Kevin Martin, a former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and now vice president of Mobile and Global Access Policy at Facebook, Inc., will give the Commencement Address at Washington College’s 235th Commencement on May 20. A global expert on media, communications, and technology policy, Martin will receive an Honorary Doctor of Laws.
The ceremonies will take place on the Campus Green, weather permitting, beginning at 10:30 a.m., and the public is invited.
As vice president for Mobile and Global Access Policy at Facebook, Martin oversees Facebook’s connectivity programs and communication regulatory issues. When Martin joined Facebook in 2015 after serving as a consultant for two years, Fortune and Bloomberg reported that his deep background and expertise in the international regulatory realm would help the social media giant’s efforts to bring greater Internet access to developing countries.
Before joining Facebook, Martin served on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), first as a commissioner (2001-2005) and then as chairman (2005-2009). During his tenure, Martin represented the U.S. in multiple bilateral negotiations and served as the U.S. representative to the G-8’s Digital Opportunity Task Force.After leaving the FCC he joined the Aspen Institute as a senior fellow at the think tank’s Communications and Society Program, and later the law firm Squire Patton Boggs LLP as a partner.
Prior to the FCC, Martin served on the Bush-Cheney transition team and as a deputy general counsel for the Bush campaign, later becoming Special Assistant to the President for economic policy and a staff member on the National Economic Council.
Martin holds a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an M.P.P. from Duke University, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.
Washington College’s 235th Commencement begins at 10:30 a.m. on May 20 and will be held on the Campus Green, weather permitting. The event will be live streamed at https://www.washcoll.edu/offices/digital-media-services/live/.
About Washington College
Founded in 1782, Washington College is the tenth oldest college in the nation and the first chartered under the new Republic. It enrolls approximately 1,450 undergraduates from more than 35 states and a dozen nations. With an emphasis on hands-on, experiential learning in the arts and sciences, and more than 40 multidisciplinary areas of study, the College is home to nationally recognized academic centers in the environment, history, and writing. Learn more at washcoll.edu.
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