Partner, Wilkinson Barker & Knauer
Former FCC Commissioner
Ms. Abernathy advises clients on a wide variety of policy and regulatory issues related to the telecommunications and media fields. From 2001-2005, she served as a commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission, where she was involved in decision-making in all of the policy areas under the FCC’s jurisdiction. Ms. Abernathy chaired the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service and participated as a U.S. representative in numerous international bilateral and multilateral negotiations, including the 2002 International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference and the 2003 ITU World Radiocommunications Conference. She was appointed by the ITU to chair the 2004 ITU Global Symposium for Regulators.
Before joining the FCC as a commissioner, Ms. Abernathy was vice president for public policy at BroadBand Office Communications; a partner in Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP; vice president for regulatory affairs at US West; and vice president for federal regulatory affairs at AirTouch Communications. Earlier in her career, she was legal advisor to two FCC commissioners and a special assistant to the agency’s general counsel.
Accolades for Ms. Abernathy include her selection as one of the 2007 Washington DC Super Lawyers. She also has received the President’s Medal in 2005 from the Catholic University of America; the Forerunner Accolade in 2002 from Women in Cable and Telecommunications for her commitment to encouraging, developing and promoting women in the industry; and the Milestone Award in 2001 from Catholic University’s Columbus School of Law for her exemplary service to the law school and outstanding achievement in the field of communications law. In addition, she was named one of the most powerful women in television by Electronic Media magazine (October 2002).
Ms. Abernathy serves on the boards of Frontier Communications, Go America, the Progress and Freedom Foundation and the John Gardner Fellowship Association, Stanford University and on the advisory board of ictQATAR, the telecommunications regulator in Qatar.. Ms. Abernathy received her B.A. magna cum laude from Marquette University and her J.D. from Catholic University’s Columbus School of Law. She is a member of the District of Columbia Bar and the Federal Communications Bar Association, of which she is a Past-President.