FCC’s Consumer Advisory Committee Rechartered

The Federal Communications Commission announced the appointment of members to its Consumer Advisory Committee. The Committee’s charter was renewed for a seventh 2-year term effective October 23, 2012.

During the Committee’s seventh term, it is anticipated that the Committee will meet in Washington, D.C. for a minimum of two (2) one-day plenary meetings per year. In addition, as needed, working groups or subcommittees will be established to facilitate the Committee’s work between meetings of the full Committee. The Committee was established in November 2000 to make recommendations to the Commission 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) in proceedings before the Commission. Issues or questions to be considered by the CAC may include, but are not limited to the following topic areas:

1. Consumer Protection and Education;
2. Implementation of Commission rules and Consumer Participation in the FCC rulemaking process;
3. Access by People with Disabilities; and,
4. Impact of New and Emerging Technologies.

The FCC re-appoints thirty (30) previous members to the rechartered Committee and further makes three (3) new appointments to the Committee. Of the Committee’s thirty-three (33) members, two (2) represent the interests of academia; eleven (11) represent the interests of consumers; six (6) represent the interests of the disability community; two (2) represent the interests of government/regulators; ten (10) represent the interests of industry, and two (2) represent the interests of low income/minority communities.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski reappoints Debra R. Berlyn representing the National Consumers League as Chairperson of the Committee. All appointments and reappointments are effective immediately and shall terminate October 23, 2014, or when the Committee is terminated, whichever is earlier.

The Committee’s roster by organization name and primary representative is as follows (* indicates new appointment):

• AARP—Chris Baker
• American Consumer Institute—Stephen Pociask
• American Foundation for the Blind—Paul Schroeder
• Appalachian Regional Commission—Mark Defalco
• Benton Foundation—Cecilia Garcia
• California Western School of Law, New Media Rights Project—Art Neill
• Call For Action—Shirley Rooker
• Coleman Institute for Cognitive Disabilities—Enid Ablowitz
• 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—Scott Bergmann
• Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consumer Action Network—Claude Stout
• Digital Policy Institute—Barry Umansky
• *Health Analytic Services—Douglas Trauner
• Hearing Loss Association of America—Lise Hamlin
• Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youth and Adults—Dorothy 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—Ann Bobeck
• National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates— Charles Acquard
• National Cable and Telecommunications Association— Stephanie Podey
• National Consumer Law Center—Olivia Wein
• National Consumers League—Debra Berlyn (Chairperson)
• *Partners Healthcare—Dr. Julian Goldman
• *Qualcomm Incorporated—Robert Jarrin
• Rochester Institute of Technology—Raja Kushalnagar
• Speech Communication Assistance by Telephone—Rebecca Ladew
• Time Warner Cable—Fernando R. Laguarda
• T-Mobile—Luisa Lancetti
• Verizon Communications, Inc.—Donna Rynex/Mary Crespy (joint representatives)