ARRL member Doreen Bogdan-Martin, KD2JTX, has been elected as Director of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT). Her election, on the first ballot in a three-way race, came on November 1 at the ITU’s Plenipotentiary 2018 Conference in Dubai. Bogdan-Martin becomes the first woman on the ITU executive team. Running on a campaign theme of “Sustainable Digital Development for All,” Bogdan-Martin said she would work toward a Telecommunication Development Bureau that helps its members benefit from the drivers of innovation and economic development.

“We must help governments integrate ICTs into their national development frameworks, actively support[ing] their ministries to ensure digital development strategies emphasize human capacity, digital skills, and empowering people,” she said. “I envisage the BDT redoubling its efforts on digital inclusion, working to bring online the remaining 3.9 billion people still offline.”

Her candidacy had strong support from US officials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, and FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.

“Ms. Bogdan-Martin is a true leader and professional who has dedicated more than 25 years to ensuring that all people can benefit from information and communication technologies,” Pompeo wrote in endorsing her candidacy. “I have no doubt that Ms. Bogdan-Martin will be a driving force to ensure connectivity for all.”

FCC Chairman Pai extended congratulations to Bogdan-Martin, who, he said, “has deep expertise in development issues and will play a pivotal role in accelerating the spread of digital communications throughout the globe.”

Bogdan-Martin has more than 20 years of experience at the ITU. During the past decade she has headed the ITU General Secretariat Strategic Planning and Membership Department for the Secretary-General. Her responsibilities have included developing the ITU’s strategic and operational plans in the context of ICT trends and the global information economy, representing the ITU in engagement with other bodies, and directing and managing all ITU global conferences.

She launched Equals Global Partnership, a multi-stakeholder evidence-based network bringing women to technology, and technology to women. She also directed the first ITU global youth summit that featured 700 participants and 3,000 remote participants, and she established the ITU office to the United Nations where she has been serving as ITU Representative to the UN High-Level Committee on Programmes (HLCP).