Somos, Inc. Expands Legal and Regulatory Leadership with Two Strategic Hires

EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J., May 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Somos, Inc., a global leading provider of telecom registry management and data solutions, today announced the appointment of two seasoned leaders to key roles that support the company's legal strategy and numbering operations. Sanford Williams has joined as Deputy General Counsel and Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, and Heather Hendrickson has been named Senior Director, Number Administration Strategy.

Sanford Williams: Deputy General Counsel & VP of Strategic Initiatives

Williams brings over two decades of legal and executive experience, most recently serving in multiple senior roles at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), including Deputy Managing Director, Director of the Office of Communications Business Opportunities and Deputy Chief of Staff. At Somos, he will collaborate with the Chief Legal & Trust Officer and executive team on advancing strategic initiatives and planning, legal compliance and corporate governance.

"I'm proud to be part of an organization that plays such a critical role in trusted communications, while simultaneously caring for its employees and their communities," said Williams. "Throughout my career, I've been committed to advancing access, equity and operational excellence. At Somos, I look forward to applying that passion to help drive strategic goals, impact industry progress and make a difference in the lives of others."

Williams holds a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, an MBA from Cornell University and a B.S. in Operations Research from Cornell. He has led task forces on cybersecurity and digital discrimination, advised FCC leadership and served on the North American Numbering Council. His leadership extends to civic and nonprofit boards focused on equity, education and empowerment.

Heather Hendrickson: Senior Director, Number Administration Strategy

Hendrickson joins Somos after nearly 20 years at the FCC, where she rose to Deputy Division Chief in the Competition Policy Division of the Wireline Competition Bureau – a role in which she helped shape national broadband and numbering policy, oversaw key regulatory programs and led numerous high-profile rulemakings, focused on robocall mitigation and implementation of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. At Somos, she will lead the company's strategy and operations related to number administration, ensuring regulatory alignment and advocating for industry advancement across federal and state jurisdictions.

"I've spent my career working to strengthen and secure communications infrastructure," said Hendrickson. "Joining Somos gives me the opportunity to continue that work on the front lines of numbering policy and innovation with a company committed to transparency and trust."

Hendrickson earned her J.D., cum laude, from George Mason Antonin Scalia Law School and a B.A. from The George Washington University. She managed FCC rulemakings to improve rural call completion, develop the STIR/SHAKEN call authentication framework and the first-ever auction of Toll-Free Numbers. She is widely respected for her legal drafting, strategic planning and cross-functional leadership.

"Sanford and Heather bring deep experience and exceptional leadership to Somos at a pivotal time," said Gina Perini, CEO & Chair of the Board at Somos. "As we continue to lead in numbering, identity and trusted communications, their strategic insight and regulatory expertise will be key to shaping the future of our ecosystem."

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), Somos supports over 1,400 service providers in North America and manages 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 to serve the global voice and message ecosystems.

Through their global portfolio of products and services and a collaborative approach in everything they do, Somos helps ensure trust in an increasingly digital world.

To learn more about Somos, please visit www.somos.com.

SOURCE Somos, Inc.