Through the PKTrains program, Public Knowledge helps train diverse advocates that will make a difference in the future of public policymaking. The more diversity we have in rooms where people make decisions, the more inclusive our laws and regulations are in meeting the needs of all parts of our society. As part of our efforts to merge our training skills with our inclusivity initiatives, we created the Privileged Conversations career breakfast series.
The series provides an opportunity for the next generation of tech policy experts and public interest advocates to gain exposure to potential career paths. We want to ensure the future of tech policy reflects the diversity of voices and experiences in our society. At these Friday morning breakfasts, participants can expect to:
- Discuss careers in tech policy with established experts
- Learn how to get started on their career paths
- Gain a greater understanding of the policy topics at the forefront
Our monthly Privileged Conversations is designed for students and recent graduates of color to learn about tech policy and public interest work, careers, and its community. Learn more about our featured speakers below.
1st Edition: Chris Lewis, President and CEO at Public Knowledge
2nd Edition: Didier Barjon, Legislative Assistant for the Senate Majority Leader, Charles E. Schumer (D-NY)
3rd Edition: Harlan Yu, Executive Director of Upturn
4th Edition: Francella Ochillo, Attorney & Executive Director of Next Century Cities
5th Edition: Clint Odom, VP of Strategic Alliances & External Affairs at T-Mobile
6th Edition: Alisa Valentin, Senior Director of Technology and Telecommunications Policy at the National Urban League
7th Edition: Laura Moy, Director of Georgetown Law’s Communications & Technology Law Clinic
8th Edition: Larry Irving, President of The Irving Group
9th Edition: Koustubh “K.J.” Bagchi, Senior Director of Technology Policy at the Chamber of Progress
10th Edition: Lara Marion, Public Policy Manager at Amazon
11th Edition: Olivia Trusty, Policy Director for the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
12th Edition: Alvaro Bodeya, Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
13th Edition: Johanna R. Thomas, Counsel at Subcommittee on Communications & Technology Energy & Commerce Democrats
14th Edition: Bertram Lee, Senior Policy Counsel, Data, Decision Making, and Artificial Intelligence at the Future of Privacy Forum
15th Edition: Kayla Gardner, Policy Manager at Google
16th Edition: Dane Snowden, Senior Advisor at Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP
17th Edition: Adam Conner, Vice President for Technology Policy at Center for American Progress
18th Edition: Narda Jones, Chief of Staff at Federal Communications Commission
19th Edition: Diane Holland, Partner at Wiley & President of the Federal Commission Bar Association (FCBA – The Tech Bar)
20th Edition: Mignon L. Clyburn, Principal at MLC Strategies & Former Commissioner at the FCC
21st Edition: Lateef Mtima, Professor of Law at the Howard University School of Law. Founder & Director of the Institute for Intellectual Property and Social Justice.
22nd Edition: Maria Kirby, Vice President of Government Relations at The Walt Disney Company
23rd Edition: Dev Jhaveri, Legislative Assistant for Congresswoman Lori Trahan
24th Edition: Sumit Sharma, Senior Researcher for Consumer Reports
25th Edition: Tiffany Moore, Senior Vice President of Political and Industry Affairs at the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)
26th Edition: Parul P. Desai, Director for Congressional Affairs at NTIA
27th Edition: Steven Renderos, Executive Director of MediaJustice
28th Edition: Rudy N. Brioché, Vice President for Global Public Policy and Policy Counsel at Comcast Corporation
29th Edition: Commissioner Anna M. Gomez
30th Edition: Yosef Getachew, Senior Policy Counsel at Reset.Tech
Subscribe below to learn more about our upcoming Privileged Conversations breakfasts, or email michele@publicknowledge.org with questions.