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 NEWS  News  media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  TTY  202/  418-  2555  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  August  18,  2003  David  Fiske  202-  418-  0513 
 MARSHA  MACBRIDE  TO  STEP  DOWN  AS  FCC  CHIEF  OF  STAFF 
 WASHINGTON  -  Marsha  J.  MacBride  announced  today  she  is  resigning  as  Chief  of  Staff  of  the  Federal  Communications  Commission,  stating  “It  is  with  difficulty  I  choose  to  leave 
 my  post  as  Chief  of  Staff  at  this  time.  Although  the  Chairman  has  a  challenging  agenda  ahead  of  him,  the  time  is  right  for  me  to  pursue  new  opportunities.” 


 FCC  Chairman  Michael  Powell  said,  “It  is  with  deep  regret  that  I  accept  Marsha’s  decision  to  step  down.  Marsha  is  my  most  trusted  and  loyal  advisor.  She  has  served  me,  the  FCC 
 and  the  American  people  with  exceptional  skill  and  grace  for  the  past  two  and  a  half  years  as  Chief  of  Staff.  She  is  an  exceptional  leader  who  has  worked  tirelessly  to  make  the  FCC  more 
 efficient  and  more  responsive  to  the  needs  of  the  American  public.  She  is  a  friend,  and  I  will  sorely  miss  her  as  we  forge  ahead  with  the  Commission’s  work.” 


 Ms.  MacBride  rejoined  the  Commission,  where  she  began  service  in  1991,  in  January  2001,  to  serve  as  Chairman  Powell’s  Chief  of  Staff.  She  at  that  time  was  serving  as  Vice 
 President,  Government  Relations,  for  the  Walt  Disney  Company.  In  addition  to  her  duties  as  Chief  of  Staff,  Ms.  MacBride  heads  the  Commission's  Homeland  Security  Policy  Council. 


 During  her  prior  tenure  at  the  FCC,  Ms.  MacBride  served  as  Legal  Advisor  to  then  Commissioner  Michael  Powell.  She  was  principally  responsible  for  advising  the  Commissioner 
 on  broadcast,  cable  television  and  various  international  issues.  Prior  to  joining  Commissioner  Powell's  personal  staff,  Ms.  MacBride  served  as  Executive  Director  of  the  FCC's  Task  Force  on 
 Year  2000  Conversion,  chaired  by  Commissioner  Powell.  From  December  1996  to  November  1997,  Ms.  MacBride  was  Legal  Advisor  to  Commissioner  James  H.  Quello  for  matters  relating 
 to  broadcast  and  cable  television,  including  digital  television  transition,  closed-  captioning  and  inside  wiring  proceedings. 


 Ms.  MacBride  joined  the  Commission  as  an  attorney  in  the  Political  Programming  Branch  of  the  Mass  Media  Bureau's  Enforcement  Division,  and  subsequently  served  as  Acting 
 Deputy  Chief  of  the  Cable  Services  Bureau  and  Senior  Legal  Advisor  to  the  Mass  Media  Bureau.  Prior  to  joining  the  FCC,  Ms.  MacBride  practiced  communications  law  in  Washington  for  six 
 years. 
 Ms.  MacBride  is  a  1981  graduate  of  Douglass  College,  Rutgers  University,  where  she  received,  with  magna  cum  laude  distinction,  a  B.  A.  degree.  In  1985,  she  earned  her  law  degree 


 from  the  George  Washington  University  School  of  Law  in  Washington,  D.  C. 
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