Meredith Attwell Baker
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Meredith Attwell Baker is the president and
chief executive officer A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
of CTIA, an industry trade group that represents the international wireless telecommunications industry. From 2009 to 2011, Baker was a member of the United States
Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisdiction ...
, nominated by
U.S. President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...
Barack H. Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
. She also served in the
National Telecommunications and Information Administration The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is an agency of the United States Department of Commerce that serves as the President's principal adviser on telecommunications policies pertaining to the United States' ec ...
as a political appointee, and was subsequently named a deputy assistant secretary of the
Commerce Department The United States Department of Commerce is an executive department of the U.S. federal government concerned with creating the conditions for economic growth and opportunity. Among its tasks are gathering economic and demographic data for busin ...
by President
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
in February 2007.


Early life and education

Baker is a native of
Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
,
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
. Her father, Kirby Attwell, was president of Lincoln Liberty Life Insurance, a subsidiary of Lincoln Consolidated, at which he worked with the late former Texas Democratic U. S. Senator
Lloyd Bentsen Lloyd Millard Bentsen Jr. (February 11, 1921 – May 23, 2006) was an American politician who was a four-term United States Senator (1971–1993) from Texas and the Democratic Party nominee for vice president in 1988 on the Michael Dukakis ti ...
. Her great-great grandfather was
Isaac Van Zandt Isaac Van Zandt (July 10, 1813 – October 11, 1847) was a political leader in the Republic of Texas. Van Zandt County, Texas, was named in his honor. Early life Van Zandt was born on July 10, 1813 in Franklin County, Tennessee to Jacob and ...
, a political leader in the
Republic of Texas The Republic of Texas ( es, República de Tejas) was a sovereign state in North America that existed from March 2, 1836, to February 19, 1846, that bordered Mexico, the Republic of the Rio Grande in 1840 (another breakaway republic from Mex ...
. The Attwells have had long-standing friendships with the
Baker A baker is a tradesperson who bakes and sometimes sells breads and other products made of flour by using an oven or other concentrated heat source. The place where a baker works is called a bakery. History Ancient history Since grains ha ...
and
Bush Bush commonly refers to: * Shrub, a small or medium woody plant Bush, Bushes, or the bush may also refer to: People * Bush (surname), including any of several people with that name **Bush family, a prominent American family that includes: *** ...
political families. She is a daughter-in-law of
James A. Baker, III James Addison Baker III (born April 28, 1930) is an American attorney, diplomat and statesman. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 10th White House Chief of Staff and 67th United States Secretary of the Treasury under President ...
. In high school, Baker attended the
Sidwell Friends School Sidwell Friends School is a Quaker school located in Bethesda, Maryland and Washington, D.C., offering pre-kindergarten through high school classes. Founded in 1883 by Thomas W. Sidwell, its motto is ' ( en, Let the light shine out from all), al ...
for one semester. She earned her
Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...
in
journalism Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the "news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word, a noun, applies to the occupation (profes ...
and
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
in 1990 from
Washington and Lee University , mottoeng = "Not Unmindful of the Future" , established = , type = Private liberal arts university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.092 billion (2021) , president = William C. Dudley , provost = Lena Hill , city = Lexingto ...
in
Lexington, Virginia Lexington is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 7,320. It is the county seat of Rockbridge County, although the two are separate jurisdictions. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines ...
. She procured a
law degree A law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Such degrees are generally preparation for legal careers. But while their curricula may be reviewed by legal authority, they do not confer a license themselves. A legal license is gra ...
from the
University of Houston The University of Houston (UH) is a Public university, public research university in Houston, Texas. Founded in 1927, UH is a member of the University of Houston System and the List of universities in Texas by enrollment, university in Texas ...
in 1994. Baker is a member of the
State Bar of Texas The State Bar of Texas (the Texas Bar) is an agency of the judiciary under the administrative control of the Texas Supreme Court. It is responsible for assisting the Texas Supreme Court in overseeing all attorneys licensed to practice law in Te ...
.


Career

Early in her career, Baker worked at the
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (in case citations, 5th Cir.) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following federal judicial districts: * Eastern District of Louisiana * M ...
in Houston, and later at the law firm DeLange and Hudspeth, where she focused on
bankruptcy Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor ...
and corporate law. She worked at the
U.S. Department of State The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government responsible for the country's fore ...
in the agency's Legislative Affairs Office from 1990 to 1992. From 1998 to 2000, Baker served as director of congressional affairs for CTIA, at which she helped designate
9-1-1 , usually written 911, is an emergency telephone number for the United States, Canada, Mexico, Panama, Palau, Argentina, Philippines, Jordan, as well as the North American Numbering Plan (NANP), one of eight N11 codes. Like other emergency nu ...
as the national emergency number and fought against cell phone "cloning". She then served as senior counsel at Covad Communications from 2000 to 2002, taking time off to assist George W. Bush's campaign with the
2000 United States presidential election recount in Florida The 2000 United States presidential election recount in Florida was a period of vote recounting in Florida that occurred during the weeks after Election Day in the 2000 United States presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gor ...
. She later served as vice president at
Williams Mullen Williams Mullen is a regionally based, full-service law firm with more than 240 attorneys in offices across North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The firm began in 1909. Williams Mullen is the third largest firm in Virginia based on attor ...
from 2002 to 2004, where she focused on
intellectual property Intellectual property (IP) is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. There are many types of intellectual property, and some countries recognize more than others. The best-known types are patents, cop ...
,
international trade International trade is the exchange of capital, goods, and services across international borders or territories because there is a need or want of goods or services. (see: World economy) In most countries, such trade represents a significant ...
, and
telecommunication Telecommunication is the transmission of information by various types of technologies over wire, radio, optical, or other electromagnetic systems. It has its origin in the desire of humans for communication over a distance greater than that fe ...
s.


United States Department of Commerce

In January 2004, Baker joined the
National Telecommunications and Information Administration The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is an agency of the United States Department of Commerce that serves as the President's principal adviser on telecommunications policies pertaining to the United States' ec ...
(NTIA), which is an agency of the
United States Department of Commerce The United States Department of Commerce is an executive department of the U.S. federal government concerned with creating the conditions for economic growth and opportunity. Among its tasks are gathering economic and demographic data for bu ...
, as a senior advisor. She was subsequently named a deputy assistant secretary of the Department of Commerce by President
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
in February 2007, and then assistant secretary and acting head of NTIA after John Kneuer left the agency in November 2008. She also served as the Office of International Affairs acting associate administrator and was detailed to the White House
Office of Science and Technology Policy An office is a space where an organization's employees perform administrative work in order to support and realize objects and goals of the organization. The word "office" may also denote a position within an organization with specific dut ...
. During her tenure at NTIA, Baker "advised and represented the Executive Branch on both domestic and international telecommunications and information policy activities". According to her FCC biography, Baker's mission at NTIA was to "promote market-based policies that encourage innovation and benefit consumers" as she encouraged efficient
radio spectrum The radio spectrum is the part of the electromagnetic spectrum with frequencies from 0  Hz to 3,000 GHz (3  THz). Electromagnetic waves in this frequency range, called radio waves, are widely used in modern technology, particula ...
use by the federal government and headed the management of the Internet's
domain name A domain name is a string that identifies a realm of administrative autonomy, authority or control within the Internet. Domain names are often used to identify services provided through the Internet, such as websites, email services and more. As ...
and numbering system. Baker argued the "government would do best to tread lightly" in broadcast regulations given the "robust and diverse media marketplace". In 2008, Baker voiced concern over the FCC's ruling that Comcast violated policy by "blocking and degrading" file-sharing applications. She also oversaw the $1.5 billion
coupon In marketing, a coupon is a ticket or document that can be redeemed for a financial discount or rebate when purchasing a product. Customarily, coupons are issued by manufacturers of consumer packaged goods or by retailers, to be used in r ...
program to help consumers with the nation's digital television transition.


Federal Communications Commission

Baker was nominated by President Obama as a member of the FCC on June 25, 2009. She was sworn in on July 31, 2009, and held the role until June 3, 2011. Like all of President Obama's political appointees, she signed an ethics pledge preventing her from lobbying anyone working at the FCC for two years after she left the independent agency, or any FCC appointees for the rest of
Obama's presidency Barack Obama's tenure as the 44th president of the United States began with his first inauguration on January 20, 2009, and ended on January 20, 2017. A Democrat from Illinois, Obama took office following a decisive victory over Republican n ...
. Baker was one of two Republicans on the five-person commission. During her tenure, Baker supported efforts to increase radio spectrum availability for
wireless broadband Wireless broadband is telecommunications technology that provides high-speed wireless Internet access or computer networking access over a wide area. The term comprises both fixed and mobile broadband. The term broadband Originally the word "b ...
services. She also advocated for
smart antenna Smart antennas (also known as adaptive array antennas, digital antenna arrays, multiple antennas and, recently, MIMO) are antenna arrays with smart signal processing algorithms used to identify spatial signal signatures such as the direction of a ...
technology and a spectrum database to maximize
radio wave Radio waves are a type of electromagnetic radiation with the longest wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum, typically with frequencies of 300 gigahertz (GHz) and below. At 300 GHz, the corresponding wavelength is 1 mm (short ...
use. Baker reportedly voted "with some reservations" to start creating new
net neutrality Network neutrality, often referred to as net neutrality, is the principle that Internet service providers (ISPs) must treat all Internet communications equally, offering users and online content providers consistent rates irrespective of co ...
guidelines only after voicing her concerns to
Julius Genachowski Julius Genachowski (born August 19, 1962) is an American lawyer and businessman. He became the Federal Communications Commission Chairman on June 29, 2009. On March 22, 2013, he announced he would be leaving the FCC in the coming weeks. On Januar ...
. She disagreed with his inclusion of wireless service providers within net neutrality policies.


NBC Universal

In May 2011, Baker accepted a job as senior vice president of governmental affairs for
NBC Universal The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
. The move, which came four months after the FCC approved the merger of
Comcast Comcast Corporation (formerly known as American Cable Systems and Comcast Holdings),Before the AT&T merger in 2001, the parent company was Comcast Holdings Corporation. Comcast Holdings Corporation now refers to a subsidiary of Comcast Corpora ...
and NBC Universal, received some criticism from groups who opposed the merger and voiced concerns about the
revolving door A revolving door typically consists of three or four doors that hang on a central shaft and rotate around a vertical axis within a cylindrical enclosure. Revolving doors are energy efficient as they, acting as an airlock, prevent drafts, thus de ...
between legislative and regulatory agencies and private sector companies. The company said that it did not approach Baker about the position until mid April, after NBC Universal lobbyist Bob Okum resigned. Similarly, Baker said she had no contact with NBC Universal or Comcast about the position when the acquisition was pending. Both Baker and Comcast said the FCC's general counsel, Austin Schlick, was made aware of the potential transition on April 18, and Baker recused herself from merger discussions. Comcast also noted that
Kyle E. McSlarrow Kyle Eugene McSlarrow (born June 29, 1960) is a former Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of Energy and Congressional candidate. From 2011 to 2017, he served as the head of Comcast's lobbying and government-affairs office, which in ...
, who hired Baker at NBC Universal, was not employed by the company when the merger was completed; he was serving at the
National Cable and Telecommunications Association NCTA – The Internet & Television Association (formerly the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, and commonly known as the NCTA) is the principal trade association for the U.S. broadband and pay television industries. It represents ...
(NCTA) at the time. While Baker could immediately lobby
Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of a ...
and supervise employees who directly lobby the FCC, to comply with Obama's ethics pledge, she could not personally lobby any executive branch political appointee (including the FCC) during Obama's presidency. However, after two years, she could lobby non-political appointees at the FCC. Additionally, she may never personally lobby anyone on the Comcast/NBC merger agreement.


CTIA

Baker became CTIA's president and CEO in mid 2014, having previously served as the
advocacy group Advocacy groups, also known as interest groups, special interest groups, lobbying groups or pressure groups use various forms of advocacy in order to influence public opinion and ultimately policy. They play an important role in the developm ...
's director of congressional affairs from 1998 to 2000. In a statement released after her hiring, Baker identified three spectrum priorities for the association: "place more emphasis on technical and engineering expertise related to spectrum and wireless technologies; work with commercial and government users to produce a viable five-year plan for the future of spectrum usage; and begin to regularly assess how efficiently spectrum is being used." In January 2015, Baker testified on the importance of an open Internet but against the reclassification of mobile broadband as a Title II service under the
Communications Act of 1934 The Communications Act of 1934 is a United States federal law signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on June 19, 1934 and codified as Chapter 5 of Title 47 of the United States Code, et seq. The Act replaced the Federal Radio Commission with ...
at a hearing held by the House Energy Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. Two months later, CTIA, NCTA, and
USTelecom The United States Telecom Association (USTelecom) is an organization that represents telecommunications-related businesses based in the United States. As a trade association, it represent the converged interests of the country's telecommunications ...
, filed legal challenges against the FCC's net neutrality order reclassifying broadband under Title II. Baker has testified before Congress on the issue of spectrum. In a March 2016 media call, she said the industry is ready to invest billions of dollars to fund spectrum and new infrastructure, suggesting the "spectrum pipeline should become a national priority" because "100 MHz of spectrum is equal to $30 billion to the economy and 1 million jobs." In 2016, CTIA released reports outlining the importance of U.S. leadership in 5G and high band spectrum. The organization praised the FCC's unanimous vote in July 2016 to allow wireless operations above 24 GHz. In 2017, CTIA released a report authored by
Accenture Accenture plc is an Irish-American professional services company based in Dublin, specializing in information technology (IT) services and consulting. A ''Fortune'' Global 500 company, it reported revenues of $61.6 billion in 2022. Accentur ...
on the economic benefits of 5G deployment, with Baker noting, "Accenture's report confirms the significant benefits from the next generation of wireless, driven by hundreds of billions of dollars that the wireless industry will invest to deploy 5G."


Personal life

Baker and her husband James A. Baker, IV, who serves as a senior partner at the law firm Baker Botts as of 2009, married in
Ravello Ravello (Campanian: ) is a town and ''comune'' situated above the Amalfi Coast in the province of Salerno, Campania, Southern Italy, with approximately 2,500 inhabitants. Its scenic location makes it a popular tourist destination, and earned it a ...
, Italy, in 2006. James is the son of attorney and statesman James Baker, III, who served as White House Chief of Staff and
United States Secretary of the Treasury The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal a ...
under President
Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
, and as
United States Secretary of State The United States secretary of state is a member of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States and the head of the U.S. Department of State. The office holder is one of the highest ranking members of the president's Ca ...
and White House Chief of Staff under President
George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker BushSince around 2000, he has been usually called George H. W. Bush, Bush Senior, Bush 41 or Bush the Elder to distinguish him from his eldest son, George W. Bush, who served as the 43rd president from 2001 to 2009; pr ...
. As of 2009, the couple resided in
McLean, Virginia McLean ( ) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County in Northern Virginia. McLean is home to many diplomats, military, members of Congress, and high-ranking government officials partially due to its proxim ...
, with his four daughters from a previous marriage.


Works

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References


Further reading

*


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, Meredith Attwell 1968 births Living people Members of the Federal Communications Commission People from McLean, Virginia University of Houston alumni Washington and Lee University alumni Texas lawyers Women nonprofit executives Businesspeople from Houston American women chief executives American corporate directors Texas Republicans Virginia Republicans Obama administration personnel 21st-century American women