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 7, 2011 Neil Grace, 202-418-0506
Email: neil.grace@fcc.gov  
RICK KAPLAN TO BE CHIEF OF WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUREAU; 
RUTH MILKMAN TO BECOME SPECIAL COUNSEL TO THE CHAIRMAN FOR 
INNOVATION IN GOVERNMENT
(Washington, D.C.) – Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski today 
announced that Ruth Milkman will be stepping down as Chief of the Wireless Telecommunications 
Bureau to take on new responsibilities in the Office of the Chairman; and that Rick Kaplan, currently 
Chief Counsel and Senior Legal Advisor to the Chairman, will succeed Ms. Milkman as Bureau Chief.  
The change will be effective June 20, 2011. 
Ms. Milkman is departing the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau to serve as Special Counsel to the 
Chairman for Innovation in Government.  Among her responsibilities, Ms. Milkman will lead a team to 
develop proposals for procedural, regulatory and statutory changes to further innovation, extending the 
work previously undertaken by Mary Beth Richards, the former Special Counsel to the Chairman for FCC 
Reform.  Ms. Milkman has served as Chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau since August 
2009, and occupied various roles at the Commission between 1986 and 1998, including Deputy Chief of 
the International and Common Carrier Bureaus, and Senior Legal Advisor to Chairman Reed Hundt. She 
also was a founding partner of Lawler, Metzger, Milkman & Keeney, LLC, and served as law clerk to the 
Honorable J. Harvie Wilkinson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.  
“With Ruth Milkman as chief, the Wireless Bureau has reached new heights in spectrum policy 
development and thought leadership in the area of auctions. I am pleased that she will take on new and 
important responsibilities, including expansion of innovation in government,” said Chairman 
Genachowski.
Prior to his current role in the Office of the Chairman, Mr. Kaplan previously served as Chief of Staff for 
Commission Mignon Clyburn, and as deputy coordinator of the FCC DTV task force under then-Acting 
Chairman Michael Copps. He practiced regulatory law and appellate litigation at Sidley Austin LLP, and 
served in the Office of the General Counsel at the U.S. House of Representatives.  Mr. Kaplan began his 
legal career as a law clerk for Judge Harry T. Edwards of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.  
Prior to his legal career, Mr. Kaplan founded and operated a sports management and public relations 
agency that represented and served professional athletes and sports-related organizations.
Chairman Genachowski said, “Rick Kaplan has been a tremendous asset to the Commission – through 
his work on the DTV transition, as Chief of Staff to Commissioner Clyburn, and as Chief Counsel.  He 
has played an integral part in the Commission’s policymaking over the last year – especially in the area of 
wireless communications – and he will bring that experience to bear as Chief of the Wireless 
Telecommunications Bureau. It is an exciting and critical time for wireless communications, and I am 
pleased that Rick accepted this leadership position to continue Ruth Milkman’s excellent work in one of 
the most important sectors of our economy.”
-FCC-