Cheryl Leanza

Cheryl A. Leanza serves as the policy director for the United Church of Christ, Office of Communication -- the church's historic media advocacy arm. In addition, she is president of her newly launched consulting firm, A Learned Hand LLC, www.alearnedhand.com. Leanza's prior positions include a stint as principal legislative counsel for telecommunications at the National League of Cities, where she was lead lobbyist for local elected officials. She also spent six and a half years as deputy director of Media Access Project. Leanza has been a leader in public interest advocacy, advocating for diversity in ownership and other policies furthering First Amendment principles. She has taken leadership roles in the areas of media ownership, low power radio and cable Internet open access; represents nonprofits before the Federal Communications Commission and in the U.S. appellate courts; and has been widely quoted in the trade and mainstream press on these issues. Leanza is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School and the Ford School of Public Policy.