WASHINGTON, D.C. — She’s served as a Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration in the Department of Commerce. She’s also served as a Senior Legal Advisor to former FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin, and in May 2017 rose from Deputy Chief to Chief of the Commission’s Media Bureau.
Now, Michelle Carey is moving on from the FCC’s legislative hub for all things involving broadcast media regulatory policy.
Carey — along with three other high-profile Bureau and Office chiefs — is transitioning to new roles at the FCC.
That’s according to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, and it’s not unusual at all; upon the naming of a new chair, chiefs usually transition, too.
In this case, the changes at the Media Bureau will see Holly Saurer now serve as Chief. Saurer has acted as Rosenworcel’s Legal Advisor for Media for the past year and returns to the Media Bureau, where she has held several positions, including Deputy Bureau Chief, Associate Bureau Chief, Senior Legal Advisor and Attorney-Advisor with the Media Bureau’s Policy Division. Prior to that, Saurer served as an Acting Media Advisor for Commissioners Rosenworcel and Clyburn, and an International and Consumer Affairs Legal Advisor for ex-Chairman Tom Wheeler.
Prior to joining the Commission, Saurer worked at the Washington, D.C. offices of Drinker Biddle & Reath and Miller & Van Eaton. She received her JD from American University’s Washington College of Law.
Also moving on is Rosemary Harold. That’s because Loyaan Egal will now lead the Commission’s Enforcement Bureau, as Acting Chief.
Egal has most recently served as a Deputy Chief in the Foreign Investment Review Section (FIRS) of the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division. But, before that, Egalserved in the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau, where he established and led the Universal Service Fund Strike Force (now known as the Fraud Division), the FCC’s first white collar fraud unit.
Additionally, Alejandro Roark will serve as Chief of the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau while Debra Jordan will now be Chief of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau.
“I’d also like to thank Michelle Carey, Lisa Fowlkes, Rosemary Harold, and Patrick Webre, for their public service as they transition to new roles across the agency,” Rosenworcel said. “Ensuring modern communications reach every corner of the country isn’t possible without the leadership of incredible, capable experts throughout the Commission. I am confident in the talent at the FCC and honored this team will help lead the Commission. I look forward to working with them to meet our shared goal of connecting everyone, everywhere.”
Michele Ellison, presently the Acting General Counsel, will permanently serve as General Counsel. Ellison previously served as Deputy General Counsel, a position she held for most of her 25-year tenure at the FCC.
