Country: USA
LinkedIn:    Fiona Alexander

Fiona Alexander is the Co-Founder of Salt Point Strategies and the Distinguished Policy Strategist in Residence, SIS, at American University. Before that, she was the Associate Administrator of the Office of International Affairs at NTIA.[1]

Education and Career edit

According to the Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee (ICAC), "Alexander oversees and manages NTIA's activities related to the Internet's domain name system (DNS) as well as NTIA's involvement in international ICT bilateral and multilateral discussions in venues such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Telecommunications Working Group (APEC TEL), the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL), the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (ITSO), and, the International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO). She is also a key member of the Department's Internet Policy Task Force providing strategic guidance with respect to online privacy, copyright protection, and cybersecurity, and co-leading the work on the global free flow of information."[2]

Furthermore, Alexander was NTIA's lead negotiator for "issues related to Internet Governance in the context of the UN World Summit on the Information Society" as well as the Affirmation of Commitments with ICANN. She was a member of the U.S. team that worked on OECD's Internet Policy Making Principles. Before joining NTIA, she was a Senior Consultant at Booz, Allen & Hamilton. She earned her master's degree in international relations from American University in Washington, D.C.[2]

New gTLD Senate and House of Representatives Hearings edit

On December 8, 2011, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a hearing, lobbied for by ANA, regarding to ICANN's New gTLD Program. Speakers included Kurt Pritz (Senior Vice President of ICANN); Alexander; Dan Jaffe (Executive Vice President of Government Relations for ANA); Esther Dyson (ICANN's Founding Chairman, speaking as an independent investor); and Angela Williams (Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the YMCA, speaking on behalf of NPOC).[3] Senate officials present included: Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-WV); Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn), Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.),[4] and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash).

On December 14, a second hearing was held, hosted by the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee. Those speaking at this hearing were Alexander, Jaffe, and Pritz, plus Thomas Embrescia (CEO, Employ Media), and Joshua Bourne (CADNA).[5] The result of the House hearing was the suggestion that the program be delayed until there is a consensus between all relevant stakeholders, made by Rep. Eshoo. Pritz and Alexander came to the defense of ICANN's Multistakeholder Model, arguing that the process had not been rushed. It had taken ICANN seven years to get to the point where all the issues had been discussed and no new issues were being raised, during which time they had consulted all the relevant stakeholders. Alexander made the point that "consensus" does not always mean "unanimity."

Resources edit

References edit

  1. OIA Staff Directory, National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Fiona M. Alexander: Associate Administrator, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee (ICAC). Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  3. US Senate Committee Holds Hearing on ICANN's New TLD Expansion, circleid.com
  4. Senate Implores ICANN to Slow Its Roll but Admits It Can't Do Anything to Stop It, Advertising Age. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  5. What the House testimonies tell us, dot-nxt.com.