Office Of The Bureau Chief

The Bureau's front office provides general leadership and direction to the Bureau as it carries out its functions pursuant to delegated authority.

• Derek K. Poarch, Chief

  Derek K. Poarch is the Chief of the Commission's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. He is responsible for overseeing all FCC activities pertaining to public safety, homeland security, emergency management and disaster preparedness, and represents the Commission on these issues before federal, state, and industry organizations.

  Poarch was previously Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, one of only 30 college and university public safety agencies in the country accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. He commanded a department of approximately 300 full and part-time employees providing police, security, and emergency communications services to a university community of 45,000 persons that has more than a million visitors each year.

  Poarch is a native of Lenoir, North Carolina and, prior to becoming police chief at UNC, worked 21 years at the Lenoir North Carolina Police Department. He began his career as a telecommunicator and ascended through the department ranks to become second in command of the department finally holding the rank of Major over department operations.

  He was also a commissioner with the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission where he served as Chair of the Education and Training Committee. In July 2003 he was elected President of the North Carolina Police Executives Association and also previously served on the United States Department of Justice National Community Oriented Policing Resource Board.

  Poarch is a 1979 graduate of Western Piedmont Community College in Morganton, North Carolina with an associates degree in Police Science, a 1981 graduate of Gardner-Webb University with a bachelors degree in Social Science with a concentration in criminal justice, and a 1988 graduate of the University of South Carolina with a masters degree in criminal justice. He also graduated as a dean's scholar from the Southern Police Institute at the University of Louisville in 1992, and completed the Police Executive Research Forum's Senior Management Institute for Police in 2006.

• Kenneth Moran, Sr. Deputy Bureau Chief and Chief Preparedness Officer

  Ken Moran is a Deputy Chief in the Commission's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. In this role, he is responsible for policy development, coordination, and implementation regarding public safety, homeland security, and national security activities. In addition, he oversees the work of the Public Communications Outreach & Operations Division, which has primary responsibility for emergency communications planning and disaster response activities as well as operation of the Commission's 24/7 watch office and its HFDF center. Mr. Moran also represents the Commission on various federal, state, and industry boards and committees.

  Mr. Moran earned a BS in Mathematics from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and an MS in Business Administration from Indiana University. He began his career in 1970 as an engineer with GTE. He joined the Commission in 1978. Prior to his current position, he was Director of the Commission's Office of Homeland Security, Director for Defense and Security, and Chief of the Accounting and Audits Division. Mr. Moran holds a Professional Engineering Certificate in the state of Indiana.

• Lisa Fowlkes, Deputy Bureau Chief

  Lisa Michele Fowlkes is a Deputy Chief of the Commission's Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau. In this role, Ms. Fowlkes oversees the Bureau's management of critical infrastructure issues, including monitoring and analyzing the status of communications facilities during emergencies. She supervises the Bureau's Communications Systems Analysis Division, a diverse group of engineers and attorneys, who serve as the technical and engineering experts within the Bureau. Ms. Fowlkes is also primarily responsible for managing the Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau's oversight of the Commission's public safety-related advisory committees. In 2006, Ms. Fowlkes served as the Designated Federal Officer of the Commission's Independent Panel Reviewing the Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Communications Networks.

  Ms. Fowlkes has held a number of positions within the FCC, including Assistant Chief of the FCC's Enforcement Bureau, Deputy Chief of the FCC's Public Safety & Private Wireless Division, Senior Attorney-Advisor in the Office of General Counsel, Supervisory Attorney in the Cable Services Bureau and Attorney-Advisor in the Mass Media Bureau.

  Ms. Fowlkes also practiced law as a Senior Associate in a Washington, DC law firm where she represented public safety agencies, broadcast licensees, critical infrastructure service providers, government defense contractors and equipment manufacturers before the FCC.

  Ms. Fowlkes is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia and in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

• Erika Olsen, Deputy Bureau Chief

  Erika Olsen is the Deputy Chief of the Commission's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. In this role, Ms. Olsen is responsible for developing and managing policy initiatives for the Bureau including those related to public safety spectrum, E911, the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) and the Emergency Alert System (EAS). She also oversees the Bureau's Policy Division.

  Before joining the Bureau, Ms. Olsen served as the Acting Legal Advisor to FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin for wireless and international issues, and previously served as the Deputy Chief of the Telecommunications Access Policy Division in the Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau. Prior to joining the Commission, Ms. Olsen was a partner in the telecommunications practice of a large international law firm. Ms. Olsen received her B.A. from Yale University, and her J.D., magna cum laude, from the Washington and Lee University School of Law, where she was elected to the Order of the Coif.

• Tim Peterson, Chief of Staff

  Tim Peterson currently serves as the Chief of Staff in the FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. Tim's present duties include assisting on issues involving public safety and homeland security as well as strategic planning for the FCC. Prior to this position, Tim served as Chief of Staff in the Office of Managing Director; Acting Deputy Chief of the Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis; Special Counsel, Security and Defense in the Office of Engineering and Technology; Counsel to the Chief Financial Officer; Acting Chief of the Accounting Safeguards Division, and Counsel to the Common Carrier Bureau Chief.

  Tim earned a B.B.A. and J.D. from the University of Georgia, an M.S. in accounting from the University of Virginia, an M.S.P.P. in telecommunications policy from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and an M.A.L.S. from Georgetown University.

• Joseph Casey, Associate Bureau Chief
• David Furth, Associate Bureau Chief

  David Furth is an Associate Bureau Chief in the Commission's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. In this capacity, he is responsible for a variety of legal and policy issues in the Bureau, most notably the 800 MHz rebanding proceeding. From March 2003 to September 2006, Mr. Furth was Associate Bureau Chief and Counsel in the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. Since joining the Commission in 1992, Mr. Furth has served as an attorney in the Private Radio Bureau and the Wireless Bureau, Legal Advisor to Commissioner Rachelle Chong, Deputy Chief and Chief of the Commercial Wireless Division, and Senior Legal Advisor in the Wireless Bureau. Prior to joining the Commission, Mr. Furth was in private law practice in Washington, DC and San Francisco, California. He received his B.A. from Harvard University and his J.D. from Stanford Law School.

• Deborah Klein, Acting Associate Bureau Chief

  Deborah Klein serves as Acting Associate Bureau Chief of the FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. In that capacity, Ms. Klein is responsible for planning, developing, and managing the Bureau's public safety and homeland security outreach programs. These efforts seek to educate and inform and serve as a platform for participation by federal, state, and local public safety organizations and the public in the Commission's work. These initiatives include quarterly public safety industry summits addressing specific telecommunications issues, the Bureau's Internet website and clearinghouse for best practices, and speaking engagements.

  Ms. Klein was previously Deputy Chief, Acting Chief and Chief of Staff of the Media Bureau, and Chief of the Consumer Protection and Competition Division of the Cable Services Bureau. Prior to joining the FCC in 1994, Ms. Klein served as an attorney-advisor at the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Competition. Ms. Klein graduated from the University of Michigan, with a B.A. in Political Science, and the University of Toledo College of Law, where she received a J.D. magna cum laude and was a member of the Order of the Coif.

• Richard Lee, Acting Associate Bureau Chief

  Richard D. Lee currently serves as Acting Associate Bureau Chief in the Commission's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. He joined the Commission in 1994, serving as the agency's Deputy Managing Director and later as the Chief of the Compliance and Information Bureau.

  He has been active in disaster response activities since September 11, 2001, having led disaster response teams for Non-profit Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Christian Mission Groups to Nicaragua, Mexico, and several U.S. States. Mr. Lee also led a disaster recovery team to Banda Aceh, Indonesia in response to the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.

  During the Hurricane Katrina and Rita recovery effort, Mr. Lee was the FCC's liaison officer on the ground, helping with communications restoration in Texas and Louisiana. He assisted numerous FCC licensees in both States obtain generators, fuel, and access to their facilities.

  Mr. Lee is a disabled Vietnam veteran, Purple Heart recipient, and retired United States Marine. He holds several degrees including a bachelor's degree in Personnel Management and a MBA in Leadership, Management, and Organizational Development from Southeastern University.

• William Lane, Chief Engineer

  Bill Lane is the Chief Engineer of the Commission's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. In this role, he serves as the senior advisor to the Bureau Chief and Deputy Bureau Chiefs on all engineering and technical matters relating to the roles and missions of the Bureau.

  Dr. Lane received his Ph.D. degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology, his MBA degree from Long Island University, and his BS degree from the United States Military Academy. He is also a graduate of the US Army War College, a Senior Member of the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and is a Registered Professional Engineer in the state of Virginia. Prior to joining the Commission in 2000, he completed a career as a US Army Signal Corps Officer culminating with the rank of Colonel. Prior to his current position, he was Associate Chief of the Policy and Rules Division in the Office of Engineering and Technology, Senior Engineer in the Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis, and Chief Technologist in the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.

• Jeff Cohen, Senior Legal Counsel

  Jeffrey Cohen has been with the Federal Communications Commission since January 2005. Mr. Cohen serves as the Senior Legal Counsel to the Chief of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. In this capacity, Mr. Cohen is responsible for many of the legal and policy matters of the Bureau, including 700 MHz, 911 and E911, Commercial Mobile Alerting, and implementation of Congressional mandates and other proceedings concerning public safety communications. Prior to joining the Commission, Mr. Cohen was a partner with the Washington, DC telecommunications law firm of Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP, where he worked on wireless regulatory matters since graduating from the George Washington University Law School with honors in 1994. Mr. Cohen also holds a B.S. cum laude in electrical engineering from the George Washington University.

• Robert Kenny, Media & Public Outreach Specialist

  Robert C. Kenny serves as the Media Relations and Public Outreach Specialist for the Commission's Public Safety and Homeland Security. As the senior-level spokesperson, Mr. Kenny directs bureau-level public affairs and media relations. His primary responsibilities include interaction with press representatives, development and dissemination of public notices and press statements, review of web site content and planning for public/press events.

  Mr. Kenny earned a M.A. in Political Communications and Media Relations from the State University of New York at Albany and a B.A. in Political Science from the State University of New York at New Paltz. In his most previous position before joining the Commission in 2006, Mr. Kenny served as Director of Public Affairs for the New York State Department of Health. Mr. Kenny began his professional career in 1987 as a public information officer for New York State Senator Norman J. Levy before moving on to serve as a spokesperson for the New York State Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities.

• Susan McLean, Public Safety Outreach Coordinator

  Susan McLean serves as the Public Safety Outreach Coordinator for the FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. In that capacity, Ms. McLean is responsible for assisting in planning, developing, and managing the Bureau's public safety and homeland security outreach programs. These efforts seek to educate, inform and serve as a platform for participation by federal, state, and local public safety organizations and the public in the Commission's work. These initiatives include quarterly public safety industry summits addressing specific first responder/public safety telecommunications issues, and general rapport building with public safety agencies and associations.

  Ms. McLean has over 18 years of experience in criminal justice, public safety training and coordinating effective public safety and homeland security partnerships. Ten of those years were spent specifically in the public safety/homeland security training arena providing both services and training to traditional and non-traditional first responders. Since 1996 she has been a certified public safety trainer through the North Carolina Department of Justice. She also has been certified to teach through the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and the Institute for Intergovernmental Research as a State and Local Anti-Terrorism Trainer.

  Ms. McLean was previously with the North Carolina Attorney General's office serving as the Deputy Director for the Criminal Justice Standards Division which is responsible for certifying over 57,000 law enforcement officers, correctional officers, speed measurement instrument operators and criminal justice trainers. Prior to her service with the NC Attorney General's Office, she worked for Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, NC which is the largest community college in North Carolina. She held the position of Director for Public Safety Training, a program which served well over 20,000 regional first responders annually to include police, fire and emergency medical technicians.

  Ms. McLean earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice in 1990 from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

• Sheila Hayes, Assistant Bureau Chief for Management
• Jaime Rivas, Acting Dep. ABC for Management