NAD Applauds FCC Selection of Hlibok as DRO Chief

Greg Hlibok was tapped by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Julius Genachowski to lead the FCC Disability Rights Office (DRO) which is responsible for telecommunications relay services (TRS), access to telecommunications equipment and services by persons with disabilities, access to emergency information, closed captioning and more. The DRO also provides expert advice and assistance to other FCC Bureaus and Offices, federal agencies, consumers, and industry, in order to support the Commission's goal of increasing the accessibility of telecommunications services and technologies for persons with disabilities. Further, the DRO has a significant role in carrying out the mandates of the new Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 signed into law by President Barack Obama on October 8, 2010, an effort spearheaded by the NAD and other organizations that are members of the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT).

“As the new Chief of the Disability Rights Office, Greg, who is deaf, is the first person in this important role who directly experiences the same policies that he will develop and implement. The NAD congratulates FCC Chairman Genachowski for selecting a highly qualified person with a disability who will lead the DRO through significant advances in telecommunications and technology for people with disabilities and Greg for this incredible honor,” said NAD President Bobbie Beth Scoggins. “This is a significant milestone during the 20th anniversary year of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Our community has a litany of challenges that this FCC administration has worked hard to address, including the National Broadband Plan to connect the country to the Internet, achieving functionally equivalent telecommunications relay services, and emerging closed captioning issues. We look forward to Greg's leadership on these issues.”

For more information about Greg Hlibok’s selection as the next DRO Chief, please see:
http://www.fcc.gov/ftp/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2010/db1116/DOC-302803A1.pdf [2]