SENIOR STAFF IN THE COMMISSION’S OFFICE OF NATIVE AFFAIRS AND POLICY ANNOUNCED

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                NEWS MEDIA CONTACTS:
November 10, 2010                                                      Dan Rumelt at (202) 418-7512
Email: dan.rumelt@fcc.gov

SENIOR STAFF IN THE COMMISSION’S OFFICE OF NATIVE AFFAIRS AND POLICY ANNOUNCED

Washington , D.C. — The  Federal Communications Commission’s Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau has announced key senior agency staff in the Bureau’s Office of Native Affairs and Policy (ONAP).   They are:  Deputy Chief Irene Flannery, Senior Legal Advisor Cynthia Bryant, and Senior Advisor for Consultation Policy Dan Rumelt.

“These three talented regulatory policy and advocacy veterans bring a wealth of experience in the communications development field,” said Geoffrey Blackwell, Chief of ONAP.  “They will play key roles in advancing our work with colleagues throughout the Commission and throughout Indian Country to bring the full benefits of communications services and 21st Century broadband networks to Tribal Nations and Native Communities.  Each has personally experienced the digital divide in Indian Country, and brings a focus to our efforts.  I look forward to working closely with these good people.”

Deputy Chief, Irene Flannery:  Ms. Flannery will assist in managing ONAP’s efforts to develop and drive an FCC-wide agenda to create regulations and policies promoting the deployment of broadband and communications technologies in Tribal Nations and Native communities.  She was previously Deputy Chief of the Wireline Competition Bureau’s Telecommunications Access Policy Division (TAPD), the division responsible for universal service matters.  She managed the Low Income Program (Lifeline and Link Up), Eligible Telecommunications Carrier designations and Tribal related matters.  Formerly, Ms. Flannery was Vice-President of the High Cost and Low Income Division at the Universal Service Administrative Company.  She has also served in other senior management positions at the FCC, as Chief of TAPD and Associate Chief of the Enforcement Bureau’s Investigations and Hearings Division.  Ms. Flannery is a graduate of Duke University, the University of Virginia, and Georgetown University Law Center.

Senior Legal Advisor, Cynthia Bryant:  Ms. Bryant will provide senior counsel on a wide variety of communications law and federal Indian law matters, and help guide policy development as ONAP works to fulfill many recommendations of the National Broadband Plan and the FCC’s Tribal policies and regulations.  Prior to this position, Ms. Bryant was a Senior Attorney in the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau, where she was the lead attorney to investigate and take action against carriers that did not adequately publicize Lifeline and Link Up program services to residents living on Tribal Lands.   During the DTV transition, she served as Coordinator for the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Designated Marketing Area coordinating outreach and working closely with Tribal Chairmen and Council Members of the Rosebud Sioux, Yankton Sioux, Lower Brule Sioux, and Crow Creek Sioux Tribes.  Ms. Bryant is a graduate of Bradford College, the University of Kansas Law School, American University Washington College of Law, and Middlebury College.

Senior Advisor for Consultation Policy, Dan Rumelt:  Mr. Rumelt will help develop constructive government-to-government consultation efforts with Tribal Governments and increased coordination efforts with Native Organizations, all integrating input into FCC dockets removing barriers to entry and developing regulatory policies that will benefit the deployment of communications services in Tribal and Native Communities.  Prior to this position, Mr. Rumelt was Senior Advisor for Outreach in the FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, for nearly 10 years.   He has developed and implemented consumer-oriented education and outreach programs on telecommunications issues throughout the nation, including several efforts within Indian Country.  He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin in Madison and Marquette University, and during his studies, he was also a student at Oxford University.

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