Michael
O'Rielly

Michael O’Rielly, a member of APCO’s International Advisory Council, is currently principal at MPORielly Consulting, LLC, a visiting fellow at the Hudson Institute’s Center for the Economics of the Internet and a senior fellow at the Media Institute.

A leading subject matter expert on policy related to technology, telecommunications, and communications, he most recently served as a commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission from 2013 through 2020. Before being unanimously confirmed to the FCC, Mr. O’Rielly held a variety of leading staff positions during twenty years on Capitol Hill in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, ending as policy advisor in the Office of the Senate Republican Whip, then led by U.S. Senator John Cornyn.

He previously worked for the Republican Policy Committee in the U.S. Senate as a policy analyst for Banking, Technology, Transportation, Trade, and Commerce issues from 2009 to 2010. Prior to this, Commissioner O’Rielly worked in the Office of U.S. Senator John Sununu, as legislative director from 2007 to 2009, and senior legislative assistant from 2003 to 2007. Before his tenure as a Senate staffer, he served as a professional staff member on the Committee on Energy and Commerce in the United States House of Representatives from 1998 to 2003, and telecommunications policy analyst from 1995 to 1998. He began his career as a legislative assistant to U.S. Congressman Tom Bliley from 1994 to 1995.

Commissioner O’Rielly received his B.A. from the University of Rochester.