Richard Whitt is Google’s Senior Policy Director. Rick is responsible for Google’s wireline, wireless, and media advocacy before the Federal Communications Commission, other federal agencies, and the U.S. Congress. Most recently he has represented the company’s interest in a variety of broadband policy issues, spectrum policy matters, and “unregulation” of VoIP and other Web-based applications. Prior to joining Google in January 2007, Rick founded and headed NetsEdge Consulting, a public policy consulting firm that provided legal analysis, regulatory strategy, and advocacy counsel to Web-based companies. From 1994 to 2006, Rick worked at MCI Communications, where most recently he served as vice president for federal law and policy. Rick previously spent over five years as an associate attorney in the communications practices of two D.C.-based law firms. Rick is a 1988 cum laude graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center, and a 1984 magna cum laude graduate of James Madison University.