Former FCC Commissioner | Digital Infrastructure Executive
Arlington, VA
Jonathan S. Adelstein is a leader in digital infrastructure and public policy whose career bridges government, industry, and investment. At Stanford, his work focuses on the intersection of technology policy and politics, particularly AI governance.
Jonathan served as Managing Director and Head of Global Policy at DigitalBridge, a digital infrastructure investment firm with $80 billion in assets under management at the time. During his decade as President and CEO of the Wireless Infrastructure Association, he tripled annual revenue and led advocacy campaigns that helped win passage of federal legislation, adoption of executive agency regulations, and enactment of new laws in more than 30 states. He also served as Senior Advisor to Vertical Bridge, the largest privately held U.S. tower company.
In public service, Jonathan served two terms as an FCC Commissioner and was subsequently appointed by President Barack Obama to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service, the successor to the Rural Electrification Administration. At RUS, he oversaw a $60 billion loan portfolio supporting broadband, electric, water and other critical infrastructure investments, and administered $7 billion in Recovery Act funding. Across the two roles, he was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate three times with bipartisan support. Earlier, he spent 15 years on the U.S. Senate staff, ultimately serving as a senior legislative adviser to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle.
Jonathan serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and External Affairs Officer at TWN Communications, a broadband provider in the U.S. Southwest.
He earned an M.A. in history and a B.A. with distinction in political science from Stanford University and taught history at Stanford and Harvard. A longtime harmonica player, he has performed with five members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and continues to jam with local bands. Jonathan and his wife, Karen, have two children and an adorable dog who barks a bit too much.