NEWS Federal Communications Commission 445 12th 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). News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: June 23, 2010 Jen Howard, (202) 418-0506 Email: jen.howard@fcc.gov JOSH GOTTHEIMER NAMED SENIOR COUNSELOR TO FCC CHAIRMAN JULIUS GENACHOWSKI Washington, D.C. -- Today, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski announced the appointment of Josh Gottheimer as Senior Counselor to the Chairman. In this capacity, Mr. Gottheimer will serve as the Chairman’s strategic advisor on a wide range of policy and legal matters. He will have oversight over the legislative, communications, intergovernmental affairs, and public liaison functions of the agency. Mr. Gottheimer will also focus on America’s innovation agenda and the steps the FCC can take -- including considering the recommendations in the National Broadband Plan -- to help facilitate American global competitiveness, economic growth, and job creation and to improve the use of 21st century communications networks to improve health care, education, energy efficiency, and public safety. "We’re at a crossroads. The decisions we make today will help drive America's competitiveness, innovation and job creation in the decades to come. As part of my team, Josh will play a key role in helping me and the FCC achieve our critical mission: building the 21st century communications infrastructure our country needs to compete and win in the global economy. I'm thrilled that he's joining the Commission," said FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski. Mr. Gottheimer currently serves as the Executive Vice President, Worldwide at Burson-Marsteller, a global communications firm; before that, he was the Director of Strategic Communications at Ford Motor Company, where he oversaw corporate advertising. Between 1998 to 2001, Mr. Gottheimer served as Special Assistant to the President and Presidential Speechwriter to President Bill Clinton. Among others, he helped draft the State of the Union addresses in 1999 and 2000, several comedy speeches, and the 2000 Democratic Convention speech. After leaving the White House, Mr. Gottheimer was a Senior Advisor to the United States Commission on Civil Rights. In the 2004 presidential race, Mr. Gottheimer served as Deputy Director of Speechwriting and Senior Policy Advisor to the John Kerry for President Campaign. Mr. Gottheimer is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Harvard Journal on Legislation, and was a Thouron Fellow at Oxford. He is a visiting professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Gottheimer has been a regular political commentator on CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News Channel. He is also a contributor to US News & World Report. He has published articles in The Washington Monthly, ABA Magazine, and was the editor of Ripples of Hope: Great American Civil Rights Speeches, a collection of inspiring speeches from five social movements in American history. He is currently working on Power in Words: Barack Obama’s Speeches from the State House to the White House, a history and analysis of President Barack Obama’s most important pre- presidential speeches. Mr. Gottheimer is a member of the New York State Bar and the District of Columbia Bar, and the New York Economic Club. He also serves on the advisory boards for Hope for Vision and Leapfrog, the first micro-insurance provider for developing countries. --FCC--