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President Biden nominates Gigi Sohn L’86 to the Federal Communications Commission

October 26, 2021

Gigi Sohn L'86
Gigi Sohn L’86
Upon confirmation, Sohn will become the third Democrat Commissioner on the current FCC and the first openly LGBTQ+ Commissioner in FCC history.

According to a White House press release, President Joe Biden has nominated Gigi Sohn L’86 to serve as a Commissioner on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Pending Senate confirmation, Sohn will become the third Democrat Commissioner on the current FCC and the first openly LGBTQ+ Commissioner in FCC history.

Sohn’s impressive career advocating for equal and democratic access to the internet has spanned both the governmental and non-governmental sectors. Most recently, Sohn has held positions as a Distinguished Fellow at Georgetown Law Institute for Technology Law & Policy and a Senior Fellow and Public Advocate at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. From 2013-2016, Sohn served as Counselor to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, where she advised and represented him on a wide range of telecommunications and media issues.

As one of the country’s most prominent advocates for open and affordable internet access, Sohn’s influence in the field cannot be overstated. Currently, Sohn sits on the Board of Directors for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit advocate for digital privacy, and in 2001, Sohn co-founded Public Knowledge, a leading policy advocacy organization dedicated to maintaining the internet as an open, public space.

If confirmed, Sohn will occupy a highly impactful role as one of the five Commissioners of the FCC, an independent agency overseen by Congress that is responsible for implementing and enforcing laws and regulations related to the nation’s communication technology.