Meet Bill Chellis: Transition Support Coordinator

About Bill: Bill Chellis joined the NGN team in late 2023, stepping into the role of Next Generation Network Transition Support Coordinator for the Bravo Team. His extensive IT background, refined over 16 years, has equipped him with a wealth of experience in field engineering, customer technical support, and data center operations. Along the way, he’s honed his skills in client communication, planning, and documentation—key tools for navigating the complex transitions required by the NGN project.

Bill’s NGN Journey: In his role, Bill reviews and validates network scans as part of the CoreVN process, ensuring every device in a building is accounted for and ready for migration. This involves coordinating with stakeholders, identifying specialty devices, and crafting custom migration plans when needed. On-site walkthroughs are a highlight of the job for Bill, allowing him to see firsthand the diverse and impactful work being done across Yale’s campus. From 3D printer farms in the School of Architecture to advanced research labs, every building tells a story.

The transition support team contributes to the seamless transitions that set the stage for Yale’s future, ensuring each validated scan paves the way for deployment engineers and advanced prep teams to do their work efficiently.

Exciting Challenges: For Bill, the NGN project is an opportunity to account for each and every connected device and rebuild a network that’s fast, secure, and adaptable. He finds it rewarding to see how the new technology directly supports the important work of Yale’s faculty and staff. He’s especially proud of the team’s work on the Rudolph and Loria buildings, where his organizational skills—and a few Powershell scripts—kept complex tasks on track. Bill reminds us that this team is really good at setting each other up for success.

Beyond the Office: Life isn’t all networks and code for Bill. He and his wife, Ali, have been married for 26 years and live with Ali’s special needs son Jordan and their two dogs: Bersa, a loyal German Shepherd, and Blondie, a white retriever they jokingly call Brian Griffin’s stunt double. A passionate amateur astronomer, Bill has chased solar eclipses from Vermont to Tennessee and helped organize stargazing events in Connecticut and California. He also enjoys classic rock, cooking, and the thrill of finding art treasures at the Yale University Art Gallery.

You May Not Know: Before transitioning to IT, Bill worked as a postman in Oxford, CT during the tumultuous Anthrax attacks of 2001. An Oxford resident died after receiving an anthrax laced letter which led to worldwide attention on this small Connecticut town and close monitoring of all its postal carriers by the CDC. Bill’s experience navigating that high-pressure time underscores his ability to handle challenges with resilience and care—qualities that serve him well in his work today.

Favorite Spot on Campus: Bill’s favorite places include the newly renovated Peabody Museum, with its iconic “Age of Reptiles” mural, and the Yale University Art Gallery, where he once marveled at the special 2008 Van Gogh exhibition. These places fuel his sense of wonder and appreciation for the broader impact of Yale’s community.