FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel to open 2022 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition

From the American Library Association:

The American Library Association (ALA) today announced that FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel will open the 2022 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition in Washington, D.C., June 23-28, 2022.

In the ALA Opening General Session, ALA President Patricia “Patty” Wong will host a lively, fireside conversation with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel to discuss policymaking and provide insight into current issues central to the core values of libraries, from the ongoing fight to preserve a free and open internet (net neutrality) to the challenges and solutions to close the digital divide.

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel works to promote greater opportunity, accessibility, and affordability in our communications services to ensure that all Americans get a fair shot at 21st-century success.

From fighting to protect net neutrality to ensuring access to the internet for students caught in the Homework Gap, Rosenworcel has been a consistent champion for connecting all. She is a leader in spectrum policy and is responsible for developing policies to help expand the reach of broadband to schools, libraries, hospitals, and households across the country. As chairwoman, she is a fierce advocate on consumer protection issues, most notably taking swift action to improve the agency’s ability to combat unwanted robocalls.

Rosenworcel brings more than two decades of communications policy experience and public service to the FCC. Prior to joining the agency, she served as senior communications counsel for the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, under the leadership of Senator John D. Rockefeller IV and Senator Daniel Inouye.

Patricia “Patty” Wong is the first Asian American to serve as president of ALA. Her term began July 2021 and closes at the adjournment of the 2022 Annual Conference. Wong has been an active ALA member for 37 years. She is a member of the Freedom to Read Foundation and, as an ALA Executive Board member, has worked with the association’s Intellectual Freedom Committee, Committee on Legislation, and the Conference Committee.

Wong is city librarian for Santa Clara (Calif.) City Library. She has worked as a school librarian, children’s librarian, cataloger, and special librarian, as well as held leadership roles in public libraries. Her work in managing change, equity and diversity, youth development, developing joint ventures and collaborations between public libraries and community agencies, and fundraising has been published in journals, conference proceedings, and edited collections. Wong is also the recipient of several awards, including the 2012 ALA Equality Award, CALA Distinguished Service Award (2014), and Member of the Year, California Library Association (2012). She is also adjunct faculty for the iSchool at San Jose State University where she has taught hundreds of students to serve young people and write grants to benefit local and regional communities —and make the world a better place.

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