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 NEWS  News  media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  TTY  202  /  418-  2555  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974). 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE:  NEWS  MEDIA  CONTACT: 
 May  31,  2001  David  Fiske  at  202-  418-  0513 


 KATHLEEN  Q.  ABERNATHY  SWORN  IN  AS  FCC  COMMISSIONER 
 Washington,  DC  –  Kathleen  Q.  Abernathy  was  sworn  in  today  as  a  member  of  the 
 Federal  Communications  Commission  for  a  term  that  expires  June  30,  2004. 


 Before  her  appointment  to  the  FCC,  Abernathy  was  director  for  government 
 affairs  at  BroadBand  Office,  Inc.;  a  partner  in  the  Washington,  DC,  law  firm  of 
 Wilkinson  Barker  Knauer,  LLP;  vice  president  for  regulatory  affairs  at  U.  S.  West  (now 
 known  as  Qwest  Communications);  and  vice  president  for  federal  regulatory  at  AirTouch 
 Communications.  She  also  served  as  legal  advisor  to  FCC  Commissioner  Sherrie 
 Marshall  and  Chairman  James  Quello. 


 Commissioner  Abernathy  issued  the  following  statement  following  her  swearing 
 in:  “I  am  humbled  and  honored  that  the  President  and  Congress  have  selected  me  to  serve 
 the  American  people  as  an  FCC  Commissioner.  Having  worked  at  the  FCC  as  a  legal 
 advisor  to  two  commissioners,  I  feel  a  particular  sense  of  pride  and  responsibility  in 
 following  in  the  footsteps  of  such  fine  public  servants.  I  look  forward  to  working  with 
 Chairman  Powell,  my  fellow  commissioners,  and  the  talented  and  dedicated  Commission 
 staff  to  make  the  best,  most  prompt  decisions  possible  for  the  American  people.” 


 Abernathy  received  a  B.  S.  from  Marquette  University  and  a  J.  D.  from  Columbus 
 School  of  Law,  The  Catholic  University  of  America.  She  is  a  member  and  former 
 President  of  the  Federal  Communications  Bar  Association  and  a  member  of  the 
 Washington,  DC,  Bar. 


 Abernathy,  her  husband,  Charles  Abernathy,  and  their  daughter,  Julia,  reside  in 
 Bethesda,  MD. 


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