Former Republican FCC commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate has been named director of the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts.
She begins the job this week, succeeding Bill Young, who was named associate chief deputy attorney general.
Commissioner Tate’s wealth of experience in law and policy at every level of government and across a wide range of areas will serve our judiciary well in the coming years,” said Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Sharon G. Lee. “We are looking forward to working with someone whose entire career has been so committed to responsive and efficient government.”
Tate exited the commission in December 2008.
She began her career in Tennessee state government as counsel and advisor to governors Don Sundquist and Lama Alexander. She also chaired the Tennessee Regulatory Authority, the post she had when she was tapped by President George W. Bush for the FCC post.
Since leaving the commission, Tate has been the first special envoy to the International Telecommunications Union, a distinguished adjunct senior fellow at the Free State Foundation, vice chairman of the Minority Media & Telecommunications Council--where she has been prominent at MMTC events--and a board member at Common Sense Media (she was known as the "children's commissioner" on the FCC, though she also staked out media diversity as a key issue).
