People: New FCC Chief Economist, USTelecom Promotions

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6, 2025 – The Federal Communications Commission and broadband industry group USTelecom announced hires or promotions among its senior staff.

From USTelecom's Tuesday release:

• Alanna Chapell has been promoted from Director, Government Affairs to Senior Director, Government Affairs.

• Jessica Thompson has been promoted from Director, Policy and ITG Operations to Senior Director, Policy and ITG Operations.
• Lara Weinstein has been promoted from Director, Executive Office to Senior Director, Executive Office. 

Chapell spent five years working on Capitol Hill before joining USTelecom in 2023. She had most recently served as a legislative assistant to former Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mi. Weinstein also worked in Congress for five years before joining USTelecom in 2020.

Thompson started at USTelecom in 2018, according to her LinkedIn profile.

“These promotions reflect the talent, dedication, and impact Alanna, Jessica and Lara bring to USTelecom every day,” USTelecom CEO ​​Jonathan Spalter said in a statement. “I am grateful for their commitment to our members and proud to recognize the role each of them plays in delivering real results for communities across the country.”

The group is currently pushing the Federal Communications Commission (and/or Congress) to preempt state and local rules around broadband permitting and has supported a recent bill that would allow more money from the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program to be spent on infrastructure projects.

New top economist at FCC

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced a new top economist Monday, naming University of North Carolina economics professor Jonathan Williams to the post.

Williams has been at UNC since 2015 and a professor since 2022. He founded the university’s Center for Regulatory and Industrial Studies.

He’s published research on the telecom, airline, and pharmaceutical industries.

The FCC’s Office of Economics and Analytics, which Williams will lead, does work on the agency’s spectrum auctions, its annual urban broadband rate survey, and other data collections and analysis efforts.