President Donald Trump has nominated Danielle Thumann Severs, who is a senior counsel to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr, to serve on one of the two open seats on the commission.
The nomination was sent to the U.S. Senate on Friday, where it will go through a formal process for confirmation.
“Danielle is a dedicated public servant and has consistently delivered policy wins from bridging the digital divide and protecting consumers to advancing public safety,” Carr said on X, congratulating Thumann on her nomination.
Thumann Severs advises Carr on matters before the Wireline Bureau, the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau and the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, according to her FCC biography.
She rejoined then-Commissioner Carr’s office in August 2024 after working in the private sector on government relations matters for Crown Castle, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Thumann Severs previously served as legal advisor in Commissioner Carr’s office from March 2021 until July 2023. Before that, she worked as a communications attorney in the Washington, D.C. office of Wilkinson Barker Knauer.
In 2016, she earned her J.D. from the Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law, where she was associate editor of the Law Review.
Thumann Severs received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia in 2013, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Implications
The FCC requires a quorum of three commissioners to conduct commission business, according to the Communications Act. That’s how it has been operating since Olivia Trusty, a Republican, was confirmed by the Senate last year.
The quorum does not have to include members of both political parties. However, the statute limits the commission to no more than three commissioners from the same political party.
“Serving on this commission is one of the most rewarding jobs in government,” Anna Gomez, the lone Democrat commissioner, said in congratulating Thumann Severs on X. “I look forward to continuing our work together, hopefully soon with a full commission of five, the way this agency was built to operate.”
In response to the nomination, NAB president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt also congratulated her.
“NAB congratulates Danielle Thumann Severs on her nomination to the FCC," LeGeyt said in a statement. "Danielle is a dedicated public servant who is well regarded across all sectors of the communications bar. Her extensive experience at the Commission and deep understanding of communications policy will serve her well in this important role. We look forward to working with her throughout the confirmation process and, if confirmed, as a commissioner.”
We’ll update this story with more information as it is warranted.
[This article originally appeared in our sister publication Radio World. You can access their extensive tech, business and regulatory coverage here.]
