Stark Staff Moves At The FCC

• FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks announced several changes to his team, starting with the news that William Davenport, Starks’s Chief of Staff & Senior Legal Advisor,  is leaving the Commission at the end of April. Austin Bonner, Commissioner Starks’s legal advisor for media and consumer protection issues, will serve as Acting Chief of Staff.

Commissioner Starks (pictured) said, “For over three years, Bill has led my office’s efforts to improve the equity, security, and sustainability of our nation’s communications sector. Bill has been a dedicated public servant and I have always appreciated his judgment, expertise, and leadership. He will be deeply missed, and I wish him all the best in what comes next.”

And there’s more — after Davenport’s departure, Georgios Leris will serve as Acting Legal Advisor for wireless and international issues through the Commission’s May Open Meeting, and in mid-May, Shiva Goel will join Starks’s office as permanent Legal Advisor for wireless and international issues. Leris is currently an Associate Division Chief in the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau’s Competition and Infrastructure Policy Division, and Goel currently is a partner at the law firm of Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis LLP (HWG), where he has worked on a variety of wireless and space policy issues.

“I appreciate George stepping in to assist my team,” Starks said of Leris. “Wireless communications networks continue to revolutionize how we live and work. George brings unique insight into the opportunities and challenges that revolution presents for the public and private sectors.” Commenting on the addition of Shiva Goel, Starks said, “I’m thrilled to have Shiva join my team. He is a powerful advocate, and his deep knowledge, cross-cutting experience, and creative approach to problem-solving will be invaluable as we work toward an innovative and inclusive wireless ecosystem.”