Regulatory Law and Consulting in California
Speaker
Request Commissioner Chong to speak at your event
Connect With Me
Email: rachelle.chong@
chonglaw.net EXPERIENCE
Law Office of Rachelle Chong
Solo practitioner providing legal and lobbying services to selected clients.
Principal
July 2013 – Present
Provides legal and registered lobbyist services via Strategic Consulting of Rachelle Chong for a broad array of clients before the California PUC and FCC. Career regulatory lawyer before California Public Utilities Commission and Federal Communications Commission.
Making Every Vote Count, Inc.
Director
2023 to present
MEVC Inc. is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, that is working to reform the country’s presidential electoral college system to assure two things. First, that the candidate for the country’s highest office who earns the most votes nationwide becomes president. Second, that the votes of all citizens in the presidential election count and matter equally. This means ensuring that individual votes get counted toward state popular votes; ensuring that state popular votes are respected when tabulating the national winner; and encouraging reform such that individual votes influence the election outcome in as direct a manner as possible. We seek to invigorate a national movement behind these important election reform issues through direct and grassroots legislative advocacy, legal argument, and public discourse. We support and coordinate with organizations that share our commitment to the fundamental value that the person who wins the most votes nationwide, and the belief that all votes count and matter equally.
Fortinet
Networking cybersecurity solutions
Public Sector Advisory Council Member
April 2022 to present
The Fortinet PSAC helps steer and advise Fortinet as it advises its cleints on the evolving security challenges and technology needs to address these challenges.
R36 Solutions
Strategic Business Consulting Firm
CEO and Principal
May 2022 - March 2023
Five member national consulting firm helping select clients in the areas of energy, broadband, transportation with business strategy, and federal grant applications.
Anterix
Wireless Technology Company
Board member, August 2018- May 2020
Served as an independent Board member to Anterix, previously pdvWireless, a publicly traded company.
SHLB Coalition
Coalition of Schools, Libraries and Healthcare providers working on broadband policy
Board Member (2017-2020, 2023) and Chairwoman (2021-2022)
January 2017 - December 2023
Volunteered to serve on the Board of SHLB Coalition to advance broadband infrastructure in schools, libraries and rural healthcare facilities for digital equity and access. Served as Chairwoman for two years, during the COVID-19 pandemic years.
Sidecar Technologies
Key regulatory counsel to one of the first three Transportation Network Companies in the nation.
Senior Regulatory Counsel
February 2015 – December 2015
Responsible for regulatory relations with state agencies, local agencies and airports.
California Asian Chamber of Commerce
Small Business Policy Organization
Board Member
May 2011 – 2020
Board member for California Asian Chamber of Commerce, headquartered in Sacramento, California. The CalAsian chamber represents 400,000 small businesses owned by Asian Americans in California.
http://www.calasiancc.org/
Federal Communications Bar Association, Northern California Chapter
Association of federal communications counsel
Co-Chair
Jan 2010 – Dec 2015
Planned quarterly programs with two co-chairs in the telecommunications, broadcast, broadband, wireless policy areas.
California Emerging Technology Fund
Non profit organization dedicated to closing the Digital Divide
Special Counsel; former Chair, Board of Experts
2006 – 2022
Chair of Board of Experts (2006-2013) for non profit organization formed by California Public Utilities Commission. Outside Special Counsel from 2014-2022. A non profit organization established by the CPUC, CETF is dedicated to bringing broadband access and adoption to all of California.
Sidecar Technologies
Ridesharing provider - one of original three companies
Interim General Counsel
Jun 2014 – Jan 2015
Represented Transportation Network Company and oversaw all legal, regulatory, policy, insurance, and strategy as Interim General Counsel during time when TNCs as legal entities under CA , Seattle, D.C. and Chicago regulatory law were established.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area
Mentoring non profit
Board Member
Jun 2012 – Jul 2014
Board member to San Francisco non profit organization that provides mentoring from Big Brothers and Big Sisters to at risk youth, ages 6-16. We inspire our children to stay in school and have positive social relationships. On the board, I served on the 2013 Gala Committee, helping deliver our most successful Gala to date in terms of fund raising. I also serve on the Development Committee.
Techwire.net
tech newsletter
Columnist
Jan 2013 – Jun 2014
Columnist at Techwire.net covering federal policy relating to broadband, telecommunications and the Internet. Also covers the start up tech scene in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, with emphasis on the Internet, communications, and energy.
Comcast, West Region
Largest cable TV, broadband, voice and home security provider in the US
Vice President, Government Affairs, California Region
May 2011 – Jan 2013
Led California Government Affairs team of twelve for California Region for Comcast. Responsibilities include representing Comcast at the California Public Utilities Commission, California Energy Commission, California State Legislature, and local franchise authorities, plus all Comcast community development investment.
Bay Area Council
Policy Association
Board member
May 2011 – Dec 2012
Board member to Bay Area Council, a business-sponsored public policy advocacy organization for the nine-county Bay Area. The Council advocates for a strong economy, a vital business environment, and a better quality of life for everyone who lives here. 275 of the largest employers in the region support the Bay Area Council.
California Technology Agency
State CIO office
Special Counsel, Advanced Information & Communications Technologies
Dec 2009 – Apr 2011
I led work on issues relating to broadband, telehealth, Next Generation 9-1-1, public safety communications, digital literacy, smart grid, health information exchange, and electronic medical records.
California Telehealth Network
Telehealth network serving rural health care providers
Secretary, Member of the Board
2007 – Apr 2011
Assisted in writing FCC application for grant that formed largest telehealth network in the nation for a state. Served as Secretary and Member of the Board representing CPUC in 2007-2009. In 2015-2016, represented CTN as outside Regulatory Counsel.
California Public Utilities Commission
State constitutional agency
Commissioner
Jan 2006 – Dec 2009
The CPUC regulates privately owned telecommunications, electric, natural gas, water, railroad, passenger transportation companies, including authorizing statewide video franchises. The five commissioners are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. Led most of the telecommunications and broadband work, and energy dockets for smart grid, electric vehicles, and demand response.
National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners
Association for state utility commissioners and their professional staff
Telecommunications Committee
Jan 2006 – Dec 2009
Leading member of National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) Committee on Telecommunications. The Telecommunications Committee provides a critical venue for State utility commissioners to analyze trends and share best practices. The Committee works closely with the Federal Communications Commission, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, the Office of the United States Trade Representative, and the FBI.
California Broadband Task Force
Governor's Appointee to California Broadband Task Force
Member
2006 – Jan 2008
The California Broadband Task Force was formed by Governor Schwarzenegger to study barriers to deployment of broadband in California in late 2006. The 16 member blue ribbon task force was appointed by the Governor. The Task Force issued a report in January 2008 with recommendations to the Governor. As a CPUC Commissioner, I put into action many of the recommendations by the Task Force.
Authorize.net formerly Lightbridge, Inc.
Company specializing in online payment solutions
Director
2000 – 2007
Independent Director for Lightbridge, Inc., which became Authorize.net. Served on audit committee and chaired compensation committee.
Association of Public Television Stations
Policy association representing public television stations
Trustee
2001 – 2006
Served as trustee for Association of Public Television Stations (APTS). The APTS is a nonprofit membership organization whose mission is to conduct – in concert with member stations – advocacy, planning, research and communications activities in order to achieve strong and financially sound noncommercial television and advanced digital services for the American people. My role was to assist in regulatory strategies before the FCC and the US Congress to ensure sustainability of the members in the face of great change in broadcasting regulation and technology.
Broadband Office, Inc.
Start up Carrier Providing Broadband, Voice and Other Apps to Large Commercial Buildings
General Counsel and VP Government Affairs
Jan 2000 – May 2001
Led all legal and regulatory efforts of this start-up carrier of IP-enabled voice and Internet services to large commercial buildings, funded by Kleiner Perkins and large REITS. Supervised team of 14 lawyers and all outside counsel to handle all regulatory, real estate, HR and labor matters in 15 states.
Corsair Communications
Wireless Tech Company
Director
1998 – 2000
Independent Board Member for start up company developing back office systems for wireless phone companies. Served on Audit Committee, and actively led CEO salary negotiations..
Coudert Brothers
Partner
Jan 1998 – Dec 1999
Regulatory practice before California Public Utilities Commission and Federal Communications Commission. Represented telecommunications and Internet companies, with particular emphasis on international clients.
Federal Communications Commission
Federal Agency
Commissioner
May 1994 – Nov 1997
Appointed by President Clinton to the 5-member FCC in May 1994. This seat is confirmed by the US Senate. Served from1994-1997. Major decisions before the FCC during this era included the first wireless auctions, launch of several wireless services, finalization of digital TV transition rules, implementation of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and children's television rules.
Graham & James
San Francisco International Law Firm
Partner
Sep 1987 – Apr 1994
Regulatory law practice before the California Public Utilities Commission and Federal Communications Commission representing primarily telecommunications clients, including four major wireless carriers and paging companies.
Kadison Pfaelzer Woodard Quinn & Rossi
Telecom and Energy Law Firm
Associate
Sep 1984 – Aug 1987
Represented primarily broadcaster and telecommunications clients at Washington, D.C. based law firm. Also worked in energy area before the FERC.
EDUCATION
UC College of the Law, San Francisco
San Francisco
JD Law 1981 - 1984
Activities: Editor in Chief, Comm/Ent Law Journal; Vice President, Associated Students of Hastings.
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley
BS Political Science and Journalism 1977 - 1981
Activities: Phi Beta Kappa.
