E115: Jonathan Adelstein - The Passion to Make Impact

Jonathan S. Adelstein is the President & CEO of the Wireless
Infrastructure Association (WIA). WIA represents nearly 200
companies devoted to building wireless broadband facilities that
connect every corner of America. Since he became President in
2012, over 100 new members have joined the association, the
annual wireless infrastructure show has broken participation
records, a new association was formed in Europe, and a new
nationwide training initiative and WIA PAC were launched. WIA is
the principal organization representing the companies that build,
design, own and manage telecommunications facilities throughout
the world. Its members include carriers, infrastructure providers
and professional services firms, with a combined market cap of
over $400 billion. Mr. Adelstein served as Commissioner of the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from 2002 to 2009, for
which he was twice nominated by President George W. Bush and
confirmed by the U.S. Senate. At the FCC he achieved bipartisan
progress on issues including broadband expansion, widening access
to the Internet and media diversity.


In 2009, following the FCC, Mr. Adelstein was nominated by
President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate to serve as
the Administrator of U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural
Utilities Service. There, he oversaw a $60 billion portfolio of
rural electric, water, and telecommunications infrastructure
loans. He spearheaded the strategic investment of nearly $7
billion under the Recovery Act into rural broadband and water
infrastructure, as part of annual budgets of up to $15 billion.


As a member of the Obama Administration, Mr. Adelstein was
appointed as a member of the White House National Science and
Technology Council, which coordinates science and technology
policy across the Federal government, and the White House
Business Council, leading Council meetings with business leaders
across America.


Previously, Mr. Adelstein held a number of legislative staff
positions over 15 years in the U.S. Senate, culminating as a
senior policy advisor to the Senate Majority Leader.  Mr.
Adelstein received an M.A. in History and a B.A., with
Distinction, in Political Science from Stanford University. He
attended the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University,
and served as a Teaching Fellow in history at Harvard University
and a Teaching Assistant at Stanford University. He is a graduate
of Phillips Academy, Andover. He was born and raised in Rapid
City, South Dakota. An avid musician, he has performed with
artists from local garage bands to members of the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame. He currently lives with his wife and two children
in the Washington, D.C. area.


Learn More about Jonathan at:


(1) Jonathan Adelstein | LinkedIn


https://wia.org/


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