 elena Mitchell is the Executive Director of
the Center for Advanced Communications Policy. She holds the rank of Principal Research Scientist for the Georgia
Institute of Technology. Helena guides the development of the technology
policy agenda. Dr. Mitchell and her staff create programs and services
to stimulate movement into new and advanced technology areas by institutions
of the University System of Georgia and its partners. OTP contributes
to the national dialog on regulatory and technology policy issues. In
tandem, she is the Principal Investigator on several major grants including
the National Science Foundation, state agencies, the private sector and
the U.S. Dept. of Education ($5 million) “Rehabilitation Engineering
Research Center on Mobile Wireless Technologies for Persons with Disabilities.”
Her areas of specialty include spectrum management, educational technologies,
regulatory and legislative policy, DTV, emergency/public safety communications,
and universal service to rural and vulnerable populations. Dr. Mitchell
is a member of the School of Public Policy faculty.
Dr. Mitchell was the former GRA Eminent
Scholar for Distance Learning and continues to oversee the Innovative
& Dynamic Educational Applications for Learning (IDEAL) virtual research
center which spans technology integration into educational, community
and business environments. Her research contributed to the role of public
policy in addressing technology’s impact on education.
Dr. Mitchell came to Atlanta from the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC), where she was the Associate Chief,
Strategic Communications for the Office of Engineering and Technology.
There, she developed and executed a wide range of programs to increase
Commission dialog with advanced technology companies in new product development.
Helena was the former Chief of the Emergency Broadcast System of the FCC.
She wrote major rulemakings that expanded EBS to include cable, satellite
and advanced communications systems. Her work resulted in the adoption
of the new Emergency Alert System and selection as the FCC Organization
of the Year.
Mitchell was formerly the Director of
the Office of Television and Radio at Rutgers University. She developed
university policies based on State legislative goals for telecommunications
and was the creator of the Rutgers distance learning system and the Rutgers
national satellite system. She was the administrator of telecommunications
and broadcast production facilities and served as Executive-in-Charge
of all public affairs and documentary programming. Mitchell has worked
in Toronto, Canada as Vice President for Corporate Development for a firm
specializing in international cross-border activities in telecom, education
and government. Working closely with the Canadian and Caribbean governments,
she developed joint ventures and appropriate applications of technology
for education and business.
Prior to working abroad, Helena was
the Director of Telecommunications Development for the National Telecommunications
and Information Administration, of the U.S. Department of Commerce in
Washington, D.C. There, she created Executive Branch policy initiatives
and innovative programs to increase telecommunications ownership opportunities,
earmarked grants and loans to develop partnerships between education and
business entities, worked on international privatization activities, and
assisted in the creation of programs to advance the relationship between
businesses and educational institutions. In recognition of her technology
policy work, she received the prestigious U.S. Department of Commerce
Silver Medal.
Dr. Mitchell has held other positions
in senior management, higher education, broadcasting, and in the private
sector. She has spoken, written and taught at the graduate level on domestic
and international telecommunications, policy, technical bridging, and
funding agendas. She has and continues to be a grants woman and recipient
of funding. Helena takes pride in mentoring students from high school
through Ph.D. programs. She serves on a wide variety of advisory councils
and board of directors. Dr. Mitchell holds a Ph.D. from Syracuse University.
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