CableLabs CEO and leadership

Belal Hamzeh is Chief Technology Officer at CableLabs, where he leads technology innovation across CableLabs and works with industry stakeholders on defining the technology roadmap.



Belal is a senior technology leader with a proven track record in leading the development of state of the art communication technologies. He has a strong track record in establishing, developing and managing high performance high impact multidisciplinary teams and leading complex projects. He is also skilled at establishing strategic collaborations and fostering team work across functional organizations.

Leveraging his strong technical background, Belal has extensive experience in technology development lifecycle from definition to deployment. He has led various research and development activities for wireless (Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G & 5G) and wired (DOCSIS) technologies. Working with technology experts and industry representatives from suppliers and cable operators, Belal led the fastest technology development life cycle for the latest generation DOCSIS technology (DOCSIS 3.1).

In addition to leading and fostering innovation, he has a keen eye for identifying strategic projects that have a positive impact on the industry. He is consistently recognized for technical competency, leadership, vision, and result orientation.



Specialties: Technology Leadership/Vision/Evolution, Research & Development, Team Leadership and Management, Stakeholder Management, Wireless Technologies (Wi-Fi, WiMAX, LTE, LAA LTE, LTE-U, 5G), Wired Technologies (DOCSIS), Threat and Opportunity Assessment, Standards and IP development, System Architecture and Performance, RF modeling, PHY protocols

Chris is currently coo emeritus and senior executive advisor for CableLabs leading special projects and initiatives, including the integration of SCTE as a key part of CableLabs, together with supporting relationships across industry associations including ACA Connects, The Cable Center, CCSA, the Emma Bowen Foundation, NCTA, NCTC and WICT. Prior to this, Chris served as senior vice president and chief operating officer at CableLabs directing accounting and finance, IT, facilities and membership development. He remains committed to relationships with mid-sized and smaller MSOs, as well as with international cable operators in Asia, Europe and Latin America, key communities he built at CableLabs.

Chris currently serves as a member of the board of directors of The Cable Center and the Emma Bowen Foundation and is actively involved in committees and/or support for several national and international industry trade associations. He is a member of the Cable TV Pioneers (Class of 2021).

Prior to joining CableLabs in 1997, Chris was president and CEO of Western Communications, a mid-sized multiple system operator with cable systems located in the Western United States. Before that, Chris was a partner with the San Francisco law firm of Cooper, White & Cooper.

Chris received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Chicago School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree with distinction from Stanford University.

Courtney Seely is the Chief Legal Officer at CableLabs. She is responsible for leading

all legal, regulatory and patent activities for CableLabs and its subsidiaries, supporting

telecommunications and Internet industries around the world. In this role, Courtney is

directly involved in complex business transactions and manages the transaction-

based legal function, including all legal and regulatory compliance, corporate

governance, intellectual property protection and technology transfer functions.

Prior to CableLabs, Courtney held various executive-level legal and risk management

positions within global public and private companies of all sizes and at all life-cycle

stages across a broad array of highly regulated industries. In such roles, she focused

on mergers and acquisitions, complex commercial transactions, corporate finance and

corporate governance and led multi-jurisdictional and multi-functional teams. Courtney

began her career in private practice at Dechert LLP in Philadelphia, PA as an

Associate in the Corporate and Securities Group where she focused on general

corporate and securities matters, concentrating on mergers, acquisitions and

dispositions, venture capital financings, corporate finance transactions and federal

and state securities matters for leading private equity fund sponsors and their portfolio

companies, as well as strategic buyers and sellers.

Courtney received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Lehigh University in

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and Juris Doctorate degree from The Villanova University

Charles Widger School of Law in Villanova, Pennsylvania. She currently serves as a

member of the Board of Directors for the Colorado Chapter of the Association of

Corporate Counsel. Outside of the office, Courtney enjoys spending time with her two

sons and two dogs and is an outdoor enthusiast with a particular passion for running,

skiing and hiking.

Ike Elliott is President & CEO of Kyrio. At Kyrio, a subsidiary of CableLabs, Ike leads a growing provider of services for the connectivity industry, including broadband device testing, security analysis, and software services. Ike transitioned to Kyrio full time in late 2020 after leading the CableLabs Strategy team for a decade, including five years as Chief Strategy Officer, which also included stints leading innovation services, advanced technology projects, technology outreach and marketing.

Before joining CableLabs, Ike held senior executive operating and strategy roles at Level 3 Communications and Unity Business Networks. He was also the president and founder of Practiq Strategy Consultants. In 1999, Ike co-founded the International Softswitch Consortium and served as its president and chairman for three years.

Ike began his career in software development and network architecture. He is an inventor with three dozen patents and continuations. Ike serves on the board for the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers, and on the board of Global Hope, a non-profit that provides homes and care for orphaned and vulnerable children. He received a Bachelor of Science in computer science from James Madison University, and a Master of Science in computer science from Johns Hopkins University.

Jeff Chen is the Senior Vice President and Chief Relationship Officer at CableLabs, a non-profit research and development lab, funded by the global cable industry, that develops technologies and specifications for the secure delivery of high-speed data, video, voice and next-generation services. As a member of the executive team, Jeff is valued for his 360-degree view from cable operators and vendor partners. The cable industry owes its success to collaborative innovations from all players in the ecosystem. Jeff and his team work together with members and vendors to understand their needs and help bridge communications with CableLabs resources.

Jeff started his career as a cable engineer at Rogers in Toronto, and later joined the team at Bright House Networks as SVP, Advanced Technology. He worked closely with industry partners including CableLabs, NCTA and fellow cable operators to ensure smooth and speedy adoption of new technology to serve customer needs.

Jeff received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science Degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Connecticut, and has completed executive training programs at the University of Toronto and Dartmouth College. He has served as a guest lecturer for executive training programs at the University Denver. During his leisure time, Jeff enjoys skiing and he is a passionate supporter of SkiTAM, a charity for the U.S.

Paralympic Ski and Snowboard Teams.

Leslie Hielema is the senior vice president and chief marketing officer at CableLabs, the innovation and research lab for the cable industry. She is responsible for marketing, communications, and thought leadership as well as marketing for emerging products and services across CableLabs and its subsidiaries SCTE, a professional association; and Kyrio, a testing and software services company.

Throughout her career, Leslie has been called upon to launch and scale ideas into sustainable change, generating positive human impact and business outcomes. Translating complex technology and science into products, services, solutions, and programs, she influences markets, ecosystems, and industries. Her work includes commercializing technology, CEO of a membership organization focused on economic development, and management of high-profile innovation and entrepreneurial centers. As a technologist, she has led efforts in R&D at Bell Labs, software engineering for the U.S. Navy, and new product development for AT&T in Europe.

Leslie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the Florida Institute of Technology, a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan, and a Master of Science in International Management from Boston University. She has lived and worked around the world and offers a global perspective to all that she does.

Lori Lantz is the Chief People Officer at CableLabs. As a member of the executive team, her focus is on the organizational and cultural development of CableLabs and its affiliates. She leads the alignment of strategic talent management with the overall business strategy and vision of CableLabs. One of Lori’s priorities is to provide professional development opportunities to all employees which enable high functioning teams to thrive. Equally important is an emphasis on building high trust relationships and developing exceptional leaders. Inspired by encounters with diverse and interesting people, she is passionate about helping them increase their capacity and confidence in their roles across the organization.

Prior to CableLabs, Lori held various positions in Human Resources at National Jewish Health in Denver. Most recently she was the Director of Learning and Development where she developed a leadership academy to provide “knowledge and wisdom to lead” to create a highly engaged workforce.

Lori received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resource Management from Pacific Lutheran University and Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Regis University. She holds the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification, as well as certifications in a variety of organizational development and personality assessment tools. A native of Colorado, Lori enjoys spending time at her mountain cabin, and loves all things musical including singing, playing the piano, and attending concerts and music festivals. She has two children who are budding musicians.

Mike Mehrtens is a SVP, Chief Financial Officer at CableLabs.

Ron Reuss is Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at CableLabs. He is responsible for the development and evolution of CableLabs’ strategy. Ron and his team work with CableLabs colleagues, members, and across the cable ecosystem to develop and deliver insights about customers, network behavior, markets, costs and competition. Ron’s team is also responsible for the management of innovation processes and working with teams to develop innovations, helping to ensure CableLabs’ ability to consistently bring game-changing solutions to the cable industry.

Ron has over 30 years of experience in the communications industry and was formerly Vice President of Technology Strategy at CableLabs. Prior to his tenure at CableLabs, he held roles in product management, product development and venture investment at

companies including Level 3 Communications, BellSouth, and Gray Ventures.

Ron holds a Master of Science degree in Management from Georgia Institute of Technology, a Master of Science degree in Computer Science from University of Pennsylvania and Bachelor of Science degrees in Computer Science and Humanities from MIT. He is also a certified competitive intelligence professional.

Chris is currently coo emeritus and senior executive advisor for CableLabs leading special projects and initiatives, including the integration of SCTE as a key part of CableLabs, together with supporting relationships across industry associations including ACA Connects, The Cable Center, CCSA, the Emma Bowen Foundation, NCTA, NCTC and WICT. Prior to this, Chris served as senior vice president and chief operating officer at CableLabs directing accounting and finance, IT, facilities and membership development. He remains committed to relationships with mid-sized and smaller MSOs, as well as with international cable operators in Asia, Europe and Latin America, key communities he built at CableLabs.

Chris currently serves as a member of the board of directors of The Cable Center and the Emma Bowen Foundation and is actively involved in committees and/or support for several national and international industry trade associations. He is a member of the Cable TV Pioneers (Class of 2021).

Prior to joining CableLabs in 1997, Chris was president and CEO of Western Communications, a mid-sized multiple system operator with cable systems located in the Western United States. Before that, Chris was a partner with the San Francisco law firm of Cooper, White & Cooper.

Chris received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Chicago School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree with distinction from Stanford University.