Kevin J. Martin was nominated to be a member of the Federal Communications Commission by President George W. Bush on April 30, 2001, and was sworn in on July 3, 2001. He was designated chairman by President George W. Bush on March 18, 2005. Chairman Martin was re-nominated for a second term as commissioner and chairman by President George W. Bush on April 25, 2006.
Chairman Martin joined the Commission from the White House, where he served as a Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and was on the staff of the National Economic Council. In that capacity, he focused primarily on commerce and technology policy issues. He also served as the official U.S. government representative to the G-8's Digital Opportunity Task Force, a government, non-profit, and private sector task force created to identify ways in which the digital revolution can assure opportunities for developing countries.
Prior to joining the Bush Administration, Chairman Martin served as a principle technology and telecommunications advisor on the Bush-Cheney Transition team. He assumed this role after serving as the Deputy General Counsel to the Bush campaign in Austin, Texas from July 1999 through December 2000.
From 1997 to 1999, Chairman Martin served as a Legal Advisor to FCC Commissioner Harold Furchtgott-Roth, advising the Commissioner on telecommunications and broadband issues. Chairman Martin had previously served in the Office of the Independent Counsel following several years of work in private practice at the Washington, DC law firm of Wiley, Rein & Fielding. While at Wiley, Rein & Fielding, he worked on communications, legislative, and appellate litigation matters. Before joining Wiley, Rein & Fielding, Martin was a law clerk for United States Court District Judge William M. Hoeveler in Miami, Florida.
Chairman Martin received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with Honors and Distinction from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While at Chapel Hill, Chairman Martin was elected Student Body President and President of the North Carolina Association of Student Governments. In addition, he also served on the University Of North Carolina Board Of Trustees. Chairman Martin received a Masters in Public Policy from Duke University and a J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School. Chairman Martin is a member of the District of Columbia Bar and the Federal Communications Bar Association.
Chairman Martin was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. He currently resides in Washington, DC with his wife, Catherine Jurgensmeyer Martin, and his sons Luke and William.