John Lawson is the founder and principal of Convergence Services, Inc., a strategic consulting firm based in Arlington, VA. Lawson re-launched the firm after serving in executive positions in the commercial and public media from 2001 to 2010. The firm provides strategic consulting for the digital media industry at the intersection of business, technology and policy. Besides consulting, the company seeks strategic financing for its own ventures.

Previously, Lawson served as Executive Vice President of ION Media Networks, where he led policy strategy, distribution relations, and strategic initiatives for the nation's largest television broadcast network. He helped extend the reach of the flagship ION Television Network to over 98 million TV households, while supporting the launch of new digital networks. A founding board member of the Open Mobile Video Coalition, Lawson also supported ION's deployment of Mobile DTV in 2009-2010.

Lawson moved to ION in 2008 from the Association of Public Television Stations in Washington, DC, where he was president and CEO. Over seven years at APTS, Lawson secured funding, policy support, and business alliances that ensured the digital conversion of public stations, deployment of a next-generation interconnection system, and new services to the American public.

In 2005, Lawson negotiated the most extensive agreement in the history of the broadcasting industry for the carriage of multiple digital programming streams on America's cable systems. In partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, Lawson pioneered the development of the Digital Emergency Alert System for the nation. He led efforts that obtained the first federal support for The American Archive, a project to digitize endangered collections of video and audio tape.

A leader of Americas successful conversion to digital-only TV broadcasting, Lawson was an original organizer of the DTV Transition Coalition, which grew to 214 member organizations and helped prepare consumers for the digital conversion. He served on the boards of the National Association of Broadcasters, the Association for Maximum Service Television, and the Media Institute.

In October 2009, Lawson was appointed by the FCC chairman to the Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council. He previously served on the FCC's Commercial Mobile Service Alert Advisory Committee and the Media Security and Reliability Council, both established after 9/11. He also served on the board of the National Coalition for Technology in Education and Training.

From 1993-2001, Lawson owned and managed Convergence Services, Inc. in its prior manifestation, a consulting and lobbying firm that focused on educational technology and digital media. Previously, he was the award-winning director of public information at the South Carolina ETV Network. He earned BA and MA degrees in International Studies from the University of South Carolina and received the distinguished alumnus award from the College of Arts and Science in 2006. He lives in Alexandria, VA with his wife Nanette and twin sons Jackson and Thaddeus.