Julius Genachowski

Julius Genachowski is an American lawyer, technology executive, and former government official who served as the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from 2009 to 2013. Appointed by President Barack Obama, his tenure was defined by major initiatives in broadband policy, net neutrality, and spectrum auctions. Prior to leading the FCC, he held significant roles in the private sector, including as a senior executive at IAC/InterActiveCorp and a co-founder of the venture capital firm LaunchBox Digital. Following his government service, he has remained active in technology investment and public policy, serving as a managing director at The Carlyle Group.

Early life and education

Born in New York City to a family of Polish-Jewish descent, he was raised in Great Neck, New York. His father was a Holocaust survivor who immigrated to the United States after World War II. He attended Great Neck South High School before enrolling at Columbia University, where he graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in history. He then attended Harvard Law School, where he was a classmate and close friend of future President Barack Obama and served as an editor of the Harvard Law Review. During his time at Harvard University, he also worked as a research assistant for Professor Laurence Tribe.

Career before the FCC

After law school, he clerked for Judge Abner J. Mikva on the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and then for Justice David Souter on the Supreme Court of the United States. He subsequently worked for over a decade in various roles on Capitol Hill, including as chief counsel to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and as a senior legal advisor to then-Representative Charles E. Schumer. In the late 1990s, he transitioned to the technology sector, joining Barry Diller's IAC/InterActiveCorp, where he eventually served as Chief of Business Operations and oversaw strategy for brands like Expedia and Ticketmaster. He later co-founded the Washington, D.C.-based venture firm LaunchBox Digital.

FCC chairmanship

Nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the United States Senate, he assumed leadership of the Federal Communications Commission in 2009. His chairmanship was marked by the development and 2010 adoption of the Open Internet Order, the FCC's first comprehensive net neutrality rules. He also championed the National Broadband Plan, a comprehensive strategy to expand high-speed internet access across America. A significant focus of his tenure was on freeing up spectrum for wireless broadband, culminating in initiatives that led to the landmark broadcast incentive auctions authorized by Congress. Other notable actions included efforts to reform the Universal Service Fund and to promote competition in the video programming market.

Post-FCC career

After departing the FCC in 2013, he joined the global investment firm The Carlyle Group as a managing director and chairman of the firm's Carlyle Global Infrastructure Opportunity Fund. He has served on the boards of numerous companies, including Uber, Sonos, and Tripadvisor. He remains active in public policy debates, frequently writing and speaking on issues related to technology, communications, and infrastructure. He is also a co-founder of the non-profit The First Five Years Fund, which advocates for early childhood education, and serves on the board of the Georgetown University Institute for Technology Law & Policy.

Personal life

He is married to Rachel Goslins, an arts administrator and filmmaker who served as the executive director of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities under President Obama. The couple has three sons and resides in Washington, D.C.. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and has been recognized with awards such as the Cable Center's Bresnan Ethics in Business Award.

Category:1962 births Category:Living people Category:Chairs of the Federal Communications Commission Category:Harvard Law School alumni Category:Columbia University alumni