FCC's Genachowski Names Members to the FCC-Native Nations Broadband Task Force

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski named 30 members to serve on the new FCC-Native Nations Broadband Task Force.

The Task Force is comprised of elected and appointed leaders from across the Native Nations and senior staff and decision-makers from across the Commission. Chairman Genachowski also named Geoffrey Blackwell, Chief of the Commission's Office of Native Affairs and Policy, as co-chair. Another co-chair will be elected from among the Native Nation representatives on the Task Force by those representatives. The Task Force will assist the Commission in fulfilling its commitment to increase broadband deployment and adoption on Tribal lands.

Chairman Genachowski named the following members to the Task Force representing Native Nations and communities:

• Honorable Susie Allen: Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation
• Honorable Marlin Fryberg: Tulalip Tribes
• Honorable Joe Garcia: Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo
• Honorable Jeffrey Harjo: Seminole Nation of Oklahoma
• Honorable Bradley John: Seneca Nation of Indians
• Honorable Bill Kekahbah: Kaw Nation
• Honorable Joseph Manuel: Gila River Indian Community
• Honorable Jim Shakespeare: Northern Arapaho Tribe
• Mark Bilton-Smith: Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians
• Lewis Christman: Tule River Indian Tribe
• Valerie Fast Horse: Coeur d'Alene Tribe
• Debby Gallenberg: Sokaogon Chippewa Community
• Pearl Mikulski: Kawerak
• Carroll Onsae: Hopi Tribe
• Matthew Rantanen: Pala Band of Mission Indians
• Brian Tagaban: Navajo Nation
• Michael White: Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma
• James Williams: Tanana Chiefs Conference
• Michelle York: Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians

Chairman Genachowski named the following Task Force members from the Federal Communications Commission:

• Geoffrey Blackwell: Office of Native Affairs and Policy
• Irene Flannery: Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau
• David Furth: Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau
• Jane Jackson: Wireless Telecommunications Bureau
• Elise Kohn: Wireline Competition Bureau
• Mark Lloyd: Office of General Counsel
• Kris Monteith: Media Bureau
• Robert Nelson: International Bureau
• Jamison Prime: Office of Engineering and Technology
• Thomas Reed: Office of Communications Business Opportunities
• Suzanne Tetreault: Enforcement Bureau

Task Force responsibilities include assisting in developing and executing a Commission consultation policy, eliciting input to ensure that Native concerns are considered in all Commission proceedings related to broadband, developing additional recommendations for promoting broadband deployment and adoption on Tribal lands, and coordinating with external entities, including other federal departments and agencies.