August 3, 2020
WASHINGTON, DC—USTelecom | The Broadband Association today announced two additions to the national broadband organization’s expanding policy and advocacy, and strategic partnerships and initiatives teams.
Attorney Josh Bercu joins USTelecom as Vice President, Policy & Advocacy (effective August 10). Kayla Gardner joins as Director, Policy & Partnerships (effective August 24).
“We are thrilled to welcome both Josh and Kayla to USTelecom. These are two sharp and accomplished communications lawyers and advocates who will be great assets to our membership of global and local broadband innovators,” said USTelecom president and CEO Jonathan Spalter. “Josh’s deep experience in digital consumer protection law will be critical to expanding our nationally recognized work to protect consumers in areas such as stopping illegal robocalls. Kayla has experience across the wireless industry, the U.S. Senate and the FCC and will support our work to invest in broadband infrastructure and modernize public safety networks.”
Josh Bercu, Vice President, Policy & Advocacy
In addition to working on a variety of communications, digital technology and regulatory issues, Bercu will coordinate the USTelecom-led Industry Traceback Group, the Federal Communications Commission’s registered consortium for coordinating private sector efforts to trace and prevent illegal robocalls. Bercu is also a recognized expert in the data privacy and cyber law fields.
He joins USTelecom after nearly a decade at Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP, one of the nation’s top communications law firms, where he was a partner in the firm’s privacy and cybersecurity practice. Bercu is a graduate of Harvard University and earned his JD from Georgetown University Law Center.
Kayla Gardner, Director, Policy & Partnerships
Gardner will focus on a variety of regulatory issues, including broadband infrastructure expansion and public safety, and will help further develop the association’s nationwide advocacy network. She joins USTelecom from the government affairs department of the Wireless Infrastructure Association. Gardner previously worked in the office of Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and as a law clerk for Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs. She also served as a Google Fellow at Public Knowledge.
She is a former emergency communications technician for the Arlington County (VA) Office of Emergency Management, dispatching 911, non-emergency and county administration calls to police, fire and emergency medical units. A graduate of Howard University, Gardner earned her MA from The George Washington University and her JD from Howard University School of Law.