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Techies Invade The West Wing
Now that he is in the White House, President Bush is wasting little time filling the numerous jobs available in the new adminstration, and people with technology ties are landing a fair share of them. First on the list is Lezlee Westine.
The former Republican political director of Silicon Valley lobbying group TechNet has been named to run the public liaison operation at the White House. At TechNet, Westine was key to rallying high-tech executive support for President Bush.
Bush also has tapped Mark Rosenker, the Electronic Industries Alliance's former vice president of public affairs, as the deputy assistant to the president and director of the White House Military Office. And the new president chose Jim Wilkinson as his special assistant to the president and deputy director of communications for planning. Wilkinson spent the past year serving as director of marketing and communications for the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), where he worked on House GOP Internet strategy and helped facilitate outreach to the high-tech community.
Greg Sedberry, Bush's former Web campaign coordinator, is likely to become the next White House webmaster, according to sources close to the administration. Changes to the White House Web page already have begun as Bush moves into his new role. According to sources, the new administration is still in the process of organizing its e-mail and Internet press systems.
Serving The Cabinet
At the Commerce Department, meanwhile, Washington trade lawyer Ted Kassinger reportedly is being considered for the job of general counsel, according to The Washington Post. Andy Pincus held that job under former Commerce Secretary William Daley.
Also at Commerce, Sam Bodman, chairman of Cabot Coal, has been mentioned as a potential deputy secretary, while Roger Wallace reportedly will be moving up to the post of undersecretary for trade, the Post said. Wallace was deputy undersecretary for trade under former President George Bush, the current president's father.
Also within the Bush administration, Tim Adams, who had spearheaded the Bush transition team on high-tech issues, will become chief of staff to Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill. John Ackerly will continue to handle high-tech policy issues for the Bush administration, according to sources.
At the Energy Department, Kyle McSlarrow will be Secretary Spencer Abraham's chief of staff. McSlarrow, a veteran Republican operative and former Virginia congressional candidate, is leaving his job as vice president for political and governmental affairs at Grassroots.com.
Some aides who had worked for Abraham while he was a GOP senator from Michigan have landed jobs elsewhere. Cesar Conda will be the domestic policy adviser to Vice President Richard Cheney, and Julie Tier is the new press secretary to the Senate GOP Republican conference. Kevin Kolevar, a former high-tech aide to Abraham, also will work on high-tech issues for the Senate GOP leadership.
If Only Gore Had Won
Federal Communications Commission chief of staff Kathryn Brown left the FCC last week with her boss, FCC Chairman William Kennard. Brown has not said where she is going, but before joining the FCC, she served as associate administrator of the Office of Policy Analysis and Development at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).
At NTIA, Brown was responsible for formulating and advancing Clinton's policy on implementing the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Her work focused on issues such as the e-rate, local telecommunications competition, universal service and access-charge reform, digital television, Internet telephony and spectrum auctions.
Elsewhere, Greg Rohde, assistant commerce secretary and director of the NTIA, has resigned from his position. John Sopko, NTIA's deputy, has temporarily taken over.
Other administration high-tech aides who are out of a job as of Saturday are still considering their options. They include Tom Kalil, the special economic adviser to the president, and Jim Kohlenberger, who handled high-tech policy for former Vice President Al Gore. Gene Sperling, Clinton's National Economic Council chairman, who also worked on some tech issues, landed a job at the Brookings Institution.
Meanwhile, Bruce Reed, Clinton's domestic policy adviser for four years, will re-join the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) as president. The DLC, a moderate wing of the Democratic Party that Clinton headed before he became president, oversees the Progressive Policy Institute, a think tank that has focused on new-economy issues.
Reed advised Clinton on domestic policy issues dating back to 1992, when he was deputy campaign manager for policy team of the Clinton-Gore campaign. Beginning in 1997, Reed served as assistant to the president for domestic policy and Director of the DPC.
Moving Out, Moving Up
After 12 years on the Hill, House Rules Committee policy director Brian Bieron has left for K Street to become a director at the political consulting and lobbying firm Clark and Weinstock. "It was a great opportunity to join an outstanding consulting firm that is tremendously well-respected in this town, and so I decided to take that opportunity," Bieron said.
Clark and Weinstock's high-tech clients include Microsoft, AT&T, Vivendi (owner of Seagram's), Datek Online and Walker Digital, as well as old-economy firms such as Exxon and Cargill. Two of the firm's high-profile partners are former Reps. Vin Weber, R-MN, and Vic Fazio, D-CA.
Amanda Barnett, who was the Rules panel's deputy policy director, will take Bieron's job.
At the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Nydia Bonnin is the new deputy staff director. She previously worked for the NRCC, as senior finance adviser. She also has worked as director of federal government relations for the oil company Atlantic Richfield, as an aide to former Rep. Bill Paxon, R-NY, and as an aide to former Rep. Charles Canady, R-FL.
I Think ICANN, I Know ICANN
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has a new president and chief executive officer. The ICANN board on Tuesday announced the election of M. Stuart Lynn to succeed Michael Roberts in the roll. Lynn will take office after the board's next meeting in Melbourne, Australia, March 10-13. Roberts became president and CEO in 1998 and has overseen the start-up of the organization.
Lynn has almost four decades' experience in technology circles. His most recent position until his retirement in 1999 was as associate vice president for information resources and communications for the University of California Office of the President, where he served as chief information officer for the combined University of California system. Lynn also served as president and board chairman of the Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC).
The Rule Of Lawyers
Deirdre Mulligan, staff counsel and a founding member of the Center for Democracy and Technology, has been named the new director of the Samuelson Law, Technology and Public Policy Clinic at the University of California-Berkeley School of Law. Mulligan also recently had a little girl, Marlene.
Elsewhere, Thomas Hicks has joined the Washington law firm of Wilmer Cutler and Pickering as a partner and will move to the firm's new Tysons Corner, VA, office. In the past Hicks focused his practice on corporate finance, taxes, mergers and acquisitions, and technology transactions. He is a former general counsel of the Northern Virginia Technology Council and a member of its board.
The Newly Anointed AOLies
As part of the ongoing integration of America Online and Time Warner, AOL Time Warner has announced a series of executive changes in its AOL division. Barry Schuler, formerly the president of AOL Interactive Services, will head AOL as its chairman and CEO. AOL Time Warner also announced the appointments of three executives who will report to Schuler: Ray Oglethorpe, Jan Brandt and Ted Leonsis.
Oglethorpe, previously the president of AOL Technologies, is the new AOL president. Brandt, formerly the president of marketing, has assumed the new role of vice chairman and chief marketing officer. And Ted Leonsis, previously the president of the Interactive Properties Group, has been named vice chairman and new product officer.
In addition, AOL Music named Kevin Conroy, a former top executive with BMG Entertainment, to head its unit.
The Tech Lobbying Scene
Aaryn Slafky has been named director of communications for the National Telephone Cooperative Association (NTCA). Previously, Slafky was the NTCA's public affairs manager and Web coordinator. She will continue to be responsible for media relations with both the trade press and the general press. In addition, she will oversee NTCA's publications, design, advertising and sponsorships.
Becca Gould, head of the Business Software Alliance's policy unit, is heading to Dell Computer, according to sources. Gould may replace Gina Keeney, Dell's chief policy adviser, who left recently to become a partner in a law firm.
Intel has named Thomas Dunlap Jr. as its senior vice president. He also is the general counsel and secretary of the company, with responsibility for legal and government affairs. Dunlap joined Intel in 1974, according to a company statement.
Hail To The Chief ... And Technology
Tech leaders and Web-savvy policymakers made a prominent showing at the first-ever inaugural ball with a high-tech theme. Held at the National Press Club, the eNaugural.com Ball, hosted by Apollo 11 Astronaut Buzz Aldrin and political commentator Mark Bisnow, was held to celebrate both the inauguration of Bush and the impact of the digital age on the new economy.
Attendees included Gabe Battista, CEO of Talk.com; Roger Cochetti, senior vice president and chief policy officer for Network Solutions Inc.; Orde Kittrie, special assistant for the State Department; Ken Strafer, newly appointed deputy assistant the veterans' affairs secretary; Nigerian Congressman Jerry Sonny Ugokwe; and the joint chiefs of the Pentagon.
 | - by Bara Vaida |
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