Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel: click for press photo

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel believes that the future belongs to the connected. She works to promote greater opportunity, accessibility, and affordability in our communications services in order to ensure that all Americans get a fair shot at 21st century success. She believes strong communications markets can foster economic growth and security, enhance digital age opportunity, and enrich our civic life.

From fighting to protect net neutrality to ensuring access to the internet for students caught in the Homework Gap, Jessica has been a consistent champion for connecting all. She is a leader in spectrum policy, developing new ways to support wireless services from Wi-Fi to video and the internet of things. She also is responsible for developing policies to help expand the reach of broadband to schools, libraries, hospitals, and households across the country.

Named as one of POLITICO's 50 Politicos to Watch and profiled by InStyle Magazine in a series celebrating "women who show up, speak up and get things done," Jessica brings over two decades of communications policy experience and public service to the FCC. Prior to joining the agency, she served as Senior Communications Counsel for the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, under the leadership of Senator John D. Rockefeller IV and Senator Daniel Inouye. Before entering public service, Jessica practiced communications law in Washington, DC.

She is a native of Hartford, Connecticut. She is a graduate of Wesleyan University and New York University School of Law. She lives in Washington, DC with her husband and two children.

 

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Narda Jones

Chief of Staff

Narda serves as FCC Chief of Staff having joined the Chairwoman’s leadership team from the White House where she was the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Office of Science and Technology Policy. Prior to that, she was the Senior Technology Policy Advisor for the Democratic staff of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Transportation and Science. Narda started working in the U.S. Senate for Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington in 2014, after spending over a decade in senior roles in the Federal Communications Commission’s Wireline and International Bureaus. She also previously worked at the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office and the Minneapolis City Attorney’s Office. In addition, she was part of the inaugural class of the AmeriCorps Legal Fellowship program and spent her fellowship time aiding homeless families secure housing and public benefits in St. Paul, Minnesota. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Jones is a graduate of Wesleyan University and Brooklyn Law School.

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Deena Shetler

Deputy Chief of Staff for Administration

Deena serves as Deputy Chief of Staff for Administration. She previously served as Deputy Chief of the Office of Economics and Analytics, Deputy Managing Director, several leadership roles in the Wireline Competition Bureau, and as a Legal Advisor to Commissioner Gloria Tristani. Deena served on details to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) from 2010 to 2011 and to the Department of Justice Antitrust Division from 2016-2017. Deena joined the Commission in 1996 as an attorney in the Common Carrier Bureau. Prior to joining the FCC, she was an associate at Howrey and Simon in Washington D.C. and Los Angeles. Deena received her J.D., Order of the Coif, from University of California Los Angeles School of Law, and her B.A. from University of California San Diego.

Umair Javed

Umair Javed

Chief Counsel

Umair serves as Chairwoman Rosenworcel's Chief Counsel. From October 2017 through January 2021, he served as then-Commissioner Rosenworcel's legal advisor for wireless and international issues. Umair joined the FCC from Wiley Rein LLP, where he was an attorney in the firm's Telecom, Media, and Technology practice group. Umair also has served on U.S. delegations to treaty-writing conferences and meetings of the International Telecommunication Union and as Commissioner of the Consumer Protection Commission of Fairfax County. He graduated from the University of Virginia and received his JD from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Priscilla Delgado Argeris

Priscilla Delgado Argeris

Chief Legal Advisor

Priscilla serves as Chairwoman Rosenworcel’s Chief Legal Advisor. She joined the Chairwoman’s office from Meta Platforms, Inc. where she has focused on spectrum policy issues for the company across the globe. From 2012-2015, she previously served as then-Commissioner Rosenworcel’s Legal Advisor and Senior Legal Advisor covering wireline and wireless issues for the office during her tenure. Prior to joining the FCC, Priscilla worked at the law firm Wiley Rein, where she focused regulatory and litigation matters involving federal and state communications law. She received her undergraduate degree from Princeton University and her law degree from New York University School of Law.

D’wana Terry

D’wana Terry

Special Advisor to the Chairwoman and Acting Director of the Office of Workplace Diversity

D’wana advises the Chairwoman on work the agency can do to identify and redress inequities in its policies and programs while also continuing to serve as the Acting Director of the Office of Workplace Diversity. The Office of Workplace Diversity ensures that the provides employment opportunities for all persons regardless of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, or sexual preference. D’wana has served in numerous senior positions at the FCC since joining the agency from private practice in 1994. Most recently, she was associate bureau chief of the Wireline Competition Bureau. She has also served as an associate bureau chief and chief of staff in both the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau and as acting deputy bureau chief of CGB. In addition, she previously served as chief of the Wireless Bureau’s Public Safety & Critical Infrastructure Division. She graduated from Lafayette College and received her JD from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Sanford Williams

Sanford Williams

Special Advisor to the Chairwoman

Sanford advises the Chairwoman on work the agency can do to identify and expand opportunities for communities that have been historically underserved. Sanford has worked in various roles at the FCC since 1999. He also worked as an attorney for Womble, Carlyle, Sandridge & Rice and taught at Augusta State University in Georgia. Mr. Williams graduated from Cornell University where he earned an undergraduate degree in operations research and industrial engineering and a Master’s in Business Administration from the Johnson School of Management. He earned his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law where he was a member of the Virginia Law Review.

Holly Saurer

Holly Saurer

Chief of the Media Bureau, Legal Advisor to the Chairwoman

Holly joins the office from the Media Bureau, where she has held several positions, including Deputy Bureau Chief, Associate Bureau Chief, Senior Legal Advisor and Attorney-Advisor with the Media Bureau’s Policy Division. Holly has previously served as an Acting Media Advisor for Commissioners Rosenworcel and Clyburn, and an International and Consumer Affairs Legal Advisor for Chairman Wheeler. Prior to joining the Commission, Holly worked at the Washington, DC offices of Drinker Biddle & Reath and Miller & Van Eaton. Holly received her JD from American University and graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communication.

Ethan Lucarelli

Ethan Lucarelli

Legal Advisor, Wireless and International

Ethan joins the office from the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, where he served as legal and policy advisor to the Bureau Chief. Previously, Ethan was Director of Regulatory & Public Policy at Inmarsat, a global satellite communications company, and an attorney in the Telecommunications, Media, and Technology group at law firm Wiley Rein LLP. Ethan also is a Professorial Lecturer in Law at the George Washington University Law School, teaching courses in Telecommunications Law and Scholarly Writing. Ethan earned his JD with highest honors from George Washington University Law School and a Bachelor of Science in Communications from the University of Illinois.

Ramesh Nagarajan

Ramesh Nagarajan

Legal Advisor, Wireline and Enforcement

Ramesh joins the office from the Wireline Competition Bureau, where he was most recently Deputy Division Chief of the Competition Policy Division. He also served as a law clerk to United States District Judge James D. Whittemore in the Middle District of Florida. Ramesh began his legal career practicing antitrust and competition law at O'Melveny & Myers LLP. Before attending law school, he served as a Legislative Assistant to Representative Lois Capps. He is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School.

Carmen Scurato

Carmen Scurato

Legal Advisor, Consumer and Public Safety

Carmen Scurato joins the Chairwoman’s office from Free Press where she served as Associate Legal Director and Senior Counsel covering telecommunications, privacy, and technology issues. Previously, she was the Vice President of Policy and General Counsel for the National Hispanic Media Coalition, where she led a policy team focused on advancing the communication needs of the Latinx community. She has served on the FCC’s Consumer Advisory Committee, the American Library Association’s Public Policy Council, and participated in the Aspen Institute Conference on Communications Policy. Earlier in her career, Mrs. Scurato worked with the Department of Justice in both the Civil Frauds section, specializing in False Claims Act investigations, and in the Office of Legislative Affairs. A native of Puerto Rico, Mrs. Scurato received her undergraduate degree from New York University and her law degree from Villanova University.

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David Strickland

Legal Advisor, Media

David joins the office from the Enforcement Bureau, where he most recently served as Assistant Bureau Chief, managing consumer protection, privacy, and media enforcement matters. David also served as Assistant Division Chief in the International Bureau, where he worked on a variety of satellite, telecommunications policy, and spectrum-related issues. Before joining the FCC, he was an attorney in private practice, specializing in litigation and antitrust issues. David is a graduate of the University of Virginia and Harvard Law School.

Andi Roane-Wiley

Andi Roane

Confidential Assistant

Andi joins the office after serving in the offices of former Chairman Pai, former Chairman Wheeler, and Commissioner Simington. In prior FCC service, Andi served as the special assistant to the chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. Previously, she worked as an executive assistant for more than two decades in the private sector.

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Aurelle Porter

Executive Assistant

Aurelle has worked in then-Commissioner Rosenworcel’s office since 2018 and has been at the Federal Communications Commission since 2006. During her time at the agency, she has served as Special Assistant in the Office of Legislative Affairs and as a Staff Assistant to former FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin.

Ovonda Walker

Ovonda Walker

Executive Assistant

Ovonda has over 16 years of federal government service. Most recently, she was a Staff Assistant in Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau as well as, Commissioner Michael O’Rielly’s office at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Prior to joining the O’Rielly office, Ovonda’s federal service includes: Executive Secretary to the Deputy Inspector General for Policy and Oversight at the Department of Defense; Secretary in the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice; Clerk Typist/Secretary at NASA Headquarters; and Clerk Typist at the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services. She has also worked as a federal government contractor at the FCC in the Office of Chairman Tom Wheeler; at the Federal Aviation Administration; and at the Department of Defense/Defense Information Systems Network.

June 22, 2022

July 2022 Open Meeting Agenda

Jessica Rosenworcel | Chairwoman

With yesterday’s summer solstice, the days have started getting shorter, but the agenda for the Commission’s monthly open meeting has not. Here’s what we’ve got lined up for July.

  • We’re expanding opportunities for small, Tribal, and rural wireless carriers. Some wireless providers have access to airwaves that others might be better positioned to deploy. The Commission will vote to establish the Enhanced Competition Incentive Program, which will create new incentives for wireless licensees to make underutilized spectrum available to small carriers, Tribal Nations, or any carrier in rural areas.
  • We’re closing loopholes that enable arbitrage. For too long, unscrupulous carriers have exploited the FCC’s system of intercarrier compensation by inflating traffic volumes to maximize access charge revenues, with consumers literally paying the price. In 2019, the FCC adopted rules to crack down on these arbitrage schemes, but some carriers have evaded those new rules by using IP-enabled services to drive up traffic and charges. The Commission will vote to clarify ambiguities in our 2019 rules and prevent people from gaming the system.
  • We’re supporting survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Survivors of domestic violence and sexual violence uniquely rely on access to private communications, while, at the same time, facing unique challenges securing reliable phone and internet service. The Commission will vote to explore ways the Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Programs can better support this population and how to ensure that survivors are able to communicate safely with abuse hotlines and shelters.
  • We’re matching media rules with new market realities. The Commission’s rules specifically state that the Nielsen Station Index Directory shall be used to determine a television station’s local market for carriage purposes. The Nielsen Company recently phased out this report, so the Commission will vote to begin the process of updating our rules to refer to a new publication for determining market areas.
  • We’re phasing out obsolete analog-era rules. The Commission will consider an item to clean up our so-called Part 74 rules for low-power television and television translators, getting rid of rules for analog TV operations that have no practical effect in our fully digital world. We are also working on a similar action for our full-power TV rules to be considered later this year.
  • We will also consider an action from our Enforcement Bureau.

—Jessica

May 17, 2022

June 2022 Open Meeting Agenda

Jessica Rosenworcel | Chairwoman

The Commission hasn’t even held its May Open Meeting, yet, but we’ve already got a fresh slate of items ready for next month. Here’s what we’ve got lined up for our June meeting.

  • We’re exploring ideas for unleashing wireless innovation at sea. From the construction of new windfarms to generate renewable energy to the expanded use of wireless communications by cruise ships, there are many signs of growing demand for spectrum to support offshore operations. The Commission will consider a Notice of Inquiry on how best to meet our offshore spectrum needs. Smarter offshore spectrum policies could help make sure we are using our scarce spectrum resources efficiently, while facilitating new environmental, business, recreational, and scientific endeavors.
  • We’re continuing our work to improve 911. In 2018, the Commission launched an inquiry to explore why some wireless 911 calls are misrouted to the wrong call center. Over the past four years, enhancements in location-based routing of 911 calls have mitigated the problem of misrouted calls, but they haven’t eliminated it. The Commission will vote to update the record in this proceeding and seek comment on improvements that would help to reduce misrouting of 911 calls and improve emergency response times.
  • We’re asking about preserving established local programming for radio audiences. For years, some low-power television stations licensed on Channel 6 have provided listeners local radio programming that was picked up on the FM dial, so called FM6 stations. These stations sought to maintain this service to their existing audiences after the LPTV digital transition by seeking Commission approval to provide their analog radio service as “ancillary or supplementary services”. The Commission will consider a proposal to allow these broadcasters to continue their existing FM6 radio service, provided that they meet certain conditions, including interference protection and the provision of a synchronous TV service to consumers.
  • We will also consider an action from our Enforcement Bureau.

—Jessica

May 2, 2022

National Small Business Week

Jessica Rosenworcel | Chairwoman

Small businesses employ nearly half of the U.S. workforce, create hundreds of thousands of new jobs each year, and serve as the backbone of our local economies. Today, I am proud to recognize America’s entrepreneurs as we celebrate National Small Business Week.

The FCC has a keen interest in helping our small businesses thrive. Put simply, high-speed connectivity is essential for success in the 21st-century economy. Broadband-enabled services help small businesses do everything from running more efficiently to marketing their products and reaching new customers. That’s why the FCC is working to make sure that small businesses everywhere have the secure, high-speed connections they need to thrive in the digital age. At the same time, we want to make sure that small businesses have a fair shot to compete and succeed in the communications sector.

The FCC’s Office of Communications Business Opportunities (OCBO) is leading this charge through a variety of efforts to promote the development of small and diverse businesses in the telecommunications industry. This team helps to open doors for women and minority-owned businesses by facilitating discussions with industry leaders about access to capital, mentoring, business incubation, and procurement at a high-level. Recognizing that small businesses don’t have the resources available to them like larger businesses, OCBO also does extensive outreach to help small entities weigh in on and comply with the Commission’s newly adopted rules.

Most recently, OCBO has been stepping up its efforts to help small businesses grapple with the emerging challenge of cybersecurity. The majority of small businesses report breaches that stopped daily productivity, and fully recovering from a breach routinely takes months. Through its Cybersecurity for Small Businesses initiative, OCBO provides online resources and tools such as the Small Biz Cyber Planner tool, network safety tips, and cybersecurity alerts. Just weeks ago, OCBO leaders met with a multinational delegation of government and private-sector leaders to share best practices.

OCBO is also a key contributor to the Commission’s new cross-agency task force to combat digital discrimination. Your zip code shouldn’t determine your access to broadband. This task force’s work to tackle digital discrimination and redlining will help to make sure all small businesses have access to the infrastructure we all need for success.

As we mark National Small Business Week 2022, I wanted to use this occasion to thank OCBO for all that they do to expand opportunities for small, women-owned, and minority-owned communications businesses. With their outstanding new Director Joy Ragsdale at the helm, I’m expecting big things in the days ahead.

And, of course, I’d like to offer one more salute to America’s small business owners and entrepreneurs. May they continue to dream big, take courageous risks, and keep pushing our country forward.

April 27, 2022

May Open Meeting Agenda

Jessica Rosenworcel | Chairwoman

On May 19, the FCC will be hosting our May Open Agenda Meeting. Here are the policy items we have lined up for what will be a busy week at the Commission:

  • We’re cracking down on the hardest-to-stop international robocallers. Many scam robocall campaigns originate outside the United States. We will consider an Order to require gateway providers, which are the point of entry for foreign calls, to use new caller ID authentication tools and perform robocall mitigation. We are also seeking comment on a new requirement to keep bad actors from facilitating illegal international robocalls.
  • We’re bringing faster, better broadband to rural America. In 2016, the Commission developed the Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) to improve the Commission’s universal service support for high-cost and hard-to-serve rural areas. The Commission will consider a proposal to create an Enhanced A-CAM program that would offer additional financial support to rural areas in exchange for increased broadband deployment obligations to additional locations and at higher speeds.
  • We’re improving critical communications during emergencies. When it comes to restoring service after outages or deciding which calls can get through congested networks during an emergency, the FCC has rules to make sure the communications of national security and emergency response personnel are prioritized. But it’s been decades since the Commission updated these rules. We will vote to modernize and update our priority services rules to keep pace with advances in technology, the marketplace, and governance.
  • We’re providing regulatory relief to FM radio broadcasters. When seeking a license, FM radio stations using directional antennas are required to provide physical measurements to verify their directional pattern. To do this, stations must either build a full-size mockup of the antenna or build a scale model. We will consider an Order that would allow broadcasters to verify patterns using computer modeling rather than real-world testing. This will decrease regulatory costs and bring our FM regulations in line with other broadcast services.
  • We will also consider an item from our Enforcement Bureau.

—Jessica

March 30, 2022

April Open Meeting Agenda

Jessica Rosenworcel | Chairwoman

On the first day of March, I gave a speech at Mobile World Congress, where I announced my intentions to promote more efficient use of spectrum through an exploration of receiver performance and standards. As we turn the calendar to April, I’m working to get this review underway as soon as possible. When it comes to unleashing wireless innovation at the Commission, you could say that March came in like a lion and is going out like a lion. Here’s what you can expect from this proceeding and the rest of the Commission’s April agenda.

  • We’re taking an important step in innovative spectrum management. In the past, the FCC’s discussions of spectrum efficiency have been a one-way effort, focusing almost exclusively on transmitters. I’m proposing that the Commission take a fresh look at how receiver improvements could provide greater opportunities for efficient use of spectrum. If approved, this inquiry would explore how to promote these improvements through incentives, guidelines, or regulatory requirements. It would also seek comment on legal authority and market-based mechanisms that could help create a more transparent and predictable radiofrequency environment for all spectrum users—new and old. I salute my colleague Commissioner Simington for his leadership on this issue and collaboration on this item.
  • We’re improving emergency alerts. When it comes to public safety, Wireless Emergency Alerts have been a game-changer, harnessing the power of mobile phones to help us receive targeted, real-time information about imminent threats. This April will mark 10 years since the launch of WEA. To make sure this tool is even more effective in the future, the Commission will consider a proposal to require enhanced reporting on the reliability, speed, and accuracy of WEA service, and seek comment on further improvements to WEA.
  • We will consider two adjudicatory matters from our Media Bureau.
  • We will also consider an item from our Enforcement Bureau.

—Jessica

Broadband: With Jessica Rosenworcel

Broadband Conversations

Dedicated to amplifying the voices of women who are making a difference in our digital lives.

Broadband Conversations is dedicated to highlighting women who are making an impact on our digital lives. Each episode, Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel will talk to women who are breaking new ground and forging new paths in technology, media, and innovation about what they're working on, what's on their minds, what they think is the next for the future. Because there are just too few, it's time to amplify these women's voices.

Episodes

#517 minutes

Justine Bateman, Writer, Producer, Director and Actress

In this episode of Broadband Conversations, Commissioner Rosenworcel chats with writer, producer, director and actress Justine Bateman. Justine also is a net neutrality activist and has been involved in the fight to preserve an open internet since the beginning. Commissioner Rosenworcel and Justine discuss net neutrality, Justine's new book, and the future of creative media.

In this episode of Broadband Conversations, Commissioner Rosenworcel chats with Iris Bohnet, Professor, Co-director of the Women and Public Policy Program, and Academic Dean of Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Trained as a behavioral economist, Iris an award-winning author and co-directs Harvard’s Women and Public Policy Program. In addition, she is currently guiding a research project to better understand the intersection of gender and technology. The Commissioner and Professor Bohnet discuss her latest research and strategies she’s found that can help technology companies close the gender gap.

#321 minutes

Kimberly Bryant, Founder of Black Girls Code

Kimberly Bryant, the founder of Black Girls Code, joined Commissioner Rosenworcel for a conversation about how we can encourage more girls, especially girls of color, to be interested in technology and how through that work we can help close the digital divide.

#216 minutes

Maya Wiley

New School Professor of Urban Policy and Management Maya Wiley joins Commissioner Rosenworcel to discuss the importance of broadband access in both rural and urban areas, digital equity and why connectivity is now critical for individual and community success.

#114 minutes

US Senator Catherine Cortez Masto

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto talks to FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel about how we can get more girls coding, how our cities can be smarter, and why getting connected and online is essential for everyone to have a fair shot at 21st century success.