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Jessica Rosenworcel
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Jessica Rosenworcel
Jessica Rosenworcel (born July 12, 1971) is an American attorney who served as a member and chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). She originally served on the FCC from May 11, 2012, to January 3, 2017, and was confirmed by the Senate for an additional term on August 3, 2017. She was named to serve as acting chair in January 2021 and designated permanent chair in October 2021. She was confirmed for another term by the Senate in December 2021. In August 2025, she was named executive director of the MIT Media Lab.
Rosenworcel was born to Willa (née Linoff) and Elliot Rosenworcel, she grew up Jewish in West Hartford, Connecticut, and in 1989, graduated from Hall High School. She graduated from Wesleyan University in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and English literature, then studied law at the New York University School of Law, graduating with a Juris Doctor in 1997.
After law school, Rosenworcel was an associate at the law firm Drinker Biddle & Reath (now Faegre Drinker), where she worked in communications law. In 1999, she joined the Wireline Competition Bureau of the FCC, and in 2003 started working for then-FCC Commissioner Michael Copps. Starting in 2007, she served as Senior Communications Counsel to the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, under the leadership of Senator John D. Rockefeller IV (D–WV).
She previously served in the same role on the Committee under the leadership of Senator Daniel Inouye (D–HI). In 2013, Rockefeller led a push to have Rosenworcel named to be the first female chairwoman of the commission when former Chairman Julius Genachowski stepped down, although the position was ultimately given to Tom Wheeler.
Rosenworcel was first nominated to the FCC by President Barack Obama in October 2011. Her confirmation was delayed for months when Republican Senator Chuck Grassley refused to bring it up for a vote until the FCC released documents about a project he opposed. She was confirmed unanimously by the United States Senate on May 7, 2012, and sworn into office on May 11, 2012, for a term ending June 30, 2015.
On July 13, 2012, Politico designated Rosenworcel as one of 50 politicos to watch, describing her as "whip-smart and intensely serious".
By law, commissioners may continue serving until the appointment of their replacements, but not beyond the end of the next session of Congress following term expiration. In May 2015, President Obama renominated Rosenworcel for a second term, but she was not reconfirmed by the Senate by the time she was required to leave her seat in January 2017. In June 2017, Rosenworcel was nominated to an additional term by President Donald Trump. She was confirmed by the Senate on August 3, 2017.
Following the election of Joe Biden as president, Biden named Rosenworcel as his choice to become chairperson of the FCC after the departure of prior chairman Ajit Pai with the change in administration. Biden named Rosenworcel to serve as acting chairwoman in the interim, making her the second-ever woman to serve in this position. Biden later named Rosenworcel to be the permanent FCC Chairwoman in October 2021, making her the first female to hold the permanent chairperson position on the FCC, and she was confirmed by the Senate on December 7, 2021, for another term as commissioner. She resigned from the FCC in January 2025.
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Jessica Rosenworcel
Jessica Rosenworcel (born July 12, 1971) is an American attorney who served as a member and chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). She originally served on the FCC from May 11, 2012, to January 3, 2017, and was confirmed by the Senate for an additional term on August 3, 2017. She was named to serve as acting chair in January 2021 and designated permanent chair in October 2021. She was confirmed for another term by the Senate in December 2021. In August 2025, she was named executive director of the MIT Media Lab.
Rosenworcel was born to Willa (née Linoff) and Elliot Rosenworcel, she grew up Jewish in West Hartford, Connecticut, and in 1989, graduated from Hall High School. She graduated from Wesleyan University in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and English literature, then studied law at the New York University School of Law, graduating with a Juris Doctor in 1997.
After law school, Rosenworcel was an associate at the law firm Drinker Biddle & Reath (now Faegre Drinker), where she worked in communications law. In 1999, she joined the Wireline Competition Bureau of the FCC, and in 2003 started working for then-FCC Commissioner Michael Copps. Starting in 2007, she served as Senior Communications Counsel to the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, under the leadership of Senator John D. Rockefeller IV (D–WV).
She previously served in the same role on the Committee under the leadership of Senator Daniel Inouye (D–HI). In 2013, Rockefeller led a push to have Rosenworcel named to be the first female chairwoman of the commission when former Chairman Julius Genachowski stepped down, although the position was ultimately given to Tom Wheeler.
Rosenworcel was first nominated to the FCC by President Barack Obama in October 2011. Her confirmation was delayed for months when Republican Senator Chuck Grassley refused to bring it up for a vote until the FCC released documents about a project he opposed. She was confirmed unanimously by the United States Senate on May 7, 2012, and sworn into office on May 11, 2012, for a term ending June 30, 2015.
On July 13, 2012, Politico designated Rosenworcel as one of 50 politicos to watch, describing her as "whip-smart and intensely serious".
By law, commissioners may continue serving until the appointment of their replacements, but not beyond the end of the next session of Congress following term expiration. In May 2015, President Obama renominated Rosenworcel for a second term, but she was not reconfirmed by the Senate by the time she was required to leave her seat in January 2017. In June 2017, Rosenworcel was nominated to an additional term by President Donald Trump. She was confirmed by the Senate on August 3, 2017.
Following the election of Joe Biden as president, Biden named Rosenworcel as his choice to become chairperson of the FCC after the departure of prior chairman Ajit Pai with the change in administration. Biden named Rosenworcel to serve as acting chairwoman in the interim, making her the second-ever woman to serve in this position. Biden later named Rosenworcel to be the permanent FCC Chairwoman in October 2021, making her the first female to hold the permanent chairperson position on the FCC, and she was confirmed by the Senate on December 7, 2021, for another term as commissioner. She resigned from the FCC in January 2025.
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