MSNBC’s “The Practical Futurist”
and Technology Expert

One of the nation's leading experts on the impact of technology on business and society, he is Futurist-in-Residence for The New York Times Company, as well an interactive media pioneer, novelist and journalist. He also writes the popular Practical Futurist column for MSNBC. 

Previously he was vice president of The Washington Post Company's new media division, helping guide both the newspaper and its sister publication Newsweek in the new century, as well as editor and general manager of Newsweek.com. Rogers is also a best-selling novelist whose fiction explores the human impact of technology.

A captivating and entertaining speaker and frequent guest on radio and television, Rogers provides a clear, common-sense vision of technologic change for both businesses and individuals. He prefers to customize presentations to each client's needs, and his topics can range from managing change to the implications of the Internet and the human issues of living and working with technology. He combines a deep knowledge of technology with practical business experience, and has addressed audiences worldwide ranging from venture capitalists and corporate executives to educators, students and the general public.

Mark Wegleitner's responsibilities include technology assessment, network architecture, platform development and laboratory testing for the local and long distance wireline communications businesses, as well as network planning for local wireline communications. In his current role, he and his organization support all wireline business units in the management of technology and network matters.

Prior to his current assignment, Wegleitner served as Vice President, Technology & Engineering at Bell Atlantic Network Services, where he was responsible for all technology and engineering functions. And prior to that, he was CTO at Bell Atlantic Network Services.

Since joining Bell Atlantic, he has also held a variety of other management positions in strategic planning, network architecture, technology development, information systems, research and development, broadband implementation and new services technology.

Wegleitner began his career with Bell Telephone Laboratories in local switching systems development. He later joined the exchange switching systems design organization at AT&T General Departments, where he had responsibility for the introduction of new features and services on local switching systems. He held another brief assignment with Bell Laboratories in local switching systems engineering before transferring to Bell Atlantic.

Wegleitner received a B.A. in mathematics from St. John's University, and an M.S. in electrical engineering and computer science from the University of California at Berkeley.