The group that manages the Internet's address system has hired a new Washington-based lobbyist. Jamie Hedlund will take over at the end of the month as the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers' vice president for government affairs for the Americas, according to an ICANN insider.

Hedlund has a broad background in telecom and technology policy issues. He is currently the vice president of regulatory affairs for the Consumer Electronics Association, where he has worked since late 2008. Prior to that, he served as director of public policy for Yahoo. Hedlund, who began his career as a staff attorney at the FCC, has much experience in the telecom field, having also worked for Level 3 Communications, Sprint and T-Mobile.

In an interview, Hedlund said he has focused on Internet issues in recent years, particularly on the plumbing of the Internet while at Level 3, and was excited to tackle a new aspect of the Internet world at ICANN. "It's a really exciting time for ICANN," he said, noting that ICANN's relationship with the U.S. government changed last fall giving the group more independence from U.S. oversight. "This model of governance is innovative ... one that if done correctly, will succeed in maintaining a single Internet."

The job Hedlund is taking on has been broadened to include areas outside of
Washington. In addition to helping ICANN maintain its relationships with officials in Washington, Hedlund, who speaks both Spanish and French, said he also will be responsible for interacting with ICANN stakeholders from North and South America. He is set to start his new job at ICANN on Jan. 26. He will replace ICANN's former Vice President of Corporate Affairs Paul Levins, who decided to move back to his native Australia.