Genachowski Begins Naming Bureau Chiefs

Taps Ruth Milkman as wireless bureau chief, James Schlichting senior deputy chief

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/16/2009 11:32:20 AM

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has begun naming his bureau chiefs, beginning with the Wireless Bureau and tapping a lot of institutional knowledge in the process.

For the most part, the chairman did not have to look far to find his team.

The new bureau chief will be Ruth Milkman, who had been special counsel for the chairman's transition. Like Genachowski, she is a former staffer to then FCC Chairman Reed Hundt back in the mid 1990's--she was his senior legal adviser--as well as former deputy chief of the Common Carrier and International Bureaus.

James Schlichting has been named senior deputy chief of the bureau. He has been with the commission for almost a quarter century, most recently as deputy and acting chief of the bureau.

Named deputy chief was Renee Roland Crittendon, who had been chief of staff and senior legal adviser to former Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, who has moved over to head the Ag Department's Rural Utilities Service. Crittendon's past FCC posts include deputy chief of the Wireline Competition Bureau and chief of that bureau's competition policy division.

Also named deputy chief was John Leibovitz, an Obama transition team member and telecom industry consultant.

"This bureau will play a pivotal role in promoting innovation, competition, job creation and investment in the wireless sector," said Genachowski in a statement. "I am delighted to have a Wireless Telecommunications Bureau team with the expertise to help seize the opportunity for the United States to lead the world in mobile communications."