FTC Names Edward W. Felten as Agency's Chief Technologist; Eileen Harrington as Executive Director

FTC Names Edward W. Felten as Agency's Chief Technologist; Eileen
Harrington as Executive Director

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2010/11/cted.shtm

Federal Trade Commission Chairman Jon Leibowitz today announced the
appointment of Edward W. Felten as the agency's first Chief
Technologist. In his new position, Dr. Felten will advise the agency
on evolving technology and policy issues.

Dr. Felten is a professor of computer science and public affairs and
founding director of the Center for Information Technology Policy at
Princeton University. He has served as a consultant to federal
agencies, including the FTC, and departments of Justice and Defense,
and has testified before Congress on a range of technology, computer
security, and privacy issues. He is a fellow of the Association of
Computing Machinery and recipient of the Scientific American 50 Award.
Felten holds a Ph.D. in computer science and engineering from the
University of Washington.

Dr. Felten's research has focused on areas including computer security
and privacy, especially relating to consumer products; technology law
and policy; Internet software; intellectual property policy; and using
technology to improve government.

"Ed is extraordinarily respected in the technology community, and his
background and knowledge make him an outstanding choice to serve as
the agency's first Chief Technologist," Leibowitz said. "He's going to
add unparalleled expertise on high-technology markets and computer
security. And he also will provide invaluable input into the
recommendations we'll be making soon for online privacy, as well as
the enforcement actions we'll soon bring to protect consumer privacy.
We're thrilled to have him on board."

Dr. Felten currently is a part-time consultant for the FTC. He will
start full time as Chief Technologist in January.

Chairman Leibowitz also announced that Eileen Harrington has been
named the agency's Executive Director. Harrington comes to the FTC
from a 15-month stint as Chief Operating Officer at the U.S. Small
Business Administration. Previously, she served for 25 years at the
FTC, starting as a staff attorney and assuming a variety of senior
management positions in the Bureau of Consumer Protection, including
Associate Director for Marketing Practices, Deputy Director, and
Acting Director. Harrington has a long list of accomplishments from
her tenure at the FTC. Perhaps most notably, she received the
prestigious Service to America Medal for leading the team that created
the National Do Not Call Registry.

"This is a very happy homecoming," said Leibowitz. "Eileen has made an
invaluable contribution to the FTC in the past, and her strong
management skills, enthusiasm, and creativity will once again be put
to use for the betterment of the agency and for American consumers. We
are delighted to have her back."

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent
fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide
information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in
English or Spanish, visit the FTC's online Complaint Assistant or call
1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into
Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than
1,800 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and
abroad. The FTC's website provides free information on a variety of
consumer topics.

MEDIA CONTACT:
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202-326-2180

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