FCC chairman shuffles senior staff

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski announced a series of personnel moves on Thursday in advance of the departure of his top aide at the end of the month.

Genachowski announced that chief counsel Zachary Katz will succeed Eddie Lazarus as chief of staff when Lazarus departs at the end of January. Katz was appointed chief counsel this summer after taking a leading role in formulating the commission's net-neutrality rules.

“As I know from working closely with Zac on many important initiatives, he has exceptionally good judgment, tremendous aptitude and the strong leadership qualities to serve as chief of staff," Genachowski said.

Katz earned his law degree from Yale, where he was editor in chief of the Yale Law Journal; before law school he worked with tech firms at a strategy consulting and investment firm in Silicon Valley.

In addition, Genachowski announced promotions for both Sherrese Smith and Amy Levine, who lost the race to succeed Rick Kaplan as chief counsel to Katz. Smith has been focused on media, consumer and enforcement issues at the FCC, while Levine has focused on spectrum.

Smith will be elevated from senior counsel and legal adviser to chief counsel and senior legal adviser. Levine will rise from special counsel and legal adviser to senior counsel. Smith is the longest-serving aide at the FCC out of herself, Katz and Levine.

In addition, senior counselor to the chairman Josh Gottheimer will expand his responsibilities and Michael Steffen will join the chairman's office as legal adviser with responsibility for universal service, open Internet and satellite issues after serving as special counsel in the Office of General Counsel.