User:MargaretJRM

Lawrence E. Strickling (born November 23, 1951) was sworn in as Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information at the Department of Commerce in June 2009. In this role, Strickling serves as Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the Executive Branch agency that is principally responsible for advising the President on telecommunications and information policy. A technology policy expert with more than two decades of experience in the public and private sectors, Strickling’s focus at NTIA includes leading initiatives to expand broadband Internet access and adoption in America and to promote an open, interconnected global Internet.

Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information
As Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information, Strickling oversees NTIA's initiatives and policy development, including spectrum management, broadband expansion and adoption, and the Internet Policy Task Force.

Spectrum Management
NTIA manages the Federal government's use of spectrum, ensuring that America's domestic and international spectrum needs are met. Presently, NTIA is collaborating with the Federal Communications Commission to make available a total of 500 megahertz of Federal and nonfederal spectrum over the next decade for mobile and fixed wireless broadband use. This initiative, to nearly double the amount of commercial spectrum, is intended to spur investment, economic growth, and job creation while supporting the growing demand by consumers and businesses for wireless broadband services.

Broadband Expansion and Adoption
Strickling oversees a range of efforts to increase broadband Internet access and adoption in America. These activities include administration of the Recovery-Act-funded Broadband Technology Opportunities Program and State Broadband Initiative; creating and maintaining the first public, searchable nationwide map of broadband availability; researching broadband-usage trends; and promoting digital literacy.

Broadband Technologies Opportunities Program
During Strickling's tenure, NTIA developed an approximately $4 billion Recovery Act broadband grants program and now manages the oversight of these nationwide broadband projects.

National Broadband Map
Additionally, under Strickling's leadership, NTIA launched America's first public, searchable nationwide map of consumer broadband Internet availability and crafted a ten-year plan that the agency is now implementing to nearly double the amount of commercial spectrum available for wireless broadband, as directed by President Obama.

Internet Policy Task Force
Strickling also oversees NTIA’s efforts on a host of domestic and global Internet policy and administrative issues, including playing a key role in the Commerce Department's Internet Policy Task Force; advocating the U.S. Government’s policy positions abroad; and promoting the stability and security of the Internet’s domain name system through its participation on behalf of the U.S. government in Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) activities.

Government Experience
Previously in government, Strickling served at the Federal Communications Commission as Chief of the Common Carrier Bureau from 1998 to 2000, working to promote competition and protect consumers in the telecommunications sector and implement many of the key provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Prior to that, Strickling was Associate General Counsel and Chief of the FCC’s Competition Division.

Business Experience
In the private sector, Strickling was Chief Regulatory and Chief Compliance Officer at telecommunications service provider Broadwing Communications, LLC, from 2004 to 2007. His private sector experience from 2000 to 2004 included serving in senior roles at competitive communications service providers Allegiance Telecom, Inc. and CoreExpress, Inc. and as a member of the Board of Directors of Network Plus. From 1993 to 1997, Strickling was Vice President, Public Policy at Regional Bell Operating Company Ameritech Corp., where he was responsible for developing and implementing Ameritech’s state and federal regulatory and legislative agenda. Strickling was also a litigation partner at the Chicago law firm of Kirkland & Ellis.

Education
Strickling earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School and is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Maryland with a degree in economics.