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At Comcast, Joe Waz has primary responsibility for the company's public policy activities; oversees the company's political action committees; and works closely with the company's federal government affairs, law, state and local government relations, and public relations professionals. He serves as President of the Comcast Foundation and as Executive Director of the Comcast Corporation Political Action Committee and COMPAC-USA.
Before joining Comcast in 1994, Waz spent 11 years at The Wexler Group, a government relations and public affairs consulting firm in Washington, D.C., serving as executive vice president and general counsel. His practice included representation of a range of telecommunications and content companies and associations. He began his Washington career with Ralph Nader's Telecommunications Research and Action Center in 1979.
A Connecticut native, Waz received a bachelor's degree cum laude from Boston University and a doctor of laws from the University of Connecticut School of Law. He is the author of one book (Reverse the Charges. 1983, a Book-of-the-Month Club pro bono selection), the author or editor of numerous articles and journals on communications policy topics, and a frequent speaker and guest lecturer at industry and academic events.
Waz has a lengthy record of service on not-for-profit boards. He currently serves as chairman of the board of the Settlement Music School, the nation's largest community school of the arts with six branches in greater Philadelphia. He also serves as vice chair of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, based in Washington, D.C. He chaired the Public Affairs Committee of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) for many years, and serves on its CablePAC Committee. He is also a member of the boards of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry and the Internet Education Foundation. He is a past chairman of the Federal Communications Bar Association Foundation, and a former chairman of the FCBA's Legislative and CLE Committees.
At the NCTA convention In May 2002, Waz was presented with the cable industry's highest honor, the Vanguard Award, for his work in government and community relations. He has also been recognized by the Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia and the Cable Television Public Affairs Association for his work. | 