Debra Freitas

Honestly, I was a little caught off guard but very honored. It feels amazing to be recognized by my peers, especially after spending so much of my career out of the limelight. I’m grateful and humbled. Having my work acknowledged in this way is deeply meaningful. It makes me proud not just for myself, but for everyone who has been part of the journey.

The timing felt right for both me and LSC to put ourselves out there. We’ve built an incredible team and are doing truly exciting work in the market right now. I’m proud of what we’re accomplishing and felt this was the moment to step forward and share it. Receiving this recognition affirmed that we’re heading in the right direction, and it’s exciting to see LSC gaining this kind of visibility.

A major turning point for LSC—and for me personally—was when we took on metro rings in key markets, including Tulsa, Oklahoma; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Phoenix, Arizona. That shift pushed us beyond our comfort zone and forced us to scale quickly. It required building a new kind of team and putting critical infrastructure in place. The market itself was at a transformative moment, and everything we’d done up to that point felt like preparation for this leap. It wasn’t always easy. We faced hurdles, a lack of market recognition, and the added challenge of my being a woman CEO in a male-dominated industry. But we kept moving forward. In hindsight, we were unknowingly preparing for this very moment—with the rise of artificial intelligence and other high-performance computing technologies.

Absolutely. Expanding into metro networks brought a host of challenges, especially navigating various agreements and working with local and state governments. It’s been a learning curve, but our team has done a fantastic job adapting. We’ve been intentional about bringing in strong talent and recognizing where support is needed. Growth doesn’t come without growing pains, but we’ve remained proactive and resilient throughout.

The response on social media has been incredibly kind. It’s given me a little more visibility and credibility in the industry, which is great. As CEO, I’ve always been focused on building, but now I’m also being seen. That recognition is powerful. What means even more is seeing the impact it can have on younger women in tech. A few have already reached out, and that’s really special. I hope this inspires more women to step forward and lead in this space.

It forces you to pause and reflect. I’m not someone who naturally promotes myself, so this process made me stop and think about what I—and LSC—have accomplished. It’s easy to keep your head down and just keep moving forward, but reflecting on the “why” behind what we’re doing at LSC was powerful. Taking that time to reflect is a benefit in itself.

Without a doubt, Pete Empie Sr. has played a major role in helping me get to this point in my career. He’s been my right hand through it all, and we’re completely in sync. He’s a cheerleader when I need one and a critic when it counts—something I value tremendously. His honesty, support, and insight have been vital to everything we’ve accomplished.

AI is front and center. It’s driving the industry forward, and we’ve positioned LSC to help lead the way. The industry is shifting fast, and we’re building with that speed in mind. Our strategy is to move quickly, build strategically and stay ahead of what’s next.

Be confident enough to be wrong. Early on, I hesitated to take risks because I feared failure. But those failures often taught me the most. They shaped my next steps and made me better. Taking risks — even the wrong ones — is often the best way to grow.

Keep your message clear and impactful. You don’t need to include every detail—focus on what truly matters. Be concise, tell your story, and make sure your key points shine. Don’t underestimate the value of simply submitting. Even if you don’t win, the process of reflection is incredibly worthwhile.

We’re continuing to build aggressively across key U.S. markets. There’s much ahead of us, and we’re positioning ourselves to make a real impact in the space. While I can’t share specifics just yet, we’re moving forward boldly and expansively.

Just deep gratitude for the award, for the recognition, and for being honored alongside such amazing peers. I’m especially thankful to our marketing team for submitting the nomination. It means so much to be seen and celebrated like this.