CSM Consulting, Inc., where he partners with schools and libraries to successfully navigate the complexities of the E-Rate program.
Nicholas brings deep expertise in compliance, funding optimization, and strategic program management. He is dedicated to helping organizations secure and sustain critical connectivity funding while maintaining full adherence to E-Rate requirements. His practical, client-focused approach ensures that districts and libraries maximize available resources while strengthening long-term program integrity.

Lehna Markarian is a Senior Consultant at CSM and a Certified E-rate Management Professional (E-MPA) with more than 15 years of experience navigating the E-rate program. She specializes in competitive bidding, regulatory strategy, funding optimization, and risk mitigation, helping districts approach E-rate with clarity and confidence. With deep program knowledge and a warm, approachable manner, Lehna has earned a reputation as “the friendly face of E-rate” among the districts she serves. Her commitment to detail and professional growth ensure districts achieve the best possible funding outcomes while staying ahead of an evolving regulatory landscape.

Over his 14 years with CSM’s E-Rate division, Shawn has overseen tens of thousands of post commitment processes including those in the USAC legacy system and/or the USAC E-Rate Productivity Center including BEAR Forms, SPIN Changes, Service Substitutions, Forms 500, Invoice Deadline and Service Delivery Deadline extensions, Service Certifications, and PQA responses. He also has extensive experience ineffectively assisting the E-Rate applicants with high-level audits and performing advanced reconciliations of invoicing and reimbursements. Shawn’s expansive insight and experience make him one of the nationally recognized experts in the E-Rate post-commitment process.

Samantha Cichella is a senior E-rate consultant with extensive experience guiding school districts through the E-rate program and application process. As a Certified E-rate Management Professional (E-MPA), she brings advanced knowledge of program rules, compliance requirements, and ethical E-rate management. Samantha partners closely with school districts to support the full E-rate lifecycle, from planning and competitive bidding through application filing, funding commitment, and receipt of eligible funds. Her strong attention to detail helps districts maximize eligible funding while maintaining program compliance. Samantha remains committed to ongoing professional development to ensure districts receive accurate and complete support through a constantly evolving program.

Jessica Olsen brings over two decades of experience in the E-Rate program, serving school districts, charter schools, and libraries nationwide. As a Senior E-Rate Consultant at CSM Consulting, she supports clients through the entire E-Rate lifecycle from drafting RFPs and reviewing bids to ensuring regulatory compliance and maximizing funding opportunities. Jessica is a Certified E-rate Management Professional (CEMP), widely recognized for her deep understanding of FCC guidelines, her practical insights, and her ability to cultivate lasting client relationships.

Fred Josephs has been involved with the Schools and Libraries Program (E-rate) since 2009. Starting his career at the Universal Service Administrative Company conducting Program Integrity Assurance (PIA) reviews, he later transitioned to E-rate consulting on behalf of applicants. This dual experience gives Fred a unique perspective on the program, enabling him to guide clients through FCC processes efficiently while maximizing program benefits. He is highly skilled in navigating federal program rules and ensuring compliance, making him a trusted advisor in the E-rate community.

Jessica Diego is an accomplished E-Rate Specialist with four years of experience guiding school districts and consultants through the full E-Rate application and compliance lifecycle at CSM. She partners closely with consultants and districts on Category One (C1) and Category Two (C2) funding strategies, ensuring precise documentation, regulatory compliance, and audit readiness.

Garrett Cichella is a strategic financing professional with over eight years of experience supporting school districts in developing and implementing sustainable funding solutions. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Garrett specializes in helping educational institutions navigate complex funding programs, optimize resources, and align financial strategies with long-term technology and infrastructure goals. His work focuses on strengthening district operations through effective planning, compliance, and strategic investment in educational initiatives.

Paul A. Stankus, Manager of E-Rate Compliance, has been involved in E-Rate since nearly the beginning, with a quarter century of Universal Service Fund experience. For six years, he was the Ombudsman at the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) where he addressed over 2500 persistently difficult issues for applicants nationwide. As a consultant with CSM since 2012, Paul has conducted over 400 Competitive bidding projects for E-Rate funding representing over $234 million in funding. He holds a Masters of Public Policy (MPP) from Georgetown University and a Bachelors of Arts (BA) from Gettysburg College. Paul specializes in helping applicants design their networks in such a way to follow the E-Rate rules to maximize federal funds for their schools.

While his first professional experience was at Wall Street financial giants like Bankers Trust, Chase Bank and Fidelity Investments, Al Arauz brings well over two decades of E-rate background to the position. A graduate of Syracuse University‘s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Affairs (Economics & Spanish Literature), Al spent the 1990s working for those aforementioned Banks and Brokerage houses.

Since the early 2000s his journey has run the gamut of the E-rate program. Starting with USAC Program Integrity Assurance and quickly establishing himself as a USAC Selective Reviewer for half a decade, Al moved on to the Consulting field. Equipped with this program experience, Al then moved to the Southeast to work at the Florida Department of Management Services where he was one of two State E-rate Coordinators servicing the entire state. It was at this juncture that he successfully filed for three years of E-rate funding for all state applicants that used the 13 E-rate eligible State Master contracts (SUNSOM) and simultaneously served as the E-rate advocate for Florida’s applicant community. Since 2015, Al has been heading CSM’s Tallahassee office helping the state’s largest counties navigate the E-Rate minefield.

Aaron brings more than 25 years of hands on and executive experience across the technology industry. He began his career in the late 1990s servicing a help desk, advancing through Network Manager as enterprise IT rapidly evolved. In the mid 2000s, Aaron served as Director of IT for an urban development firm and became a client of Intelesys. He later joined Intelesys in 2012 as a VoIP Engineer, leading largescale ShoreTel deployments for public sector organizations, and quickly progressed into senior operations leadership. Over the next decade, he built and managed cross functional teams spanning service delivery, cybersecurity, network projects, and account management. Today, as CEO of Intelesys, Aaron leads an MSP organization focused on secure, scalable solutions for the public sector with a focus on cybersecurity and secure AI adoption.

Kevin Sewell brings decades of experience to Intelesys. He works alongside executive leadership to help districts and other community-serving agencies strengthen cybersecurity practices, improve operational resilience, and plan for the responsible use of emerging technologies, including AI. Kevin is known for a practical, consultative approach—bringing stakeholders together to align technology decisions with governance, privacy, and long-term sustainability. His work often centers on risk reduction, secure communication, and modernization efforts that support reliable services and better outcomes for the organizations he serves.