Alan Davidson sticks landing to become new NTIA chief

The Senate confirmed Alan Davidson as the new head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, installing a new leader for the agency as it begins the process of distributing billions in federal funding for broadband. Davidson was approved by a vote of 60-31, making him the agency’s first permanent chief since David Redl left the post in May 2019. His appointment comes nearly a year after President Joe Biden took office and two and a half months after his nomination for the post. Jessica Rosenworcel was tapped to lead the Federal Communications Commission at the same Davidson was nominated and was installed in December. The new NTIA chief comes to the role from a position as a senior advisor at the Mozilla Foundation, a nonprofit focused on promoting an open internet. He previously served as the first director of digital economy at the Department of Commerce under President Barak Obama. He was also director of New America’s Open Technology Institute from 2014-2015 and director of public policy for Google in the Americas from 2005 to 2012.