Broadband Policy Summit IV

2006 Speaker Biographies

Rebecca Arbogast, Vice President, Stifel, Nicolaus & Co., Inc. - Rebecca Arbogast joined Legg Mason in September 2001 from the FCC , where she was Chief of Telecommunications Division of the International Bureau. Her office was responsible for reviewing international mergers and ruling on foreign entry into the United States, licensing and developing policies and rules for international telecommunications services and submarine cables, and representing the FCC in international meetings regarding Internet, domestic and international telecommunications issues. Prior to assuming this position, Ms. Arbogast was the Senior Legal Advisor to the International Bureau Chief for satellite and international Internet matters. Before joining the Commission in 1997, Ms. Arbogast served in the Office of Legal Counsel of the U.S. Department of Justice, providing legal advice to the Attorney General, the White House, and Executive Branch agencies. She began her legal practice as a corporate lawyer with the Washington D.C. law firm of Wilmer, Cutler, and Pickering. Ms. Arbogast received a law degree from Yale Law School and clerked for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. She was the 1993 Fulbright Fellow in European Community Law, studying and teaching in London.

James M. Assey, Jr., Democratic Senior Counsel, Subcommittee on Communications, Senate Commerce Committee - James Assey advises the Democratic members of the Committee on a wide range of media and telecommunications policy matters. Immediately prior to his current position, Mr. Assey worked in the communications law practice group at Willkie Farr & Gallagher in Washington, DC. He has also served as a judicial clerk for the Honorable Cameron M. Currie in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, and as a legislative assistant for Senator Ernest F. Hollings (D-SC). He has written articles on mediation and Internet privacy law. Mr. Assey earned both an B.A. and M.A. from Stanford University; and received his J.D., at Georgetown University.

Dorothy Attwood, Senior Vice President, Regulatory Planning & Policy, AT&T, Inc. - Dorothy Attwood is responsible for developing and coordinating the company's regulatory policy at both the state and federal levels. She was appointed to her current position in June 2004. Previously, she served as senior vice president of federal regulatory strategy and integration, where she was responsible for developmeing federal regulatoyr strategies and ensuring that key federal policy initiatives are effectively integrated within the company's business and regulatory groups. Prior to joining the company in August 2002, Attwood spent two years as chief of the Federal Communications Commission’s Wireline Competition Bureau. During her six-year tenure at the agency, she provided strategic and policy counsel to FCC Chairmen William Kennard and Michael Powell. She served as senior legal advisor to Chairman Kennard on all common carrier, enforcement and consumer matters and as chief of the Enforcement Division of the Common Carrier Bureau. Before joining the FCC, Attwood was a partner in the Philadelphia law firm Cozen & O'Conner, specializing in commercial litigation. Attwood received her bachelor’s degree from Brown University, a masters from The Wharton School and her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Attwood resides in San Antonio, Texas, with her husband and two children.

Tudor Aw, Managing Director, Communications and Media Practice, KPMG – Tudor Aw is a Managing Director in KPMG’s Americas Communications & Media Practice, and is presently based in Washington, DC. He joined KPMG’s London office in 1986 where he trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant. Mr. Aw has over 15 years of experience working with clients in the communications and media industry, where his main focus has been helping clients manage risk, evaluate strategic opportunities and achieve operational improvements which flow into the bottom line. His projects have encompassed investment appraisals; SOX404 audits and advisory assistance; financial management and business transformation engagements; revenue assurance; post merger business integration; IPOs; strategic evaluations; and due diligence assignments. Mr. Aw has worked extensively on projects in the US, UK, Belgium, and Germany as well as in Antigua, Australia, France, Hong Kong, India, Pakistan and Singapore.

Daniel Brenner, Senior Vice President for Law & Regulatory Policy, National Cable & Telecommunications Association - Daniel Brenner joined the NCTA in 1992. Previously, he served as Director of the Communications Law Program and a member of the faculty at UCLA Law School. He also served as Counsel to the Los Angeles office of LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae. Brenner was Senior Legal Advisor to Chairman Mark Fowler of the FCC from 1981 to 1986. He was also Vice-Chairman of the U.S. Delegation to the ITU World Radio Conference in Geneva, Switzerland. He has served as a consultant on telecommunications issues for the RAND Corporation and the International Media Fund, and as a Senior Fellow at The Annenberg Washington Program. He is a graduate of Stanford University and Stanford Law School. Brenner serves on the Board of Directors of Cable Positive, the cable industry's AIDS awareness and support organization. He has also served on the board of advisors of Falcon Cable Systems. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of Stanford University from 1982-1987. He was appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate to be a member, and served as Vice-Chairman, of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting from 1986 to 1991. He is co-author of a leading cable treatise on cable television law and serves on the adjunct faculty of Georgetown Law School.

Jeffrey A. Campbell, Director, Technology & Communications Policy, Worldwide Government Affairs, Cisco Systems, Inc. - Since 2001, Jeffrey Campbell has been responsible for developing and implementing Cisco's worldwide public policy agenda with respect to telecommunications and technology issues. In addition to his expertise in telecommunications regulation, Mr. Campbell has experience in the intersection of copyright law and information technology. Prior to this position at Cisco, Mr. Campbell headed the Washington government affairs office of Compaq Computer. Mr. Campbell began his career as a telecommunications regulatory attorney with the Washington, D.C. office of Squire, Sanders & Dempsey. Mr. Campbell received his B.A. in History from Yale University and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.

Scott Cleland, Chief Executive Officer, Precursor - Scott Cleland is widely respected as one of the nation’s top telecom strategists. His analysis is sought out by leading investors, companies, government and the media. Mr. Cleland has testified as an expert witness before seven different Congressional panels on a wide variety of telecom subjects. He is among the nation’s most widely quoted telecom experts, frequently appearing in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Barrons, and on NPR, CNBC, CNN and PBS. Precursor is known for its unique change research methodology, its signature one-page analyses, and its pure research model that forswears investment banking, money management or proprietary trading. Mr. Cleland is the Co-Founder and Director of the Investorside Research Association, a trade association of over 75 independent investment research firms, which are free of investment banking conflicts. Previously, Mr. Cleland was a managing director at Legg Mason and a senior vice president at Charles Schwab Co. He served as Deputy United States Coordinator for International Communications Policy at the U.S. State Department and as a legislative advisor to Secretary of State James A. Baker, III. He also has worked for Booz, Allen & Hamilton, the U.S. Treasury Department, and the U.S. Office of Management & Budget. He earned a Master’s in Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin and a BA in Political Science from Kalamazoo College.

Paul Gallant, Senior Vice President / Senior Media Analyst, Stanford Research Group - Paul Gallant covers broadcast and media policy for the Stanford Research Group. Prior to joining the Stanford Research Group, Mr. Gallant served as senior legal advisor for media issues to FCC Chairman Michael Powell. Before that, he chaired the FCC’s Media Ownership Task Force, which made recommendations to the Commision on broadcast ownership regulations; served as legal advisor to former FCC Commissioners James Quello and Gloria Tristani; and served as attorney-adviser in the FCC’s Cable Bureau. He also held senior government affairs positions with Qwest Communications and Broadband Office. Mr. Gallant earned a law degree from Catholic University and a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University.

Christopher Guttman-McCabe, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, CTIA – The Wireless Association - Since joining CTIA in May 2001, Christopher Guttman-McCabe has worked on a wide range of issues involving spectrum, regulatory mandates, and homeland security. As the Vice President for Regulatory Affairs for the Association, he is responsible for coordinating regulatory issues affecting the wireless industry. Prior to joining CTIA, Mr. Guttman-McCabe worked as an attorney for four years at the D.C. based law firm Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP. He served as an Associate in the Communications Practice Group where he advised clients on wireless and common carrier issues, including licensing, compliance, and policy matters. Christopher started his career as a management and strategic consultant to the steel industry at AUS Consultants and later co-founded Jacobson & Associates, a metals industry management and strategic consulting firm, where he served as the Vice President. Mr. Guttman-McCabe received his B.A. degree in economics from Swarthmore College and his J.D. Magna Cum Laude from Catholic University with a certificate from the Institute for Communications Law Studies.

Meg Hargreaves, President & Publisher, Pike & Fischer – A BNA Company – Meg Hargreaves has spent the last 20 years developing information products and services for the legal, business, academic and government markets. As Pike & Fischer’s President and Publisher, Ms. Hargreaves drives all operational and strategic activity for the company, which was founded by James Pike and Henry Fischer in 1939 and acquired by BNA in 1984. She also serves on the Board of Directors of The Institute of Management & Administration (IOMA), a BNA subsidiary company. Pike & Fischer’s portfolio of legal and business information solutions includes legal treatises and online reference services, newsletters, books, special events, market research reports and consulting services. Prior to joining Pike & Fischer in 2003, Ms. Hargreaves was Vice President of Publishing & Content Development for global competitive intelligence aggregator MarketResearch.com in Rockville, Maryland. In that role she led all aspects of editorial, product development, marketing and sales activity. Prior to her tenure at MarketResearch.com, Meg spent 13 years developing and marketing political, legislative and regulatory information products and services for global online publisher LEXISNEXIS, a member of the Reed-Elsevier global publishing family. Meg has BAs in both Communications and History from the University of Scranton. She and her husband live in Great Falls, Virginia.

JayEtta Hecker, Director, Physical Infrastructure Issues, Government Accountability Office – GAO is the audit, evaluation, and investigative arm of Congress. JayEtta Hecker directs the Physical Infrastructure Team, which specializes in reports and testimony that help Congress oversee programs and funding of federal agencies, including FCC, DOT, and GSA, as well as entities such as Amtrak and the US Postal Service. Ms. Hecker is involved in evaluating options for the transition to digital broadcast television, which will enable the federal government to recapture highly valuable radio spectrum that will be reassigned for public safety and advanced wireless services; evaluating the impact of auctions to allocate radio spectrum and factors affecting the deployment of broadband; and evaluating the FCC’s program for subsidizing the availability of Internet access in schools and libraries. These include assessing federal efforts to improve the safety, security, and capacity of the nation’s infrastructure.

Susan Kalla, Managing Director of Equity Research, Caris & Company - Known for her warnings on the telecom bubble in 2000, Susan Kalla was among the first analysts to predict the fallout of technology stocks over the next several years. Ms. Kalla joins Caris & Company with over a decade of Wall Street research experience, starting at SoundView Financial Group in 1994. Ms. Kalla's other experience includes senior research positions with ING Barings Furman Selz, where she covered international equities, and FBR, where she covered telecom services and equipment. She also rated bonds for Fitch Investors Services. In addition to her Wall Street experience, Ms. Kalla has held positions in the telecommunications industry. She was Director of Research for McGraw-Hill's research consultancy that specialized in the computer markets. She also held management positions with GTE, now part of Verizon. She began her career as an engineer for the Public Broadcasting Service. Ms. Kalla received her B.S. in Journalism and her M.A. in Communications from the University of Maryland. She holds the Series 7, 63, 86 and 87 Securities registrations.

Chérie R. Kiser, Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo P.C. - Chérie Kiser is the Managing Member for the Washington, DC office, a member of the firm’s Policy Committee, Chair of the Diversity Committee and Chair of the Communications Section for the firm. She devotes her practice to telecommunications law and Internet-related transactions, representing a wide range of clients, including LECs, integrated communications providers, ISPs, VoIP service providers, applications service providers, satellite carriers, wireless carriers, trade associations, and large users of telecommunications and Information services. Since 1990, she has assisted major communications companies in all aspects of their telecommunications and broadband entry strategies, including the provision of general advice and representation before the FCC and state regulatory agencies. Before entering private practice, Ms. Kiser was a Senior Regulatory Attorney for Sprint Communications Company. She received her B.A. from the University of Minnesota (1981), and her J.D. from the Columbus School of Law at Catholic University of America (1987). During law school she served as a law clerk for Commissioner Dennis R. Patrick at the FCC.

John M. R. Kneuer, Acting Assistant Secretary, Communications and Information, Department of Commerce and Acting Administrator, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) - John Kneuer joined NTIA in October 2003. Prior to joining NTIA, Mr. Kneuer served as a senior associate at the law firm of Piper Rudnick in Washington, D.C., providing regulatory and legislative representation to corporate clients in the telecommunications, defense, and transportation industries. Prior to that, Mr. Kneuer was executive director for government relations at the Industrial Telecommunications Association, and an attorney-advisor in the Commercial Wireless Division of the FCC's Wireless Bureau. Mr. Kneuer received B.A. and J.D. degrees from the Catholic University of America. He is a member of the District of Columbia and New Jersey state bars.

Thomas M. Lenard, Senior Fellow, Vice President for Research, The Progress & Freedom Foundation - Thomas Lenard is a senior fellow and vice president for research at The Progress & Freedom Foundation. He was vice president of a Washington, DC-based economics consulting firm and served in senior positions at the Office of Management and Budget, the Federal Trade Commission and the Council on Wage and Price Stability. He was a member of the economics faculty at the University of California, Davis, and has been a visiting economist at the Brookings Institution. He formerly served as Chairman of the Board of the National Economists Club. Lenard is the author or coauthor of numerous books and articles on electricity, antitrust, privacy and other regulatory issues. Recent publications include The Digital Economy Fact Book; Privacy and the Commercial Use of Personal Information; Competition, Innovation and the Microsoft Monopoly: Antitrust in the Digital Marketplace; and Deregulating Electricity: The Federal Role. Lenard received his B.A. from the University of Wisconsin and his Ph.D. from Brown University.

Carol Mattey, Director, Deloitte & Touche LLP, Regulatory Consulting Practice, Technology, Media & Telecommunications Group - Carol Mattey is a director in Deloitte’s U.S. Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT) Regulatory Consulting Practice. She provides a comprehensive range of consulting and regulatory compliance services to clients in the TMT industries, and helps them anticipate and address strategic and operational risks arising within the regulatory arena. She uses her 20 years of communications regulatory experience to help clients assess the business implications of alternative regulatory paths and execute a strategy to achieve desired outcomes. Ms. Mattey spent over 10 years at the Federal Communications Commission, most recently serving as deputy chief of the FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau. Ms. Mattey was responsible for numerous initiatives stemming from the Telecommunications Act of 1996, including proceedings to promote broadband deployment, universal service, Bell company entry into long distance, and the development of local number portability. She previously developed the Administration's position on communications issues at the Department of Commerce, National Telecommunications and Information Administration. She holds a JD and an MA in Public Policy Analysis, both from the University of Pennsylvania and a BA from the University of Virginia. She is based in McLean, Virginia.

David P. McClure, President and Chief Executive Officer, US Internet Industry Association - David McClure is president of the primary U.S. trade association for Internet commerce, content and connectivity. A technologist by education and experience, McClure is widely published on technical and business topics, and has authored more than 20 white papers related to Internet and Broadband policy, governance and economics. He spent three years as online communications consultant for the Software Publishers Association, tracking international software piracy operations. Before that, he spent six years as a network engineer for consulting companies and as marketing consultant for hardware and software companies. McClure has also worked in the environmental industry, and is one of the few communication specialists qualified to work on toxic waste and nuclear radiation sites. McClure earned a B.S. in applied science (physics and chemistry) from the University of Iowa in 1973, holds an M.B.A. in executive management from Kent State University (1983), and has done additional post-graduate work in organizational development. Active in the online community since 1983, McClure in 2003 was awarded the prestigious Cornerstone award for leadership in the broadband industry, and has served on the Board of Directors of the Australian Internet Industry Association.

Robert S. Metzger, Partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher - Robert Metzger chairs the Telecommunications Practice Group of the firm and co-chairs the Commercial and Government Contracts Practice Group. A member of the Litigation and the Corporations departments, he is admitted to practice in California and the District of Columbia and maintains offices in Los Angeles and in Washington, D.C. In telecommunications, his practice includes counseling and advice on strategic business and new service initiatives, counseling on state and federal regulatory issues, contract drafting and negotiation, and representation of telecommunications service providers before federal and state administrative and regulatory agencies and in civil litigation. Mr. Metzger has represented leading telecommunications, aerospace and information technology firms in significant federal and state litigation. Mr. Metzger received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, where he was an Editor of The Georgetown Law Journal. Subsequently, he was a Research Fellow at the Center for Science & International Affairs (CSIA) of Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. He is a member of the Dean's Advisory Council of the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), London, and the Pacific Council on International Policy. He has been an active member of the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA).

Paul E. Misener, Vice President for Global Public Policy, Amazon.com - Both an engineer and lawyer, Paul Misener is Amazon.com’s Vice President for Global Public Policy. In this capacity, Misener is responsible for formulating and representing Amazon.com’s public policy positions worldwide, as well as for managing the company’s policy specialists in Washington, DC, Brussels, and Seattle. He also is immediate past President of the Internet Commerce and Communications Division of the Information Technology Association of America and a former member of the ITAA Board of Directors. Misener is a former partner and the chairman of the E-commerce and Internet Practice at the law firm of Wiley, Rein & Fielding. He also served as Senior Legal Advisor and Chief of Staff to a Commissioner of the FCC. Prior to his federal service, Misener was Intel’s Manager of Telecommunications and Computer Technology Policy, and co-founder and leader of the computer industry’s Internet Access Coalition. Misener was a policy specialist for the U.S. Department of Commerce’s NTIA in the late 1980s, where he was a U.S. delegate to several conferences of the International Telecommunication Union; prior to that, he designed communications systems for the military. He received his B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Princeton University and his law degree from the George Mason University School of Law.

Thomas J. Navin, Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau, FCC - Thomas Navin is Chief of the Wireline Competition Bureau. In that role, Mr. Navin has been and is responsible for reviewing the license transfer applications of AT&T and MCI, implementing national Broadband policy, and addressing issues relating to intercarrier compensation and universal service. Previously, he served as Chief of the Wireline Competition Bureau’s Competition Policy Division. As Chief of the Competition Policy Division, Mr. Navin managed implementation of certain key aspects of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, including the Commission’s UNE Triennial Review pursuant to section 251 and issues affecting Broadband policy such as VoIP. Mr. Navin also served as Deputy Chief of the Competition Policy Division and of the Wireless Bureau’s Policy Division. Before joining the FCC, he was an associate at McDermott, Will & Emery. Mr. Navin received a B.S. from Wake Forest University, and a J.D. from the University of Virginia, where he was an Executive Editor of the Virginia Journal of International Law.

Lori D. Panzino-Tillery, County of San Bernardino, CA / President, NATOA - Lori Panzino-Tillery has worked for the County of San Bernardino for 8 years. As the County’s Division Chief, Franchise Programs, Lori’s major responsibilities are cable regulation; utility franchise acquisition; and regulating use of the County’s 4,000 miles of right-of-way and the negotiation of “agreements” for such use, cell siting on County property and many special projects. Lori is one of the County’s experts on rights-of-way usage and associated property laws. Lori’s passion is helping to more clearly define issues revolving around the use of public rights-of-way by certain users throughout the State and the nation. Lori is the County’s liaison to the California Public Utilities Commission and has participated in several official rulemaking proceedings at the Commission. Lori has participated in seminars and workshops for over a dozen municipalities, as well as, the League of California Cities, the California Association of Counties, the Northern California Telecom Consortium, the International Rights-of-Way Association, NATOA national conference. Lori is currently the President of National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA) and spends much of her time working on behalf of local government at the State and Federal levels. Lori has testified before the FCC and the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee representing local government and has served as a witness to numerous committees in the California Legislature.

The Honorable Charles “Chip” Pickering, U.S. Congressman (R-Mississippi) - Chip Pickering, currently serving his fifth term representing Mississippi’s Third District, was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1996. Chip serves as Vice Chairman of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, and as the House’s assistant majority whip. Prior to his election to Congress, Chip served as a member of Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott’s staff, and as a professional staff member on the Senate Commerce Committee, helping to shape the landmark Telecommunications Act of 1996. He continues to be a leader on telecommunications and technology issues; a principal participant in the ongoing process of drafting a comprehensive statutory successor to the 1996 Act, Pickering is also a key voice in the debate on net neutrality and on the structure of the expanding video provider market. Mr. Pickering holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Mississippi and a master's degree in business administration from Baylor University. He and his wife Leisha have five sons: Will, Ross, Jackson, Asher, and Harper. They reside on a small farm in rural Madison County.

Peter Pitsch, Director of Communications Policy, Intel - Peter Pitsch has been Director of Communications Policy since 1998, and is responsible for the coordination of Intel policy surrounding communications and electronic commerce. From 1987 to 1989 Pitsch served as Chief of Staff to the Chairman of the FCC, advising the chairman on all issues before the FCC, including access reform, price caps, major tariffs, and broadcasting. Pitsch also spent 10 years as president of Pitsch Communications, specializing in regulatory policy, representing telecommunication clients before the FCC and Congress, providing business and regulatory planning, and publishing and lecturing on U.S. regulatory policy. Pitsch received a B.A. in economics from the University of Chicago in 1973 and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 1976.

John F. Raposa, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Verizon Telecom - At Verizon Telecom, John Raposa is Vice President as well as the Deputy General Counsel. Before that he was Associate General Counsel - Federal Regulatory Matters for GTE Service Corporation, where he had responsibility for all matters pending before the Federal Communications Commission. Prior to joining GTE, Mr. Raposa was employed in the San Diego office of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton where he specialized in labor and employment law litigation. He holds an A.B. degree from Cornell University, and a J.D. from The Ohio State University.

Greg Richardson, Founder and Managing Partner, Civitium LLC - Civitium serves as the lead strategy, policy, technology and communications advisory firm for Philadelphia, San Francisco, Chicago, Houston, Johannesburg, Vancouver and many others. Prior to founding Civitium, Greg Richardson served as the Director of Wireless Consulting for Siemens in the U.S. Prior to Siemens, Mr. Richardson was a founder and VP of Professional Services for Wireless Knowledge, a pioneering joint venture between Microsoft and QUALCOMM.

Bennett L. Ross, General Counsel, BellSouth DC - As General Counsel of BellSouth Corporation’s Washington, D.C. office, Bennett Ross is responsible for legal matters impacting BellSouth in the federal arena and represents the Company in its dealings with the Federal Communications Commission and Congress. He was previously General Counsel of BellSouth’s Georgia operations and also served as a Senior Attorney in BellSouth’s Regulatory and Governmental Affairs section. Mr. Ross was formerly a partner with the law firm of Bass Berry & Sims in Nashville, Tennessee, where he had a general litigation practice with a special emphasis in administrative, antitrust, and employment litigation. Mr. Ross is admitted to practice before the Georgia and Tennessee Supreme Courts, the United States District Courts for the Northern District of Georgia, the Middle and Eastern Districts of Tennessee, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Mr. Ross holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Vanderbilt University, where he was a member of The Order of the Coif and served as Editor in Chief of the Vanderbilt Law Review. Mr. Ross is a magna cum laude graduate of Washington and Lee University, where he was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree with Special Attainments in Commerce. Mr. Ross is a member of the American Bar Association and the American Corporate Counsel Association. He lives in Cabin John, Maryland with his wife and two sons.

Steve B. Sharkey, Director, Spectrum and Standards Strategy, Motorola, Inc. - As the Director of Spectrum and Standards Strategy in the Government Relations office of Motorola, Steve Sharkey is involved in efforts to identify spectrum for 3G services, Ultra Wideband services, and 700/800 MHz issues. Prior to arriving at Motorola, Mr. Sharkey worked at the FCC in the Mass Media Bureau, the Private Radio Bureau, the Office of Engineering and Technology, and the International Bureau.

Johanna Shelton, Minority Counsel, U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee - Johanna Shelton joined as Minority Counsel for the Energy and Commerce Committee in February of this year. Shelton works for the Committee’s ranking member, Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), co-sponsor of most major telecom legislation, and is thus positioned in the middle of the telecom debate. Shelton came to the Committee after two years working as legal adviser to FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein. Before that, she was legislative counsel for Rep. Rick Boucher of Virginia. Ms. Shelton has also served as a staff attorney in the FCC's Common Carrier Bureau, as an attorney at the law firm Latham & Watkins, and as a clerk for the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Gigi B. Sohn, President and Co-Founder of Public Knowledge - Gigi Sohn presides over this nonprofit organization that addresses the public's stake in the convergence of communications policy and intellectual property law. Public Knowledge seeks to ensure that the nation’s communications system (physical infrastructure, systems, content) promotes fundamental democratic principles and cultural values. Now a Senior Fellow at the University of Melbourne Faculty of Law, Graduate Studies Program, in 2002 Ms. Sohn was Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University, and in 2001 was Adjunct Professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University. Before co-founding Public Knowledge, Sohn served as a project specialist in the Ford Foundation’s Media, Arts and Culture unit. Prior to that she served as executive director of the Media Access Project, a Washington, D.C.-based public interest telecommunications law firm and in recognition of her work at MAP, President Clinton appointed Ms. Sohn to serve as a member of his Advisory Committee on the Public Interest Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters in October 1997. That same year American Lawyer magazine selected her as one of the leading public-sector lawyers in the country under the age of 45. She holds a B.S. in Broadcasting and Film, summa cum laude, from the Boston University College of Communication and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Lisa Sutherland, Majority Staff Director, U.S. Senate Commerce Committee - Lisa Sutherland has worked with U.S Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Ak.) for more than 20 years. In the Committee’s re-examination of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, Sutherland helps articulate issues, and conducts in-depth discussions with the telecommunications sector to evaluate options. Since the reorganization of the committee structure by Sen. Stevens (who made a decision to eliminate the Communications Subcommittee and personally handle the issues at the full committee level), Sutherland’s focus is on laying out options, as opposed to driving policy. Sutherland has a seven-year-old son. She graduated from Drake University, where she studied political science and public administration, and she has a law degree from the University of Washington.

Howard J. Symons, Partner, Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo - Howard Symons has more than 25 years of experience in communications law and policy. A partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo since 1988, Mr. Symons represents cable, wireless, and telecommunications companies and their trade associations on a wide range of matters before the FCC and Congress and in the courts. Mr. Symons served as outside counsel to the wireless, cable, and competitive carrier industries during consideration of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and continues to advise clients in these sectors on the implementation and ongoing legislative review of the Act. Prior to joining Mintz Levin, Mr. Symons served as Senior Counsel to the House Telecommunications Subcommittee.

Thomas J. Tauke, Executive Vice President, Public Affairs, Policy & Communications, Verizon Communications - Thomas Tauke has held this role since May 2004. He oversees all internal and external communications, reputation management, philanthropy and issues management for Verizon, and serves as a member of the Corporate Leadership Council. Tauke also leads Verizon's External Affairs organization, responsible for the development of Verizon's legislative and regulatory strategy and the company's policy advocacy at the local, state, federal and international levels. He also manages community relations and relationships with national advocacy organizations and consumer groups. Tauke is one of the foremost authorities on telecommunications policy today. His unique perspective - derived from both corporate and public service - makes him one of the most sought after speakers in the industry. He is quoted regularly by major broadcast and print news organizations. Before joining NYNEX in 1991, Tauke was a Member of Congress, representing Iowa's 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from January 1979 to January 1991. During his congressional service he was a member of the Telecommunications Subcommittee. Tauke served as a member of the Iowa General Assembly from January 1975 to January 1979. He is a past Chairman of the USTA where he is currently on the Board of Directors and a member of the Executive Committee. Tauke received a bachelor of arts degree from Loras College in 1972 and a juris doctorate from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1974.

Nancy J. Victory, Partner, Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP - Nancy Victory has extensive experience in communications policy. She advises a broad cross-section of the industry on the business implications of regulatory policy and represents these entities before the FCC, Congress and the Administration. Ms. Victory has particular expertise in wireless and satellite issues, including spectrum allocation, licensing, compliance and policy matters. She has extensive experience in telephony policy matters, particularly where new technology or changing market conditions conflict with historic regulation. She was recently named by FCC Chairman Kevin Martin to Chair the FCC Independent Panel Reviewing the Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Communications Networks. The panel will make recommendations to the Commission regarding ways to improve disaster preparedness, network reliability and communication among first responders. She also serves as Chair of the FCC Advisory Committee for the 2007 World Radiocommunication Conference. Prior to joining Wiley Rein & Fielding, Ms. Victory was Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

Gerard J. Waldron, Partner, Covington & Burling - Gerry Waldron is a Partner in Covington & Burling’s Washington, D.C. office and serves as Chairman of the firm’s Communications and Media Practice Group. For over 20 years Mr. Waldron has worked on communications policy and legal representation, with a strong focus on telecommunications and broadband regulatory matters and transactions. During this time he has represented a wide range of companies in matters before the FCC, Congress, state commissions, and in company and industry negotiations. Waldron has testified before Congress, the FCC, and state commissions, and is frequently a panelist at industry meetings. Prior to joining Covington & Burling, he worked on Capitol Hill, where for nearly nine years he served on the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee as Senior Counsel of its House Subcommittee on Telecommunications. Mr. Waldron is a graduate of the University of Virginia and the Duke University School of Law, where he was the editor-in-chief of the Duke Law Journal and clerked for Judge J. Dickson Phillips on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Howard Waltzman, Chief Counsel, Telecommunications and the Internet, House Committee on Energy and Commerce - Howard Waltzman is expected to be a lead drafter of the House’s telecom overhaul legislation. In 2001, as majority counsel for then-Committee Chairman W.J. (Billy) Tauzin (R-La.), Waltzman was a key drafter of a bill to loosen local phone rules. He was asked to stay on by current Chairman Joe Barton (R-Tx.). From 1993-1997, Waltzman worked for Senator Sam Brownback (R-Ks.), focusing on foreign policy, technology, and trade issues. A Weston, Connecticut native, and proud father of a newborn daughter, Waltzman holds a bachelor's degree from Wesleyan University, a master's degree from Syracuse University, and a law degree from George Washington University.

Joseph W. Waz, Jr., Vice President, External Affairs and Public Policy Counsel, Comcast - At Comcast, Joseph Waz has primary responsibility for the company's public policy positions and advocacy; oversees the company's political action committees and charitable programs; and works in close coordination with the company's federal, state and local government relations, law, and public relations professionals. He also serves as President of the Comcast Foundation and as Executive Director of the Comcast Corporation Political Action Committee. Before joining Comcast in 1994, Mr. Waz spent 11 years at The Wexler Group, a government relations and public affairs consulting firm in Washington, D.C., serving as executive vice president and general counsel. His practice included representation of a range of telecommunications and content companies and associations. He began his Washington career with Ralph Nader's Telecommunications Research and Action Center in 1979. A Connecticut native, Mr. Waz holds a bachelor's degree from Boston University and a Doctor of Laws from the University of Connecticut School of Law. He is the author of one book (Reverse the Charges, 1983, a Book-of-the-Month Club pro bono selection), and author or editor of numerous articles and journals on communications policy topics. Mr. Waz serves as chairman of Settlement Music School, the nation's largest community school of the arts, and as secretary of the board of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship. He is a former president of the Prince Music Theatre; and a past member of the boards of the Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia; Kidsnet; the Philadelphia Museum of Art (Corporate Executive Board), the Pennsylvania Economy League, the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau; and the University of Connecticut School of Law Foundation. He is a past chairman of the Federal Communications Bar Association Foundation, and a former chairman of the FCBA's Legislative and CLE Committees. He currently co-chairs the Public Affairs Committee of the National Cable & Telecommunications Assn. (NCTA), and serves on its CablePAC Committee. At the NCTA convention in May 2002, Mr. Waz was presented with the cable industry's highest honor, the Vanguard Award, for his work in government and community relations.

Richard E. Wiley, Managing Partner, Wiley Rein & Fielding - Richard Wiley is managing partner of this Washington, D.C. law firm that has over 250 attorneys and the largest communications practice in the United States. As a former Chairman, Commissioner and General Counsel of the Federal Communications Commission (1970-77), he was a leading force in the agency's initial efforts to foster increased competition and lessened regulation in the communications field. Since 1985, Dick Wiley has been regularly recognized as one of the nation's "100 most influential" lawyers by The National Law Journal. He also has been profiled in The New York Times "Telecommunications' Ubiquitous Man of Influence"), Los Angeles Times ("The Sixth Commissioner"), The International Herald Tribune ("Most Influential Media Lawyer in U.S."), The Globe and Mail ("Father of HDTV"), and The American Lawyer ("Brand Name of Communications Law"). In recognition of his nine-year service as Chairman of the FCC's Advisory Committee on Digital Television, he received an Emmy from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the Electronic Industries Association's Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of Broadcasters, the DTV Leadership Award from the Digital Television Academy, and the International Achievement Award from the North American Broadcasters Association. He is a member of Broadcasting & Cable magazine's "Hall of Fame", and also was named by that publication as one of the "100 Men of the Century." A native of Illinois, Dick Wiley graduated with distinction from Northwestern (B.S. and J.D. degrees) and holds a Masters Degree in Law (LL.M.) from Georgetown. He has received distinguished alumnus awards from each University as well as an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Catholic University. He has served as President of the Federal Bar and Federal Communications Bar Associations and Chair of the American Bar's Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice Section, the Advisory Board of Columbia University's Institute for Tele-Information, and The Media Institute's Board of Trustees.

William B. Wilhelm, Jr., Partner, Bingham McCutchen LLP- Bill Wilhelm advises technology companies on policy, state and federal regulation, and commercial transactions and disputes related to the development and deployment of new communications applications, voice and video services, digital media, and broadband wireless and wireline networks. He is a frequent speaker at industry events and has written hundreds of articles on telecommunications policy. He advises domestic and international telecommunications companies, IP telephony and video providers, financial institutions, online exchanges, Internet service providers, insurance companies, equipment manufacturers, software developers, e-mail and Internet marketing companies, and broadband and wireless companies, as well as film and Internet content distribution companies. Mr. Wilhelm received his Juris Doctor from Catholic University's Columbus School of Law in 1993, and in 1989 his A.B. from College of the Holy Cross.

Alexandra (Sandy) M. Wilson, Vice President of Public Policy, Cox Enterprises, Inc. - Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Cox operates newspapers, cable systems, television and radio stations, local web sites and automobile auctions across the country. Alexandra Wilson joined the company in 1994 and is responsible for developing and implementing public policy strategies for Cox businesses and representing the company before the federal government and national trade associations. Previously, Ms. Wilson served as Chief of the Cable Services Bureau of the FCC, where she oversaw implementation of the 1992 Cable Act. While at the Commission, she also served as Legal Advisor to Chairman Al Sikes, Special Assistant to the General Counsel, and Special Assistant to the Chief of the Mass Media Bureau. Ms. Wilson practiced communications law for six years before joining the FCC in 1990, first with the law firm of Crowell & Moring and later with Wiley, Rein & Fielding. She has been an active member of the FCBA since 1984 and has served in numerous leadership positions, including Secretary (1994 and 2002), and President (2004). Ms. Wilson has a law degree and a bachelor's degree in communications summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania.

Jessica Zufolo, Senior Policy Director for Telecommunications & Technology - Medley Global Advisors (MGA) - Jessica Zufolo advises MGA's equity clients on all telecom policy matters pending before state regulatory commissions, the courts, Congress, the FCC and state legislatures. Prior to joining MGA, Ms. Zufolo was the legislative director for the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) for five years where she coordinated and directed NARUC’s advocacy and strategy on Capitol Hill. During her tenure at NARUC, Ms. Zufolo was also instrumental in the development of federal unbundling rules, implementation of wireless local number portability, the 271 Bell long distance entry approval process, the creation of the Rural Utility Service Broadband loan program and federal anti-slamming rules. Prior to joining NARUC, Ms. Zufolo worked on Capitol Hill for seven years serving the late-New York Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, then New York Representative Charles E. Schumer, and Representative Peter A. Defazio of Oregon. During the development and passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Ms. Zufolo served as telecommunications aide to then-Representative Schumer, a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee.