U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the appointment of 11 public safety, technology, and business leaders to the board of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) and the selection of former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms as the new chair of the board.
In addition to leading Georgia’s largest city from 2018-2022, Bottoms has served as a senior adviser to President Biden and presently is the CEO of KRLB LLC.
The board oversees activities to ensure that the FirstNet Authority and AT&T—its commercial partner—develop, build, and operate a nationwide public safety broadband network that will best equip first responders to save lives and protect local communities.
Raimondo appointed Bottoms as board chair for a two-year term.
“Ms. Bottoms is a visionary leader known for her impactful governance and focus on equity. Her strong stewardship and vision will greatly benefit the Board,” said Raimondo. “I am confident that under her leadership, the new board will continue to successfully deploy FirstNet across the country and effectively serve our first responders.”
Congratulating and welcoming Bottoms, Alan Davidson, assistant secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA administrator, emphasized the importance of the new board’s appointment in continuing and furthering FirstNet.
“These appointments reflect the diverse viewpoints and needs of FirstNet’s 6.1 million public safety users nationwide,” he said.
Six other members of the board who will have three-year terms are Sheriff Michael Adkinson of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida; Damon Darsey, a Ridgeland, Mississippi emergency medicine and EMS physician; Erik Gaull, president of the International Association of Emergency Managers Region III out of Cabin John, Maryland; Milwaukee Chief of Police Jeffrey Norman; Rasheid Scarlett, CEO of NetAesthetics of Coral Gables, Florida; and Anne Arundel, Maryland Fire Chief Trisha Wolford. In addition, Raimondo reappointed four board members to serve a new three-year term: telecommunications attorney Alexander F. Navarro of San Juan Puerto Rico; Arthur D Little Partner Sean McDevitt of Braintree, Massachusetts; retired vice president of CenturyLink Communications Warren Mickens; and DraftKings board member Jocelyn Moore.
