Building bridges between governments and technologists to ensure equal digital rights for all

A Q&A with Lauren Lombardo

Since the Roe v Wade decision a couple months ago, we’ve been exploring the intersection of technology and policy to better understand how to protect women’s digital privacy. We had the pleasure of talking to Lauren Lombardo, who is a fellow at TechCongress, which is focused on exactly that intersection and keeping members of congress informed about the impact of technology on society.

Q: We believe it’s more important than ever that technologists help inform policy. We are so elated to learn about what TechCongress is doing to recruit more tech talent to congress. How did you get involved?

A: TechCongress is a great organization. Anyone with a background in technology and an interest in policy making should consider applying (https://www.techcongress.io/apply). 

I learned about TechCongress at the end of my Masters in Public Policy program at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS).

Lauren Lombardo

Before HKS, I spent several years working as a Data Scientist for Nielsen. I had always been interested in policy making and politics, but my time working in tech helped me understand exactly how I could best contribute. At HKS I primarily focused on digital government and the intersection of technology and policy. Upon graduation, I was exploring all of the incredible ways for former technologists to get involved in government and a friend sent me the TechCongress application. It was immediately clear to me that TechCongress would be a great way to start doing the work I cared about – and the rest is pretty much history!

Q: Why is it so important now more than ever that Congress recruit more tech talent?

A: We live in a digital and technology-oriented world. To me, technology policy is no longer just about regulating big tech. It's about figuring out how to adapt all types of existing institutions to better reflect how technology has changed the way we live and communicate, and to provide more support for people as they navigate those changes. That means tech policy can be anything from rethinking how government provides programs and services (frequently called digital government) to rethinking how people gain the skills they need to participate in the workforce of the future. 

To do this well, congress needs people who understand how tech has changed the world around us. This requires more expertise in everything from biotech to artificial intelligence to advanced manufacturing. And yes, people with expertise in privacy and consumer protection are still very much needed and wanted too – but the scope of our work has grown and we need more technologists with all kinds of backgrounds and interest areas to help craft policy. 

“The scope of our work has grown and we need more technologists with all kinds of backgrounds and interest areas to help craft policy. ”

Q: Was there a moment for you when you knew that Congress needed more tech talent among its ranks? What was it about that moment that gave you pause or, rather, inspiration? 

A: There wasn’t one specific moment where I had this feeling. I’m sure we can all cite some obvious, public examples of members of Congress not understanding how tech or the tech industry works. These instances, of course, contributed to my understanding of where the gaps were in developing strong tech policy. But, in fairness to those members of Congress, tech is hard to pin down. It’s constantly evolving and its impact on a variety of industries and social norms is constantly growing. If anything, it's always been really clear that we need more people with an understanding of all kinds of tech working in Congress, not just because Congress could use more help understanding the details of these issues (they can) but because the set of tech issues is constantly evolving and expanding.

Q: What kinds of policies are you working on? How does your tech experience inform that work?

A: TechCongress fellows work on all kinds of issues. Across the two cohorts of fellows currently placed on the hill, we have folks who work on cybersecurity, national security/competitiveness, privacy, consumer protection, artificial intelligence, healthcare, and biotech – just to name a few policy areas. Everyone comes to the fellowship with different technical expertise and policy interests. Sometimes that tech experience has a strong overlap and influence on a fellow's work, and sometimes you end up doing policy work that leverages your broader understanding of technical issues but falls outside of your direct expertise.

Q: What can people working in the tech sector do to help Congress be more educated on technology and technology policy issues? Why do you think we don’t see enough real contribution from some of tech’s biggest leaders?

A: This may sound over simplistic, but if you have the technical expertise and you don’t think Congress understands your issue area well enough – reach out! Ask for an informational meeting with staff, host a webinar, or publish and share reports and technical documentation. I promise it’s needed and useful. One of my favorite parts about the TechCongress fellowship is the chance to meet with people who have all kinds of technology interests and are willing to make me smarter on those topics.

Q: How can the involvement of technologists in policymaking positively impact minorities across the country?

A: Earlier I talked a little about how my view of technology policy includes rethinking how existing institutions can better reflect the ways in which technology has changed how we live and communicate. Including more people in the policymaking process who understand how these institutions have been impacted by tech and understand who is most harmed by those changes will ensure that these institutions are adapted in a way that works better for everyone.