FCC Names New Consumer Advisory Committee

The Federal Communications Commission renewed the charter and named members to its Consumer Advisory Committee. The FCC established the CAC in November 2000 for the purpose of making recommendations regarding consumer issues within the jurisdiction of the Commission and to facilitate the participation of consumers, including people with disabilities and underserved populations, such as Native Americans and persons living in rural areas. The CAC's focus is on 1) Consumer protection and education, 2) Access by people with disabilities, and 3) the impact upon consumers of new and emerging technologies.

The CAC is comprised of 31 members: 11 represent the interests of consumers; 6 represent the interests of the disability community; 2 represent the interests of
government/regulators; 7 represent the interests of industry, and 3 represent the interests of tribal/low income/minority communities.

CAC will again be chaired by Debra Berlyn representing the National Consumers League. Cecilia Garcia represents the Benton Foundation on the CAC.

Chairperson

• Ms. Debra Berlyn, representing the National Consumers League (reappointment)

Members by organization and primary representative name

• AARP—Chris Baker
• American Consumer Institute—Stephen Pociask
• American Foundation for the Blind—Paul Schroeder
• Appalachian Regional Commission—Mark Defalco
• Benton Foundation—Cecilia Garcia
• Call For Action—Shirley Rooker
• Coleman Institute for Cognitive Disabilities—Clayton Lewis
• Consumer Action—Ken McEldowney
• Consumer Federation of America—Irene E. Leech
• Consumer Electronics Association—Julie Kearney
• Center for Media Justice—Amalia Deloney
• CTIA The Wireless Association—K. Dane Snowden
• Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consumer Action Network—Claude Stout
• Digital Policy Institute—Barry Umansky
• Hearing Loss Association of America—Lise Hamlin
• Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youth and Adults—Dorthy Walt
• Media Literacy Project—Andrea Quijada
• Montgomery County, MD, Office of Cable and Broadband Services—Mitsuko Herrera
• National Asian American Coalition—Mia Martinez
• National Association of Broadcasters—Joel Oxley
• National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates—Lawrence Daniels
• National Cable and Telecommunications Association—Rick Chessen
• National Consumer Law Center—Olivia Wein
• National Consumers League—Debra Berlyn (Chairperson)
• Native Public Media—Dr. Traci Morris
• Rochester Institute of Technology—Raja Kushalnagar
• Speech Communication Assistance by Telephone—Rebecca Ladew
• Time Warner Cable—Fernando R. Laguarda
• T-Mobile—Luisa Lancetti
• Utility Consumers’ Action Network—Michael Scott
• Verizon Communications, Inc.—Donna Rynex/Mary Crespy (joint appointment)