Contact: Scott Bolden, 202-898-8083, sbolden@naruc.org

Nebraska PSC Commissioner Crystal Rhoades Appointed as Vice Chair of NARUC’s
Committee on Telecommunications 

WASHINGTON (November 26, 2019) — National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners President Brandon Presley of Mississippi has appointed Commissioner Crystal Rhoades of the Nebraska Public Service Commission as the co-vice chair of the Committee on Telecommunications. Rhoades joins fellow Nebraska PSC Commissioner Tim Schram as co-vice chair and Massachusetts Commissioner Karen Charles Peterson, who chairs the committee.

With the role of the regulator changing as rapidly as the new telecommunications technologies, the Telecommunications Committee provides a critical venue for state commissioners to analyze trends and share best practices.

In 2006, Rhoades was elected to the Metropolitan Community College Board of Governors and has served as treasurer, secretary and chairwoman of the board. She is a trained mediator who has used her skills to bridge partisan and urban-rural conflicts to find solutions that work for everyone. In 2014, she was elected to the PSC and serves as a member of NARUC and the Federal Communications Commission North American Numbering Council, where she has been a leading national advocate on Lifeline reform and accountability in government spending.

“Commissioner Rhoades’ commitment to serving the public interest and the people of Nebraska is well-documented,” said Presley, who is also chairman of the Mississippi Public Service Commission. “Her passion and contributions for national advocacy for rural broadband service and Lifeline reform are certain to serve this committee well.”

“I am grateful for this opportunity and excited to serve in this capacity on the Committee on Telecommunications,” said Rhoades. “I look forward to working with members of the committee and other stakeholders to ensure that our state voices are heard on many key telecommunications policy issues.”

A graduate of Omaha Central High School, she was named a Goodrich Scholar and obtained her degrees from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where she studied psychology, political science and public administration. She has worked as a neighborhood organizer, juvenile justice reformer and IT professional.

NARUC’s eight standing committees propose resolutions that, if approved by the Board of Directors, set Association policy on congressional, federal and industry matters. The committees, populated by state public service commissioners, also hold educational sessions and panel discussions on relevant issues to best serve NARUC members. Committee chairs are appointed by the NARUC President for a one-year term and may be reappointed for a maximum of three consecutive terms.

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About NARUC

NARUC is a non-profit organization founded in 1889 whose members include the governmental agencies that are engaged in the regulation of utilities and carriers in the fifty States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. NARUC's member agencies regulate telecommunications, energy, and water utilities. NARUC represents the interests of State public utility commissions before the three branches of the Federal government.