FCC promotes Patrick Halley to acting director, Office of Legislative Affairs, taking over from Greg Guice, who left the agency this summer and now is with Akin Gump … Public Knowledge Vice President Michael Weinberg and Chief Operating Officer Brooke Hunter named acting co-presidents, as Gigi Sohn departs for FCC (see separate report above in this issue) … Leaving Arris are Rob McLaughlin, leader of North America sales and global marketing & communications team, and John Burke, leader of cloud solutions team and corporate strategy and development team, effective end of November, to pursue other opportunities … Multi-Tech Systems hires Rodney Landers, high-technology industry executive who remains consultant to Safe Retrieve, as CEO of machine-to-machine communications firm, with Patricia Sharma, wife of late founder Raghu Sharma, named chairwoman, and Del Palacheck promoted to chief operating officer … Equinix hires Pete Hayes, ex-Frontier Communications, as chief sales officer … Among those on 2013-14 American Intellectual Property Law Association board are: Wayne Sobon, Inventergy, president and chairman of the executive committee; Sharon Israel, Mayer Brown, president-elect; Denise DeFranco, Finnegan Henderson, first vice president; Mark Whitaker, Baker Botts, second vice president; and Bernard Knight, McDermott Will, general counsel.

New Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., joins Senate Commerce Committee … AT&T hires Noah Jacobson, ex-office of Rep. Erik Paulsen, R-Minn., as assistant vice president-federal relations, focusing on tax and finance issues in Washington office … Nexstar hires Thomas O'Brien, ex-NBCUniversal, as executive vice president-digital media, and chief revenue officer, new position … U.S. Cellular rehires Jay Ellison, who had retired from carrier in 2009, to lead sales and customer service operations; Carter Elenz, executive vice president-sales and customer service, leaving company … Digital entertainment media distributor FAB Universal hires Steve Sun as chief operating officer, based in Beijing.

4G Americas hires Bob Calaff, ex-T-Mobile USA, as director, Latin America and the Caribbean … Univision Communications hires Belinda Garza, ex-Walmart, as vice president-government relations and public engagement, based in Washington … Grain Management hires former FCC Chairman William Kennard, immediate past U.S. ambassador to the European Union and ex-Carlyle Group, as senior adviser in private equity firm’s new Washington office … Aviat Networks microwave networking firm hires Ola Gustafsson, ex-Ericsson, as senior vice president-product and services portfolio management … Equinix hires Debra McCowan, ex-Accelerance Group, as chief human resources officer … Lobbyist Registrations: 21st Century Fox, Hogan Lovells, effective Oct. 1 … Hubbard Broadcasting, Van Heuvelen Strategies, effective Oct. 4.

National Hispanic Media Coalition promotes Jessica Gonzalez to executive vice president-general counsel and Michael Scurato to policy director, as Executive Vice President Inez Gonzalez hired by California State University-Fullerton as director, Latino Communications Initiative, new College of Communications program … WE tv hires consultant Cheryl Bloch as senior vice president-scripted programming, new position … Weld North hires Adam Klaber, ex-IBM, as managing director, focusing on social, mobile, analytical and cloud technologies at companies in which the firm owns stakes … Sonus Networks hires Mark Greenquist, ex-Siemens Enterprise Communications, as chief financial officer.

Presidential nomination (CD Oct 21 p8) sent to the Senate of Jeh Johnson to be Homeland Security secretary, replacing Janet Napolitano, who previously resigned … Hulu hires Elaine Paul, ex-Disney, as chief financial officer, replacing Tom Fuelling … Datalink hires Steve Zipperman, ex-EMC, as general manager-advanced services, new position at data center company … Another data center company, Markley Group, hires Patrick Gilmore, ex-Akamai, as chief technology officer … Gannett elects Tony Prophet, Hewlett-Packard, to board.

NAB hires Jack Smedile, ex-aide to Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., as vice president-government relations, effective Nov. 4 … Wilkinson Barker hires Kelly Donohue, ex-FCC Enforcement Bureau, as counsel on media and digital content regulatory, transactional, intellectual property and enforcement issues … CEA hires Alex Reynolds, ex-PCIA, as senior manager and regulatory counsel … 21st Century Fox promotes Randy Freer to president and chief operating officer, Fox Networks Group, new position, and Eric Shanks, who ran Fox Sports Media Group with Freer, gets sole responsibility for the group as its president and COO … Martha Stewart Living hires Daniel Dienst, ex-Sims Metal Management, as CEO, and he remains on the board … Radio One promotes Christopher Wegmann to president, radio division, effective Friday.

International Trade Commission promotes Dominic Bianchi to general counsel … Epix joint venture video network of Paramount, Lionsgate and MGM promotes Monty Sarhan to executive vice president-programming, acquisitions, strategy and enterprises and Keary Hanan to senior vice president-digital programming and production … Equinix hires Ihab Tarazi, ex-Verizon, as chief technology officer … Contec hires Naresh Nigam, ex-Sanmina, as chief technology officer … Viacom promotes John Halley to executive vice president and chief operating officer-ad sales, Viacom Media Networks … Cox Communications promotes Steve Rowley to lead Cox Business, as senior vice president … Broadcasters Foundation of America hires Peter Doyle, ex-consultant for Global Securities Systems, as vice president.

FCC’s Sean Lev to step down as general counsel by year’s end, plans not announced … Center for Democracy & Technology promotes Joseph Lorenzo Hall to chief technologist, replacing Alissa Cooper, hired by Cisco as distinguished engineer … George Mason University moves Brent Skorup to Mercatus Center, where he’s named research fellow, Technology Policy Program, to work on state and federal IP transition and other issues … CBS hires Hilary Estey McLoughlin, ex-Warner Bros., as president-creative affairs, CBS Television Distribution … Tribune Co. hires Donna Granato, ex-Omnicom Group, as vice president-corporate finance and investor relations … Mod Mission Critical hires Greg Sadler, ex-WBS Connect, as chief financial officer of network services provider … Among those newly elected to CEA executive board are Bob Struble, iBiquity Digital, and among those to board of industry leaders: Joe Clayton, Dish Network; Craig Kornblau, Universal Studios Home Entertainment; and Luis Pineda, Qualcomm … EarthLink adds Gerard Salemme, Pendrell Corp., to board.

Clear Channel hires Tim Spengler, ex-Interpublic Group’s Magna Global, as president-content marketing and revenue strategy, new position … Viacom promotes Mike Tedone to executive vice president-national and direct response sales, Viacom Media Networks Music and Entertainment … Technology Policy Institute hires Charles Hulten, University of Maryland, as adjunct senior fellow … 21st Century Fox promotes Michael Biard to president-distribution, Fox Networks … EWTN Global Catholic Network promotes Michael Warsaw to chairman, and he remains CEO, and Doug Keck to president, and he remains chief operating officer … ITV Studios US Group hires Jenise Caiola, ex-Universal Music Group, as executive vice president-human resources.

Kerry Ates leaving office of Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., as chief of staff, effective mid-December, hired by Johns Hopkins University as vice president and chief of staff, effective in January; Rockefeller promotes James Reid to chief of staff … Charter Communications hires Paul Cancienne, ex-office of John McCain, R-Ariz., as vice president-legislative affairs in Washington … Alliance for Women in Media hires Sylvia Strobel, Lehmann Strobel and ex-AWM chairwoman and formerly of Alliance for Community Media, as interim CEO; President Erin Fuller named president of Coulter, AWM’s professional services firm … Scott Kieff, ex-law professor who previously was a trial and patent lawyer, sworn in as a commissioner on the International Trade Commission to term expiring June 16, 2020 … Satellite Industry Association hires Dean Hirasawa, ex-Globalstar, as communications manager … Signalhorn hires Anver Anderson, ex-consultant, as chief sales officer … Comcast Business promotes Jeff Allen to West Division vice president … Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers elections include Terry Cordova, Suddenlink, as chairman for 2013-14 term; Tony Werner, Comcast Cable, vice chairman; Chris Whitaker, Time Warner Cable, treasurer; and Jim Hughes, CommScope, secretary; Pat Crull, Time Warner Cable, resigns and Chris Whitaker, Time Warner Cable, joins board.