Jay A. Schwarz

About Jay A. Schwarz

We must build policy infrastructure that boosts American technological and economic innovation. With this conviction, I have dedicated my career — spanning leadership in a Fortune 500 corporation and twice as a senior official in the federal government— toward achieving the right policies to drive innovation and growth.At the FCC’s Space Bureau, where I currently lead, we are executing on an ambitious agenda to overhaul the regulatory frameworks supporting the coming multi-trillion dollar space economy. The world is in the Space Industrial Revolution, and America must modernize space spectrum management and licensing to unlock private sector investment and growth.My private sector experience as Vice President of Public Policy at a major Internet Service Provider afforded an understanding of the commercial imperatives driving the digital economy. By developing and implementing strategic plans to engage with federal, state, and local governments, I sought to ensure the complex regulatory environments faced by the company in the broadband sector supported long-term capital investment strategies and freedom to compete in the market.On my first tour at the FCC, I held a variety of roles which culminated in my position as the Chairman’s Wireline Advisor, overseeing and negotiating the Chairman\'s policy agenda with commissioners, the Hill, and industry. In each role, I have sought to achieve the best policy outcomes by bring a unique perspective afforded by my background as a PhD economist and trained engineer.

Experience

1. Chief, Space Bureau

   Federal Communications Commission

   Feb 2025 — Present · Washington, DC, US

   Appointed to transform the FCC\'s space policy and boost American innovation. As Chief of the Space Bureau, I oversee the regulatory frameworks governing spectrum management and satellite systems, which in the 21st Century will be foundational to communications, defense, energy, compute/AI, manufacturing, and logistics.In this role, I lead a 45-member multidisciplinary team, advise the Chairman and commissioners, represent U.S. interests at high-stakes global forums, and negotiate strategic paths through complex regulatory challenges. I work closely with senior officials in the the Administration and in Congress, and I speak publicly to explain our policies. Recent Space Bureau proceedings look to boost LEO/MEO/GEO infrastructure, to modernize space licensing, and to use spectrum efficiently to advance space-based broadband, direct-to-device connectivity, earth observation, PNT, and on-orbit servicing. The Space Bureau processes nearly license requests annually and cut the processing backlog by over 40% during my first year.

Education

• Texas A&M University

  MEng, Civil Engineering

  2005

• Texas A&M University

  B.S., Civil Engineering

  2004

• University of Pittsburgh

  PhD, Economics

  2011