Commerce Secretary Names First Woman
Chief Counsel for Technology

To Advocate on Behalf of U.S. Technology Industry on Standards, Widespread Adoption

Washington, DC - Commerce Secretary Don Evans named Nuala O'Connor Kelly to the position of Chief Counsel for Technology for the Department's Technology Administration, the portal for the technology industry within the Bush Administration. The Secretary views technology policy as a top priority in his mission to advocate for American business at home and abroad. As the lead counsel for technology policy within the Department, O'Connor Kelly will be at the forefront of advocating on behalf of the U.S. technology industry on critical issues, including cybersecurity and digital signatures, as well as the advancement of technology in other industry sectors and in the home.

O'Connor Kelly joins a team of high-tech leaders, including Under Secretary for Technology and Chief of Staff to Secretary Evans Phillip Bond, Deputy Under Secretary for Technology Benjamin Wu, Office of Technology Policy Assistant Secretary Bruce Mehlman, and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy Christopher Israel.

"It is a great honor to serve Secretary Don Evans and the President," said O'Connor Kelly. "The Department of Commerce's Technology Administration is at the center of the Bush Administration's technology policymaking, and I am thrilled to be working on cutting-edge technology issues as part of a tremendously gifted TA team."

Prior to joining TA, O'Connor Kelly served as Deputy Director of the Office of Policy and Strategic Planning within the Department's Office of the Secretary and was involved in e-commerce and emerging technologies matters. Prior to her service in the Bush Administration, Ms. O'Connor Kelly served as Vice President-Data Protection and Chief Privacy Officer for Emerging Technologies of the online media services company, DoubleClick. O'Connor Kelly helped found the company's first data protection department and was responsible for the creation of privacy and data protection policies and procedures throughout the company and for the company's clients and partners. O'Connor Kelly has been an attorney with the law firms of Sidley & Austin, Hudson Cook, and Venable, Baetjer, Howard & Civiletti in Washington, D.C. O'Connor Kelly received her A.B. from Princeton University, a master's of education from Harvard University, and J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center.

More information on the Technology Administration can be found at www.ta.doc.gov.