Rick C. Chessen - Senior Legal Advisor/Media Advisor
Mr. Chessen serves as Senior Legal Advisor and Media Advisor. Previously at the Commission, Mr. Chessen served as Chair of the FCC’s Digital Television Task Force, Senior Legal Advisor to Commissioner Gloria Tristani, and held several senior positions in the Media and Cable Services Bureaus. Mr. Chessen also spent several years in private practice, including with the firms of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton and Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal. He received his law degree from Harvard Law School and his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Scott M. Deutchman - Competition and Universal Service Legal Advisor
Mr. Deutchman serves as Legal Advisor to the Commissioner on competition and universal service issues, focusing on, among other issues, broadband deployment, local competition and all aspects of universal service and rural communications. Mr. Deutchman most recently served as Managing Director of LMG. Before that, he served as Minority Counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on the Judiciary and as an associate at Hogan & Hartson. He received his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania and his undergraduate degree from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

Jennifer Schneider - Broadband, Wireline and Universal Service Legal Advisor
Ms. Schneider serves as Legal Advisor to the Commissioner on broadband, wireline and universal service issues. Ms. Schneider returned to the FCC after serving as Legislative Counsel to Representative Rick Boucher, Chairman of the Communications, Technology and Internet Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and senior Member of the House Judiciary Committee, covering telecommunications and intellectual property matters. Prior to her two years on the Hill, Ms. Schneider worked as a staff attorney in the Wireline Competition Bureau and the Office of Legislative Affairs. After law school, she was an associate at Swidler Berlin Shereff Friedman, now Bingham McCutchen. She received her law degree from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and her undergraduate degree from Hamilton College. Prior to law school, Ms. Schneider worked in media, as a copy assistant at Life Magazine, and as a page at NBC.

Carolyn Conyers - Confidential Assistant
Carolyn Conyers serves as Commissioner Copps' Confidential Assistant. Ms. Conyers is responsible for managing the office as well as all matters related to the Commissioner's schedule. Ms. Conyers previously served in the office of Commissioner Gloria Tristani. Prior to joining the Commission, Ms. Conyers worked at the National Weather Service, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Marine Corps, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and the Corps of Engineers in Germany.

Renee Coles - Staff Assistant
Renee Coles is the Staff Assistant for Commissioner Copps’ office. Among her duties, she assists the legal advisors with their travel, invitations and meeting requests. Before joining the Commission, Ms. Coles worked more than fifteen years in business and office management. She can be reached at (202) 418-2000 or Renee.Coles@fcc.gov.