Ivan Seidenberg, ex-Verizon, named an advisory partner at Perella Weinberg Partners … Carolina Rossini, ex-Berkman Center, joins Electronic Frontier Foundation as international intellectual property director.
FCC Wireline Bureau Chief Sharon Gillett is leaving to return to Boston area; Julie Veach, Deputy General Counsel, will replace her June 30 … FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai adds Nicholas Degani, returning to agency from detail to House Commerce Committee majority, as legal adviser for wireline issues, replacing Gene Fullano, returning to Public Safety Bureau … Lobbyist Registrations: National Alliance of State Broadcast Associations, Three Bridges Advisors, effective May 16 … Oxygen Media promotes Trisha Espinoza to vice president-program planning, scheduling and acquisitions … Dick Alberding retires from PCTel board.
Changes on House Commerce Committee GOP staff: Michael Beckerman, deputy staff director and aide to Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., leaves at month’s end to start Internet project in Washington; Alexa Marrero promoted to deputy staff director, replaced as communications director by Sean Bonyun, who’s promoted … Charter Communications hires Scott Weber, ex-Cablevision, as executive vice president-network operations … Public Knowledge promotions: Harold Feld to senior vice president; and to vice president Sherwin Siy for legal affairs; Michael Weinberg for new Institute for Emerging Innovation, which starts this fall; Ernesto Falcon for government relations; Art Brodsky for communications … Netflix promotes Bill Holmes to chief business development officer … Intellectual property investment firm Pendrell Corp. hires Robert Jaffe, ex-K&L Gates, as general counsel and corporate secretary … Alaska Communications elects Margie Brown, CIRI, to board.
Turner Sports promotes: Craig Barry to senior vice president-production, and Tim Kiely and Albert Vertino to vice presidents … Belo Corp. promotes to president-general manager: Mark Pimentel for KMOV-TV St. Louis, and Tod Smith for WWL-TV and WUPL-TV New Orleans … Atlantic Tele-Network board adds Liane Pelletier, ex-Alaska Communications Systems … NAB elections: Martin Franks, CBS, gets network seat on executive committee, replacing Jack Abernathy, Fox Television Stations; and Jose Valle, Univision Radio, named radio board’s major group representative to executive committee, replacing Marc Morgan, Marc Morgan Consulting. Joining TV board are Steve Hammel, WRAL-TV; Dave Lougee, Gannett Broadcasting; DuJuan McCoy, Bayou City Broadcasting; and Jordan Wertlieb, Hearst Television. Don Benson, Lincoln Media, named radio board chair, replacing Caroline Beasley, Beasley Broadcast, who becomes second vice chairman; and John Beck, Emmis, named first vice chairman. Also joining radio board are Pete Booker, Delmarva Broadcasting; Erik Hellum, Townsquare Media; Dick Lewis, Clear Channel Media and Entertainment; Frank Osborn, Qantum Communications; Mary Quass, NRG Media; and Bud Walters, Cromwell Group.
FTC hires as Bureau of Economics deputy directors: Ken Heyer, ex-Department of Justice Economic Analysis Group, named to career position for antitrust, effective June 18, replacing Alison Oldale, detailed from U.K. Competition Commission; and Leemore Dafny, Northwestern University, for new position in health care and antitrust, effective Aug. 1 … AMC Networks promotes Steven Pontillo to executive vice president-chief technology officer … Viacom hires Julie McKenzie, ex-Richard Leeds International, as senior vice president-apparel, accessories and home for Nickelodeon Consumer Products.
Verizon promotes Eric Fitzgerald Reed to lead public policy initiatives with high-tech and entertainment industries, based in San Francisco … Information and Technology Innovation Foundation hires Justin Hicks, recent Ph.D. in economics from University of California at Merced, as economist … Martha Stewart Living hires Michael Robinson, ex-Anthropologie, as vice president of e-commerce, new position … Univision promotes Rosemary Mercedes to vice president-corporate communications … Lobbyist Registrations: Universal Music Group, Podesta Group, effective April 23.
Lobbyist Registrations: Comcast, Hannegan, Landau Advocacy, effective June 1 … Verizon, Cauthen, Forbes and Williams, April 1.
Charter Communications’ Steve Apodaca leaving company, where he was president of operations … Univision Communications promotes David Beck to vice president-general manager of new social media team … Spanish Broadcasting System hires Alfredo Schwarz, ex-Univision Network, as MegaTV vice president of operations and production.
News Corp.’s Fox Networks Group business and legal affairs promotions: Kelly Cline named executive vice president-entertainment for Fox Cable Networks, where Matthew Bensen and Phillip Gharabegian become senior vice president-network distribution, former for network distribution and later for sports … Changes at ESPN Star Sports as part of News Corp. buying ESPN’s stake (see report above): Star Managing Director Manu Sawhney leaving, being replaced by Peter Hutton of Fox International Channels … Univision Communications hires Rachel Gross, ex-AOL, as senior vice president of event marketing … Blue Calypso digital ad company hires Bill Ogle, ex-Google’s Motorola Mobility, as chairman and CEO.
General Communication Inc. promotes Greg Chapados to executive vice president and chief operating officer, replacing Wilson Hughes, named CEO of new wireless venture (see report above) … Drinker Biddle hires Douglas Bonner, ex-SNR Denton, as partner in government and regulatory affairs group and telecom and mass media team … FCBA election winners include: Joe Di Scipio, Fox Television Stations, president-elect; Bob Branson, Verizon, secretary; Monica Desai, Patton Boggs, assistant secretary; Chris Wright, Wilshire Grannis, assistant treasurer … Spanish Broadcasting System promotes Alex Aleman to senior vice president of consolidated operations … Jefferies Group hires from UBS as managing directors covering Internet and interactive entertainment companies Brian Pitz and Brian Fitzgerald.