Associate Administrator, Office of Spectrum Management, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce
Karl Nebbia leads spectrum management for the executive branch agencies and manages engineering, frequency assignment, policy, emergency planning and, strategic planning functions. His recent efforts have focused on President Obama’s call to identify 500 megahertz for wireless broadband and to increase spectrum sharing and industry/government collaboration as tools for providing spectrum access. In June 2013, he received the Federal Communications Bar Association Excellence in Government Service Award.
Previously, he served as the Deputy Associate Administrator for Domestic Spectrum Management, acting as the focal point for development of domestic policy and coordination of spectrum issues with the FCC. In this capacity, he also chaired the Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee (IRAC), an advisory committee with radio spectrum managers from 19 executive branch agencies. The longest standing federal advisory committee in the United States, the IRAC serves as the primary mechanism for frequency coordination with U.S. government users.
Mr. Nebbia has also extensive international experience as the program manager coordinating the participation of NTIA staff and the U.S. federal agencies in international spectrum management fora, particularly International Telecommunication Union (ITU) activities such as the ITU Plenipotentiary and Council, the ITU-R study groups, the Radio Advisory Group, the Radiocommunication Assembly, World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC), and ITU Development Sector regarding spectrum management.
Mr. Nebbia, a 1974 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, joined NTIA in 1983.