Blair Levin is a nonresident senior fellow at Brookings Metro. Levin serves as a policy analyst with New Street Research, an equity research firm focused on telecommunications and technology. Levin has also been involved in a number efforts to broaden broadband’s reach and effectiveness, including serving as the Executive Director of Gig.U: The Next Generation Network Innovation Project, an initiative of three dozen leading research university communities seeking to support educational and economic development by accelerating the deployment of next generation networks, leading the writing of a report for the World Bank and United Nations High Commission on Refugees on broadband for refugees, and most recently, working with the National Urban League to write the
Lewis Latimer Plan for Digital Equity and Inclusion.Previously, Levin worked with the Communications & Society Program with the Aspen Institute Communications and Society Program, following his departure in 2010 from the Federal Communications Commission where he oversaw the development of a National Broadband Plan. Levin rejoined the Commission in 2009, after eight years as a policy analyst at Legg Mason and Stifel Nicolaus. As Barron’s magazine noted, Levin “has always been on top of developing trends and policy shifts in media and telecommunications … and has proved visionary in getting out in front of many of today’s headline making events.”
Levin served as chief of staff to FCC Chairman Reed Hundt from December 1993 through October 1997. During that period Levin oversaw, among other matters, the implementation of the 1996 Telecommunications Reform Act, the first spectrum auctions, the development of digital television standards and the commission’s Internet initiative.
Prior to his position with the FCC, Levin was a partner in the North Carolina law firm of Parker, Poe, Adams and Bernstein, where he represented new communications ventures, as well as numerous local governments on public financing issues. Levin is a graduate of Yale College and Yale Law School.
