Today:  USAC Names New CEO, FCC Announces Cooperation with National Cancer Institute 

USAC Names New CEO

FCC Chairman Pai approved the appointment of Radha Sekar as Chief Executive Officer of the Universal Service Administrative Co. (USAC).  Chairman Pai issued a statement saying, in part: “Radha Sekar’s selection as USAC’s new CEO reflects the extensive and thorough search process conducted by the USAC Board.  Ms. Sekar’s credentials and experience make her highly qualified for this important position. In particular, I look forward to relying upon her expertise as USAC confronts information technology challenges.  We have a lot of work ahead implementing the FCC’s reform of the Universal Service Fund programs. And I expect Ms. Sekar will be key to this effort.”

Separately, the Chairman sent the USAC Board a letter urging it to “redouble its efforts at oversight, specifically in the areas of information technology and security…. Given the critical nature of USAC's information systems to the proper function of USF, the inability of USAC to deliver secure and functional systems creates a significant risk to the success of USAC and the FCC.  With this letter, I seek the unqualified commitment of USAC's Board of Directors, consistent with its responsibility to oversee the administration of USAC, to strengthen its oversight of USAC's information technology and security systems.” 

FCC Announces Cooperation with National Cancer Institute

The FCC’s Connect2Health Task Force (C2HFCC) announced that the FCC and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have joined forces, signing a memorandum of understanding that will focus on how increasing broadband access and adoption in rural areas can improve the lives of rural cancer patients.  As an inaugural project under the memorandum of understanding, the agencies have convened a public-private collaboration to help bridge the broadband health connectivity gap in Appalachia, taking another concrete step toward closing the digital divide.  The project—titled L.A.U.N.C.H. (Linking & Amplifying User-Centered Networks through Connected Health): A Demonstration of Broadband-Enabled Health for Rural Populations in Appalachia—will target areas that face the dual challenge of higher cancer mortality rates and lower levels of broadband access. The initial geographic focus is planned for rural Kentucky. 

In response to the announcement, Commissioner Clyburn issued a statement saying she was “thrilled” about the signing of the  Memorandum of Understanding and that “this collaboration will enable the two agencies to further examine the relationship between access to broadband and the treatment of cancer, the second leading cause of death in the United States.  The agreement will also help to accelerate the development of policies and partnerships that leverage broadband infrastructure with a wider array of treatment options which could lead to an improved quality of life for all Americans, particularly those living in rural ‘cancer hotspot’ areas.”

Watch for the Open Meeting update in tomorrow's Regulatory Mix.

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The Regulatory Mix, TMI’s daily blog of telecom related regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of a TMI Briefing.