NEWS News media Information 202 / 418-0500Fax-On-Demand 202 / 418-2830TTY 202/418-2555Internet: http://www.fcc.govftp.fcc.gov 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). FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NEWS MEDIA CONTACT January 7, 2013 Justin Cole, (202) 418-8191 Email: Justin.cole@fcc.gov JORDAN USDAN, ACTING DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC-PRIVATE INITIATIVES, TO STEP DOWN; REBECCA HANSON NAMED ACTING DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC-PRIVATE INITIATIVES Washington, D.C. – FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski today announced that Jordan Usdan will step down as Acting Director of Public-Private Initiatives this month. Rebecca Hanson, Senior Advisor in the Media Bureau, will assume the role of Acting Director of Public-Private Initiatives after Mr. Usdan’s departure while continuing to play a leadership role in the Commission’s work with TV broadcasters in preparation for the world’s first incentive auction. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said, “Jordan has brought tremendous energy and creative thinking to the FCC over the past three years. He has helped drive our broadband agenda, starting with the National Broadband Plan and more recently leading Public-Private Initiatives, to increase broadband access and stimulate innovation across key sectors such as education and health care. Jordan has worked tirelessly to advance education technology in schools and libraries, digital literacy, broadband adoption, cybersecurity and mHealth. Jordan’s work to help launch Connect2Compete, a first-of-its-kind effort to help close the broadband adoption gap, will help many Americans get online for the first time. We will miss Jordan’s deep knowledge of the issues and his enthusiasm for technology. “I’m delighted that Rebecca will serve as Acting Director of Public-Private Initiatives. In her three years at the Commission she has been a major force behind the strategy and implementation of our broadcast spectrum incentive auction, building on her significant contributions to the National Broadband Plan. Her private sector experience in developing business partnerships in the media and telecom industries will serve the Commission extremely well in her additional role.” Public-Private Initiatives (PPI) was established in March, 2012, operating within the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, to drive collaboration among government and private sector entities, including non-profit organizations, on broadband-related national priorities. An imperative of PPI is to advance key broadband goals, including those outlined in the National Broadband Plan, on such areas as broadband adoption, digital literacy, technology and education, cybersecurity, public safety, job creation, and broadband and healthcare. Key PPI efforts include Connect2Compete, a broadband adoption program with national digital literacy and low-cost broadband offerings; the Digital Textbooks Initiative, between the Department of Education, the education technology industry, and non-profit organizations; cybersecurity initiatives including the Small Business Cyber Planner and the Smartphone Security Checker, between government experts and private IT and security companies; and the mHealth Task Force, between the health technology industry and the federal government. 2Since joining the Commission in 2009, Mr. Usdan, has fulfilled strategic roles for the National Broadband Plan, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, the Chairman’s Office, and as Deputy Director and Acting Director of Public-Private Initiatives. As Acting Director, Mr. Usdan helped coordinate the Commission’s public and private partnership efforts on broadband adoption, digital textbooks, cybersecurity, online safety, and wireless health technology. Prior to this, Mr. Usdan focused on implementation, broadband adoption, international policies, and consumer transparency on the National Broadband Plan. He also led the development of the FCC’s fixed and mobile broadband speed tests, the Open Internet Apps Challenge, the Small Biz Cyber Planner, and the Smartphone Security Checker. He joined the Commission in 2009 from Howrey LLP in Washington, D.C., where he practiced after receiving his law degree from Georgetown University. Rebecca Hanson joined the FCC in 2009 as Spectrum Director for the National Broadband Plan, and now serves as Senior Advisor for Broadcast Spectrum in the FCC’s Media Bureau, where she is part of the task force launching the first broadcast spectrum incentive auction. Prior to joining the FCC, Rebecca was Vice President of Strategic Initiatives for Sprint Nextel, responsible for the 4G wireless network business unit in its merger with Clearwire. Prior to Sprint, she was Senior Vice President of Business Development at XM Satellite Radio, where she oversaw XM’s programming, distribution, music copyright, technology and other strategic partnerships. Earlier in her career, she was an attorney at the law firm of Shaw Pittman, specializing in new media technology transactions, mergers and acquisitions, commercial finance and venture capital. - FCC - News and information about the Federal Communications Commission is available at www.fcc.gov