Women of influence: A case study of three telecommunications policymakers

•We seek to address the paucity of telecommunications policy research about women.•This article focuses on three women who influenced policy in different ways: Cardiss Collins, Patricia Diaz Dennis and Janice Obuchowski.•Each of the three women profiled here became a policy leader in her own right..•The experiences of Collins, Diaz Dennis and Obuchowski encompass a range of policy issues from domestic to global.

With some notable exceptions, the scholarly literature in communications policy mostly reflects the accomplishments of men. “Women of Influence” expands this literature by profiling the experiences and contributions of three women: Cardiss Collins, the first African American Congresswoman from Illinois; Patricia Diaz Dennis, one of the first Hispanic FCC Commissioners; and Janice Obuchowski, the first woman appointed Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information. Their policy work affected various issues from creating opportunities for minorities in broadcasting to helping countries privatize formerly government-owned media. Their experiences demonstrate the importance of including women and minorities in the policymaking process.