Michael M. Kubayanda has returned as chairman to the Postal Regulatory Commission, the independent federal agency that oversees the US Postal Service.
After being renominated by President Biden and unanimously confirmed by the US Senate, chairman Kubayanda was sworn back into office on December 9, 2021, to serve until November 22, 2026.
Chairman Kubayanda was first nominated to the commission in June 2018 by President Trump. In August 2019, he was unanimously elected to serve as vice-chairman of the agency and served in that position through the end of 2020. In January 2021, President Biden designated him chairman of the commission.
Through his prior role as director of government relations for the US Postal Service Office of Inspector General (OIG), Kubayanda worked with officials to support OIG’s work in data analytics. In the OIG’s research group, he oversaw research on technical issues and wrote reports addressing postal economics and price regulation, intellectual property and public-private partnerships. At the same time, he served as an advisor to colleagues on issues such as privacy, knowledge management and innovation – calling on his experience with a technology startup that worked on privacy strategy and compliance issues. Before his work with the OIG, he served on the staff of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.
Chairman Kubayanda also holds degrees from Washington DC’s Georgetown University, Northwestern University in Illinois, and The Ohio State University. He also studied at the Graduate Institute in Geneva, Switzerland.
The Postal Regulatory Commission comprised five presidentially appointed and senate-confirmed commissioners, who each serve six-year terms. In addition to Kubayanda, these are vice chairwoman Ashley Poling and commissioners Mark Acton, Ann Fisher and Robert Taub.
Kubayanda said, “I am humbled and honored to have the opportunity to continue to work alongside my fellow commissioners and the talented staff of the commission. The commission’s work is fundamental at a time of great challenge and opportunity for the nation’s mail system. I would especially like to thank vice chairwoman Poling for her exceptional leadership in handling the commission’s administrative responsibilities during my temporary absence.”