Former Qualcomm Inc. (Nasdaq: QCOM) executive Ellen Kirk has left top municipal WiFi mesh startup Tropos Networks Inc.

"I'm leaving for the best of all personal reasons," she tells Unstrung. "I'll continue consulting with Tropos and others in the wireless industry." Kirk adds that she plans to set up a strategic consulting firm in her new hometown, New Orleans.

Kirk joined Tropos in September 2005. "We're sorry to see her go and wish her the best," says Brad Day, who handles marketing and communications for Tropos.

Kirk came to Tropos from Qualcomm where she was responsible for creating 3G and location-based strategies. Kirk previously worked at wireless GPS pioneer SnapTrack, which was acquired by Qualcomm in 2000. (See The WLAN Departure Lounge.)

Kirk has frequently been the public face of Tropos, particularly pushing the use of mesh to close the so-called digital divide, and in disaster recovery situations such as use of Tropos gear in New Orleans before and after Hurricane Katrina.

— Dan Jones, Site Editor, Unstrung