Cheryl Summers, Founder & CEO
A fierce negotiator who loves to fight for the underdog, Cheryl’s passion for the telecom industry was sparked while working at a cable startup when she was just out of college.
Prior to founding Leverage Broadband Strategies (formerly Leverage Cable Consulting) in 2011, Cheryl worked as Vice President of Programming for Cobridge Communications and Director of Programming for Broadstripe (formerly Millennium Digital Media), the 20th largest cable operator in the United States at the time. In her over twenty years of experience, Cheryl has become an expert in the telecom industry, gaining a deep understanding of product packaging strategies, contract management and compliance, new market launches, and consumer marketing. Cheryl has performed due diligence and participated in transition planning on behalf of client companies ranging in size from rural family-owned operations to Fortune 500 companies working through both acquisitions and sales of assets. She is a television content expert for national research firms such as Coleman Research and Beta Research Corporation, serves on the Board of Directors for Christians in Communications, and is active in the Mid-America Cable Association.
When she saw the problems that smaller telecom companies were facing in the shifting modern media landscape, Cheryl saw an opportunity to help. At Leverage Broadband Strategies, she brings her decades’ worth of accumulated expertise to each and every client, acting not just as a consultant but as a true partner.
In 2020, Cheryl was invited to contribute to The Anatomy of Accomplishment: Your Guide to Bigger, Better, Bolder Business Results, a best-selling anthology of stories and advice from female entrepreneurs and business leaders around the country. In her chapter, Cheryl dives into what it means to be an entrepreneur and lead with heart. Download Cheryl’s chapter of the anthology here. Cheryl is also active in community efforts to address domestic violence, and is a member of the Board of Directors for Turning Point Shelter and Advocacy Services, a St. Louis, Missouri area agency serving survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
Doug Maglothin, Partner & President
Doug joined the Leverage Broadband Strategies family in 2018 after being a Leverage customer since 2012. He now serves as Partner and President, and brings a wealth of experience in broadband strategy, M&A, and product development.
Doug serves our clients in a wide array of capacities from M&A and due diligence advisory to strategic plan guidance and to full executive outsourcing. From 2022 through 2024 he served as the inaugural CEO for Leverage client, Diamond State Networks, after leading the project from concept to market since 2020.
Prior to joining Leverage, Doug led Product Development, Product Management, and Cloud Solutions at Ritter Communications, and held product roles at Verizon Wireless and Alltel Wireless. Over the course of his career, he has participated in numerous telecom transactions and due diligence initiatives generating billions in valuation.
Doug holds both an Executive MBA and a Master of Information Systems degree from the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, where he was a Beta Gamma Sigma Scholar Award recipient. He also completed a Graduate Certificate in Enterprise Analytics and earned a B.S. in Marketing Management from Western Governors University, along with numerous vendor and telecom technology certifications.
Doug is active in passionate about community development and engages in philanthropic efforts and startup investment planning in his hometown of Jonesboro, Arkansas.
Interested in making us a part of your team? Just reach out.
Jeff Allinder, Vice President – Client Revenue Optimization
Trent Taylor, Vice President – Product Development
Trent joined Leverage Broadband Strategies as VP, Product Development in 2021 with nearly two decades of leadership experience in the telecommunications industry. Trent brings a wealth of knowledge regarding the entire product life cycle, as well as sales, customer experience and business development. Other specialties include negotiation, purchasing, contract and vendor management, and cross-functional cohesiveness.
Prior to Leverage, Trent worked on and eventually led the Product Development and Management team for Ritter Communications for nearly a decade. This team was focused on all things product-related for internet, video and voice, as well as many value-add based services. Prior to Ritter, Trent worked for the Office of State Procurement for the State of Arkansas and led the training department, while also managing many multi-million dollar state contracts. Prior to the State of Arkansas, he served in product and network procurement roles at both Verizon Wireless and Alltel Wireless.
Trent holds a B.S. in Marketing Management from Arkansas State University where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. He is one of the founding members of the Partner Advisory Council for NRTC. Trent is also active in the local Chamber of Commerce in Jonesboro, AR, and serves on the board of the Leadership Link program.
Tom Lasonde, Director of Implementation
Tom joined Leverage Broadband Strategies as Director of Implementation in 2022 with over two decades of project and program management experience in telecommunications. Tom’s superpower is bringing people and processes together to drive projects to completion and products to market. He’s a football fanatic who knows the importance of completing a drive and applies that same principle to his work.
Prior to Leverage, Tom’s most recent telecom projects had him overseeing the construction of broadband and IPTV headend systems for CSI Digital / yondoo Broadband. With CSI Digital, he also worked closely with MSOs, telecommunication operators, and municipalities to deploy yondoo TV, a fully managed IPTV video service.
Before his foray into terrestrial networks, he worked for EchoStar / DISH Network in Program Management, helping companies like Anheuser-Busch and RE/MAX deploy their private, corporate satellite networks. As well as managing the DISH Onboard Inflight TV service and key accounts: Google, Delta Air Lines, U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and the National Football League.
Tom is a veteran of the United States Air Force. He attended the USAF Avionics School and pursued his Electronics Engineering degree while serving in the Strategic Air Command. Tom is active in revitalizing and redeveloping his adopted town of Newberg, OR. He’s also a passionate RV hobbyist and admins an active Facebook group with over 24,000 followers.
The Leverage Council
Comprised of curated and carefully vetted industry experts, The Leverage Council provides our clients with access to insiders who can offer insights and advice on anything and everything in the telecom industry. For a complete list of all Leverage Council members, please contact us.
Feedback from our clients:
“The Leverage Broadband Strategies team is conscientious, proactive, and knowledgeable. They are our strategic partners and consultants—and by outsourcing specific functions to them, our team has time to focus on mission-critical objectives.”
“Leverage has its own fan club inside the company at all levels and departments.”
“I initially had concerns about what I was going to pay Leverage, but they’re going to pay me back 10X or more.”
“Leverage made our team stronger by coming up with a detailed strategic plan. Leverage complements the other engineering firms that we currently have. They created operational efficiency and helped our VPs and managers create the mission to continue forward.
South Central Connect wanted to connect our community with broadband.
Leverage Broadband Strategies connected us with the expertise to make this happen.”
“The complexity and intensity of video content negotiation has become a battlefield of sorts in recent years. There is a great amount at stake on both sides of the table. And ‘leverage’ is the perfect word to describe the environment. In getting to know and work with Cheryl, I’m confident that all medium to small cable companies and video providers should work with her. She knows how to negotiate contracts and ensure that her customers are getting the best deals possible. I’m not sure why a smaller company or emerging company without fully dedicated resources wouldn’t want to have that assurance. Her company, Leverage, is uniquely positioned in their segment.”
“The folks at Leverage have a wealth of experience of understanding the nuances of programming contracts, especially NCTC Agreements. They are able to help members navigate the complicated terms of programming agreements as well.”
Ready to talk? Contact us to see how Leverage Broadband Strategies can support your broadband business.
Broadband Bulletin Recent Posts
FAST Channels: Why They Matter to Internet Providers
By: Cheryl Summers | Read Time: 3 mins. This blog explores: FAST is a Strategic Must-Have FAST Strengthens Bundles Live TV Habits Are Changing FAST Channels: Why They Matter to Internet Providers You’ve likely [...]
The Bundle Isn’t Dead—It’s Evolving
By: Cheryl Summers | Read Time: 2-3 mins. This blog explores: Bundling Drives Retention Consumers Want Simplicity and Aggregation The Bundle is a Strategic Defense The Bundle Isn’t Dead—It’s Evolving. Here’s Why That Matters [...]
The Planning Fallacy: Why Broadband Providers Miscalculate Time and Costs – And How to Fix It
By: Tom Lasonde | Read Time: 6 mins. This blog explores: Understanding The Planning Fallacy Why The Planning Fallacy Happens Real-World Examples in Broadband Strategies to Avoid The Planning Fallacy The Role of Expert Guidance in [...]