Sean McDevitt appointed to FirstNet Authority board

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo today announced the appointment of commercial communications veteran Sean McDevitt as the latest board member for the FirstNet Authority, which oversees the development of the FirstNet nationwide public-safety broadband network.

“It is with great pleasure that I announce the selection of Mr. Sean McDevitt to serve on the FirstNet Authority Board,” Raimondo said in a prepared statement. “He brings decades of experience in telecommunications and technology to this important oversight role as we enter the next phase in FirstNet’s development.”

Alan Davidson, assistant secretary of Commerce for communications and information and administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), echoed this sentiment.

“Congratulations to Sean McDevitt and welcome to the FirstNet team,” Davidson said in a prepared statement.. “He will bring valuable insights on the investments necessary to help FirstNet thrive in the era of 5G and beyond.”

McDevitt (pictured above) is a partner with the Arthur D. Little, serving as a member of the international management consulting firm’s “telecommunications, Internet, technology and private-equity practice areas since 2017,” according to a U.S. Department of Commerce press release. McDevitt joins the FirstNet Authority with “30 years of executive experience in the private sector … specializing in business development, business expansion, leadership, account management, and client project delivery” within the tech and telecommunications industries.

“I am honored to serve on the FirstNet Authority Board and thank Secretary Raimondo for this appointment,” McDevitt said in a prepared statement. “FirstNet is a vital resource for the nation’s first responders and their lifesaving mission.

“I look forward to working with my colleagues on the board and the public-safety community to drive the future of FirstNet, so that our first responders have access to the most advanced and reliable broadband network for all types of emergencies and natural disasters.”

McDevitt’s appointment fills the opening left on the FirstNet Authority board after former Chairman Stephen Benjamin resigned the position earlier this year to take a role in the Biden Administration. Benjamin was succeeded as board chairman by Richard Carrizzo, who said he believes McDevitt will be an asset to the FirstNet Authority board.

“Sean is a proven leader in the field of global communications and technology,” Carrizzo said in a prepared statement. “The board will benefit from his expertise and thought leadership as we work to advance public safety’s network and prepare for future technology evolutions.”

In addition to this leadership change on the FirstNet Authority board, the FirstNet Authority staff gained a new leader in March with the appointment of Joe Wassel as the organization’s CEO.