Policy
Adam Bosnian, Ann Toomey, Brittany Greenfield, Cadence Design Systems, CyberArk, Debby Briggs, Enrique Colbert, Larry Disenhof, Marc French, Matt Cushing, Mimecast, netscout, Pegasystems, Wabbi, wayfair, Wellist

Data Privacy, Cybersecurity, 21st Century Workforce, Smart Infrastructure Top Tech Agenda on Capitol Hill

MassTLC led a delegation of technology leaders to Washington, DC, last week, as part of our annual DC Fly-In, to champion business and tech priorities that impact technology companies in Massachusetts. Topping our agenda was data privacy, cybersecurity, preparing a 21st century workforce and smart infrastructure.

Massachusetts tech leaders participating in the 2019 Fly-In include:

  • Adam Bosnian, EVP Global Business Development, CyberArk
  • Debby Briggs, CISO, NetScout
  • Enrique Colbert, General Counsel, Wayfair
  • Matt Cushing, VP, Chief Commercial Officer & General Counsel, Pegasystems
  • Larry Disenhof, Group Director, Export Compliance and Government Relations, Cadence Design Systems
  • Sara Fraim, Senior Director of Policy, MassTLC
  • Marc French, SVP, Mimecast North America Inc
  • Brittany Greenfield, CEO & Founder, Wabbi
  • Tom Hopcroft, President & CEO, MassTLC
  • Ann Toomey, Vice President of Marketing, Wellist

MassTLC partners on this annual event with CompTIA and the Tech Councils of North America (TECNA). To set the context for our Capitol Hill meetings this year, we received tech policy briefings from leaders at the Center for Democracy & Technology, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), National Governors Association, Politico, Smart Cities Council, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Labor and others.

We met individually with members of the Massachusetts Congressional delegation and staff from the following offices: Senator Ed Markey, Congresswoman Katherine Clark, Congressman Joe Kennedy, Congressman Stephen Lynch, Congressman Seth Moulton, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, and Congresswoman Lori Trahan.

“Innovation in the tech sector is a key force behind a strong 21st century economy and Congress should prioritize issues that affect technology companies in our region,” said MassTLC CEO Tom Hopcroft. “One of the most important issues facing the technology industry today is the availability of skilled tech talent. MassTLC and CompTIA are champions of the Championing Apprenticeships for New Careers and Employees in Technology (CHANCE in Tech) Act, an apprenticeship bill that streamlines an alternate pathway for talent into the technology industry. We shared with our elected officials the importance of internships and apprenticeships as an avenue to train the next generation of tech workers and incentivize educators, students, and employers to adopt alternative education models that will spur economic growth.”

“We look forward to a productive 2019 and remain encouraged by the conversations on Capitol Hill about the critical issues facing our industry in the United States,” said Todd Thibodeaux, president and CEO of CompTIA. “We will continue to work closely with congressional leaders to push legislation that boosts the digital economy and fosters American innovation.”

In addition to talent, our tech delegation discussed data privacy and the need for a federal policy to avoid a patchwork of state laws. Members of the group illustrated the substantive and compliance challenges posed by GDPR, the new California data privacy legislation, and potentially 50 others across the nation. Finally, we spoke of the need for “smart” infrastructure and cybersecurity as an essential component of any infrastructure legislation in 2019.

View DC Fly-In recaps from 2018, 2017 and 2016.

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