The INCOMPAS Policy Summit 2017

Paula H. Boyd is currently Director of Government and Regulatory Affairs for Microsoft Corporation, where she partners with colleagues to develop Microsoft’s communications policy positions and advocates those positions before the Federal Communications Commission, Congress and the Administration.  On behalf of Microsoft, Paula champions a variety of voice, video and text communications issues such as those related to spectrum, accessibility, universal service, next generation 911 as well as issues surrounding Internet governance and ICANN.   Prior to joining Microsoft in 2002, Paula was Senior Counsel to the Senate Subcommittee on Communications.  She joined the Subcommittee in April of 1997 and while there, she drafted legislation, developed legislative strategy, organized hearings and briefings, managed consideration of bills on the Senate Floor, and advocated the Senate position in House and Senate Conferences.  She handled issues such as broadband deployment, spectrum management, digital television transition, and competition in the local telecommunications marketplace.    Paula joined the Office of the General Counsel of the Federal Communications Commission in February of 1994 where she reviewed draft orders involving, broadcast issues and worked on issues involving tax certificates and preferences for designated entities in PCS.  In September of 1994, Paula began working with the International Bureau on satellite policy issues.  Paula began her legal career at Verner, Liipfert, McPherson and Hand in 1992 where she worked on a variety of issues including litigation, transportation and communications.

David Kaut is a senior editor at Communications Daily, where he reports on telecom regulatory developments, with a focus on FCC wireline matters.  From 2001 to 2014, he was a telecom and media regulatory analyst at Stifel Nicolaus and Legg Mason, helping institutional investors understand and anticipate policies affecting the stocks of companies in the communications sector. Before that, he was a telecom and media reporter at BNA’s Daily Report for Executives from 1996 to 2001; a reporter and editor at State News Service, including on its Multichannel News cable beat, from 1991 to 1996; and an editor at The Times of the Americas, a Latin American affairs publication, from 1986 to 1991.  Kaut served as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in Ecuador from 1983 to 1985 and has an A.B. in government from the College of William and Mary.  He lives with his wife and kids in Arlington, Va., and dances a decent salsa for a gringo.  

Sheba Chacko is Chief Regulatory Counsel for BT Global Services, the international arm of British Telecommunications plc and covers the Americas region for BT. She is based in Reston, VA and Washington, DC. She advises all BT business units on telecoms, antitrust and national security-related regulatory issues in the Americas, advocates on behalf of BT before regulators in the Americas, and is tasked with telecoms regulatory compliance for the region.   Prior to joining BT, Sheba practiced communications law with U.S. law firms, advising and assisting fixed telephony, wireless, Internet and satellite clients. Sheba has a Juris Doctor degree from Duke Law School, a Master of Laws degree in International Law from Georgetown University Law Center, and served as a board member of Duke Law School’s Alumni Board. She is an IAPP- certified privacy professional.  She has lived in Malaysia, India and the UK, but has called the US her home since the early eighties.