Background
Born on December 20, 1953, she is the granddaughter of Dennis Chavez, who served as a New Mexico"s United States Senator for 32 years, from 1931 to 1962.
Born on December 20, 1953, she is the granddaughter of Dennis Chavez, who served as a New Mexico"s United States Senator for 32 years, from 1931 to 1962.
Barnard College.
A graduate of Barnard College, she obtained her Juris Doctor at the University of New Mexico School of Law. An attorney in private practice in Albuquerque and admitted to the bar in New Mexico and Colorado, in 1994 she was elected to New Mexico"s State Corporation Commission (SCC) and served as its Chair in 1996 prior to being appointed by President Bill Clinton to the Federal Communication Commission on September 15, 1997. She resigned in 2001 to run as the Democratic candidate for United States Senator from New Mexico in the 2002 elections.
Defeated by Republican Senator.
Pete Domenici, she returned to private practice. She is now Of Counsel to Spiegel & McDiarmid Limited Liability Partnership, a law firm based in Washington, District of Columbia While on New Mexico"s SCC, she advocated on behalf of consumers rights regarding health insurance and telecommunications, helping draft rules regulating managed care and HMOs and helping draft the New Mexico Mothers and Newly Born Children Rule.
While serving on the Federal Communication Commission, she pushed for broadband deployment to remote areas, served as the chair of the Federal Communication Commission"s V-Chip Task Force, fought children"s exposure to violence and indecency and supported the so-called East-rate for libraries and schools.
