Rosenworcel Appoints Eight to Serve on USAC Board

WASHINGTON, Jan. 8, 2025—Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel named eight to serve as members to the Universal Service Administrative Company Board of Directors in December. The new board will meet for the first time on Jan. 28.

Four of the appointed members are incumbents nominated for another term, while the other four – Anisa Green, Dan Kettwich, David Schuler, and Brian Dalhover – will serve on the board for the first time.

USAC, the non-profit organization responsible for administering the FCC’s $8.1 billion Universal Service Fund, had a challenging 2024. 

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit decided in July 2024 that the USF’s funding mechanism may violate provisions of the U.S. Constitution, mainly concerning how taxes and fees are collected and used. The Supreme Court is set to review that decision this spring.

The USAC Board of Directors consists of 20 telecommunications experts who provide guidance on managing the broadband fund.

The eight new and re-appointed members, representing rural stakeholders from schools to healthcare providers to interexchange carriers, will have to grapple with potential USF reforms if the Supreme Court upholds the Fifth Circuit’s ruling.

Following is the list of Rosenworcel’s USAC leadership appointments: 

• Anisa Green, Director – Federal Regulatory, AT&T as the Representative for interexchange carriers with annual operating revenues of more than $3 billion (term expires on Dec. 31, 2027);
• Dan Kettwich, Founder, President, and CEO of ADS Advanced Data Services, Inc. as the Representative for rural health care providers (term expires on Dec. 31, 2027);
• Sarah Freeman, Commissioner, Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission as the Representative for state telecommunications regulators (term expires on Dec. 31, 2027; incumbent); 
• Kenneth Mason, Industry Consultant as the Representative for incumbent local exchange carriers with more than $40 million in annual revenues (term expires on Dec. 31, 2027; incumbent); 
• David Schuler, Executive Director of AASA, The School Superintendents Association as the Representative for discount-eligible schools (term expires on Dec. 31, 2027);
• Julie Tritt Schell, E-Rate Coordinator, State of Pennsylvania as the Representative for discount-eligible schools (term expires on Dec. 31, 2025; incumbent);
• Olivia Wein, Senior Attorney, National Consumer Law Center as the Representative for information service providers (term expires on Dec. 31, 2027; incumbent);
• Brian Dalhover, Head of SLED Engineering & Policy, Zayo Group LLC as the Representative for interexchange carriers with annual operating revenues of $3 billion or less (term expires on Dec. 31, 2026)