“I’ve done all I can do. And it’s time for me to serve in another way,” Clyburn said during the FCC meeting. After eight-years of fighting for minority communities and low-income families, the Obama nominee will be stepping down from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) next month.

Clyburn has been an active voice for helping Americans

In 2009, when she was appointed as commissioner by President Barack Obama, the FCC passed their net neutrality rules in 2015. Since then, Clyburn’s loyalty  has focused on being a stern defender of the rules.

Her time with the FCC included protecting the FCC Lifeline Program, and being a supporter of improving inmate calling services.

Clyburn was heavily supported by the public

Besides being the first woman to serve on the FCC, she was also the first woman to chair the agency. Clyburn was included in CNET’s list of notable women in tech, which celebrated International Women’s Day this year. She was commended for making a difference in the field of technology.

After all her accomplishments, Clyburn has made her final decision about the time to leave. Her term  is over at the end of this year, so she would have been leaving at that time anyway. She told Post and Courier that she was indecisive about choosing the perfect time to leave.

“I was not 100 percent sure when I woke up this morning that this was the day,” she said. “But I think it’s the right time for me and it’s a good time to have a reset to allow someone else to come in and pass that baton.”

Though Clyburn’s job required her to be a spearhead and bump heads with opposers, the 56-year-old was not only respected, but well-liked by representatives and colleagues.  

Ajit Pai released a statement on Clyburn’s announcement of stepping down referring to her as “a wonderful colleague and friend.”

“I congratulate Commissioner Clyburn on her distinguished tenure at the FCC. She has been a tremendous leader and a committed public servant throughout her time here. As the first woman to head the agency, she led skillfully through a transition and put her stamp on the Commission, including through her steadfast leadership in telehealth, media diversity, and digital inclusion. I have enjoyed working with her and, even when we have not seen eye-to-eye on policy, I have always held her candor and thoughtfulness in the highest regard.”