FCC Chair Carr designates Andy Hendrickson as Head of the Office of Engineering & Technology
FCC Appoints Andy Hendrickson as Chief of Office of Engineering and Technology
In a significant move, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has appointed Andy Hendrickson as the Chief of its Office of Engineering and Technology (OET), effective from August 2025. In this role, Hendrickson will serve as the FCC’s principal technical adviser on spectrum policy, equipment authorization, and the development of regulatory standards that keep pace with rapid changes in the communications sector.
Hendrickson brings over 20 years of experience in technical leadership across telecommunications and digital infrastructure to his new role. Prior to joining the FCC, he spent more than nine years at Verizon Communications, culminating as a senior director in their cloud platform group, and played a key role in the rollout of Verizon's 5G network.
Before leading OET, Hendrickson was the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau, where he guided field operations and advised on emerging technologies, enforcement policies, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, 911 services, and network outage mitigation.
Academically, Hendrickson earned dual degrees from Rutgers University and served as a part-time lecturer there in environmental geomatics. He also worked as a solution architect at Esri and managed spatial data analysis and geographic information systems at Verizon Wireless.
Within the broader tech community, Hendrickson is active with the Linux Foundation, Open Infrastructure Foundation, and the Network Time Foundation. He is also on the Board of the Rutgers School of Communication & Information Alumni Association, as stated by the FCC.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr expressed strong support for Hendrickson’s appointment, highlighting his technical expertise and understanding of the real-world impact of FCC decisions. Carr looks forward to drawing on Hendrickson's expertise to leverage transformative technologies like 5G, next-gen satellite, and AI to better serve the public interest.
Ira Keltz, who has served as the FCC's acting chief of OET since last October, will resume his prior role as deputy chief of OET. Carr also extended his sincere thanks to Ira Keltz for serving in the acting role and is pleased that he will continue his public service as a Deputy Chief in OET.
In summary, Andy Hendrickson is the FCC’s current OET chief responsible for guiding technical strategy and regulations around communications technologies and spectrum management. His extensive experience in the telecommunications industry and his understanding of both the technical foundations and real-world impact of FCC decisions make him well-suited for this role.
- In his new role as the FCC’s OET chief, Andy Hendrickson will focus on spectrum policy and regulatory standards for digital infrastructure and media content.
- With 20 years of technical leadership experience under his belt, Hendrickson's expertise extends to cloud platform development, geographic information systems, and emerging technologies like AI and 911 services.
- As a key player in the rollout of Verizon's 5G network, he is expected to leverage his experience to address rapid changes in the communications sector and foster the advancement of cutting-edge technologies like 5G, next-gen satellite, and AI.
- The FCC's Chairman, Brendan Carr, appreciates Hendrickson's technical knowledge and his ability to understand the real-world implications of FCC decisions.
- While managing spatial data analysis and geographic information systems at Verizon Wireless, Hendrickson also collaborated with organizations such as the Linux Foundation, Open Infrastructure Foundation, and the Network Time Foundation.
- In addition to his active role in the tech community, Hendrickson serves on the Rutgers School of Communication & Information Alumni Association's board, demonstrating his dedication to sharing his expertise and nurturing new talent in data-and-cloud-computing technology.
