Meredith Attwell Baker

Meredith Attwell Baker (born 1968) is an American businesswoman who served as the president and chief executive officer of CTIA, an industry trade group that represents the international wireless telecommunications industry from June 2014 until April 2025. Her successor is Ajit Pai. From 2009 to 2011, Baker was a member of the United States Federal Communications Commission, nominated by U.S. President Barack H. Obama. She also served in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration as a political appointee, and was subsequently named a deputy assistant secretary of the Commerce Department by President George W. Bush in February 2007. Her father, Kirby Attwell, was president of Lincoln Liberty Life Insurance, a subsidiary of Lincoln Consolidated, at which he worked with the late former Texas Democratic U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen. Her great-great grandfather was Isaac Van Zandt, a political leader in the Republic of Texas. The Attwells have had long-standing friendships with the Baker and Bush political families. She is a daughter-in-law of James A. Baker, III. In high school, Baker attended the Sidwell Friends School for one semester. Baker is a member of the State Bar of Texas. taking time off to assist George W. Bush's campaign with the 2000 United States presidential election recount in Florida. She also oversaw the $1.5 billion coupon program to help consumers with the nation's digital television transition.

Federal Communications Commission

Baker was nominated by President Obama as a member of the FCC on June 25, 2009. Baker was one of two Republicans on the five-person commission.

During her tenure, Baker supported efforts to increase radio spectrum availability for wireless broadband services. The move, which came four months after the FCC approved the merger of Comcast and NBC Universal, received some criticism from groups who opposed the merger and voiced concerns about the revolving door between legislative and regulatory agencies and private sector companies. The company said that it did not approach Baker about the position until mid April, after NBC Universal lobbyist Bob Okum resigned. Similarly, Baker said she had no contact with NBC Universal or Comcast about the position when the acquisition was pending. Both Baker and Comcast said the FCC's general counsel, Austin Schlick, was made aware of the potential transition on April 18, and Baker recused herself from merger discussions. Comcast also noted that Kyle E. McSlarrow, who hired Baker at NBC Universal, was not employed by the company when the merger was completed; he was serving at the National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA) at the time.

While Baker could immediately lobby Congress and supervise employees who directly lobby the FCC, to comply with Obama's ethics pledge, she could not personally lobby any executive branch political appointee (including the FCC) during Obama's presidency. However, after two years, she could lobby non-political appointees at the FCC. Additionally, she may never personally lobby anyone on the Comcast/NBC merger agreement. having previously served as the advocacy group's director of congressional affairs from 1998 to 2000.

In January 2015, Baker testified on the importance of an open Internet but against the reclassification of mobile broadband as a Title II service under the Communications Act of 1934 at a hearing held by the House Energy Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. Two months later, CTIA, NCTA, and USTelecom, filed legal challenges against the FCC's net neutrality order reclassifying broadband under Title II.

Baker has testified before Congress on the issue of spectrum. In a March 2016 media call, she said the industry is ready to invest billions of dollars to fund spectrum and new infrastructure, suggesting the "spectrum pipeline should become a national priority" because "100 MHz of spectrum is equal to $30 billion to the economy and 1 million jobs." In 2016, CTIA released reports outlining the importance of U.S. leadership in 5G and high band spectrum. The organization praised the FCC's unanimous vote in July 2016 to allow wireless operations above 24 GHz.

Personal life Baker and her husband James A. "Jamie" Baker, IV, a retired senior partner at the law firm Baker Botts, married in Ravello, Italy, in 2006. James is the son of attorney and statesman James Baker, III, who served as White House Chief of Staff and United States Secretary of the Treasury under President Ronald Reagan, and as United States Secretary of State and White House Chief of Staff under President George H. W. Bush.

The couple resides in McLean, Virginia. Baker has three stepdaughters by her husband's previous marriage, including comedian Rosebud Baker.

Works