Insights

Somos, Inc. Expands Public Policy Team: Kayla Gardner Joins, Joel Bernstein Appointed to Leadership Role

Jul 22, 2024

East Brunswick, New Jersey, July 22, 2024 – Somos, Inc., a leading registry management and data solutions company best known for its roles as the Toll-Free Number Administrator (TFNA) and North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA), as well as its forward-thinking telecom fraud prevention services, today announced the hiring of Kayla Gardner as its Director, Public Policy & Government Affairs. Gardner will assume the role of managing state and federal government relations. 
 
“I am excited to join Somos, a company renowned for its pivotal role in telecom registry management and its proactive stance in combating fraud,” said Gardner. “I look forward to leveraging my experience to strengthen our relationships with state and federal governments, advancing policies that support innovation and integrity in telecommunications.” 

Before joining Somos, Gardner led the public policy strategies for developer products and engagement that supported Google’s global business objectives. She holds a Juris Doctor from Howard University School of Law and a Master of Arts in Criminology from The George Washington University. 

Alongside this announcement, Somos has appointed Joel Bernstein as Vice President and Head of US Public Policy and Government Relations. Formerly Vice President of Regulatory and Public Policy, Bernstein will oversee Somos' public policy initiatives across state and federal jurisdictions and within industry forums. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Kayla Gardner to Somos and excited for Joel Bernstein’s expanded role,” said Ann Berkowitz, SVP & Chief Administrative Officer at Somos. “Their expertise will be instrumental as we continue to navigate and shape public policy in the telecommunications industry. Kayla's leadership in government relations and Joel's extensive regulatory experience will undoubtedly strengthen our efforts in serving our stakeholders and advancing our mission.”  

About Somos, Inc. 

As the world becomes more interconnected, Somos enables brands, consumers, and communities to communicate in an environment of greater trust and convenience. Somos is a global, trusted source of phone number administration, routing data, identity verification, and identity management services for the telecommunications ecosystem. As the trusted administrator of the North American Numbering Plan (NANPA), Toll-Free Numbering (TFNA), and the Reassigned Numbers Database (RND), we support over 1,400 service providers in North America and manage over 7 billion phone numbers to enable seamless communications between enterprises and consumers. 

XConnect, a Somos company, extends the reach of Somos’ solutions to a global audience through its portfolio of trusted phone number intelligent solutions covering hundreds of different datasets serving the global voice and message ecosystems. 

Through our global portfolio of products and services, and a collaborative approach in everything we do, Somos helps ensure trust in an increasingly digital world. To learn more about Somos, please visit www.somos.com. 
 

Media Contact: 
Michelle Larsen 
Senior Vice President & Chief Experience Officer 
844.HEY.LARSEN 
844.439.5277 
mlarsen@somos.com