Clyburn Picks FCC Veteran as Chief of Staff
Acting FCC Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn Thursday tapped agency veteran and Enforcement Bureau Chief Michele Ellison as her chief of staff. Clyburn had looked for someone who was considered to have “gravitas” and long FCC experience to serve in that position, industry lawyers said Thursday. Ellison worked with Clyburn behind the scenes when she was preparing for her original confirmation in 2009. Dave Grimaldi will stay on as chief counsel. Grimaldi, previously Clyburn’s top advisor, likely didn’t get the nod because he’s a relative newcomer at the FCC and Clyburn wanted someone more experienced, industry officials told us. Ellison was acting general counsel in 2009 and deputy general counsel from 1997 to 2009.
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ldquo;There are few people that Chairwoman Clyburn trusts more than Michele Ellison and she’s earned that trust over a number of years,” said an industry official who recently left the agency. “She’s a seasoned and well respected FCC veteran,” said Ari Fitzgerald of Hogan Lovells, who worked with her at the FCC. Clyburn has assembled a “solid, highly skilled staff,” said Jeff Silva, analyst at Medley Global Advisors. “Michele Ellison was essential in launching Bill Kennard’s chairmanship,” said Wiltshire Grannis telecom lawyer John Nakahata, chief of staff under that chairman. “Her experience will be extremely valuable to acting Chair Clyburn."
"Michele is a really talented lawyer,” said Phoenix Center president Lawrence Spiwak, who worked with her when he was at the Office of General Counsel in the mid-nineties. Ellison has almost two decades of experience at the agency, and “you need somebody like that,” Spiwak said. With so many different bureaus and personnel issues to deal with, acting chairpersons are under “tremendous pressure,” he said. “It’s a daunting task to run an agency that large. … You really need a seasoned FCC hand who’s been around for a while. My guess is that Michele was a good pick to just really keep the trains running on time."
In the other change of note for the office, Clyburn appointed FCC veteran Sarah Whitesell as legal advisor for media issues. Louis Peraertz will continue as Clyburn’s wireless advisor and Rebekah Goodheart as advisor for wireline issues.