Alan Davidson, director of New America's Open Technology Institute, is joining the Obama Administration.
Davidson (pictured) has been tapped to be senior advisor to the Secretary of Commerce and will be working on Internet policy and digital economy issues, the institute said.
OTI has been supportive of the Obama Administration's backing of strong Title II-based Internet regulations. OTI and the Administration are also in sync on backing passage of the USA Freedom Act, which would limit bulk data collection of communications info.
"The Commerce Department will play a central role in some of the biggest Internet policy debates of the next few years, and I am honored by this chance to make a contribution there,” Davidson said. Commerce's role will include freeing up government spectrum for more wireless broadband and transitioning the Internet naming and numbering function oversight to a multistakeholder model.
Kevin Bankston, OTI's policy director, will succeed Davidson as director. “Working with Kevin Bankston has been one of the great experiences of my tenure at New America,” Davidson said of his successor. “Kevin is a deeply committed advocate, as well as an energetic leader and deep subject-matter expert. I am delighted that he will be taking over as OTI’s director.”
