Editor’s Note: This article is the first in a series—WiCT Wednesdays—highlighting the 2019 Women in Consumer Technology Legacy Award Winners.
Tiffany M. Moore, senior vice president of political and industry affairs for the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), was recently awarded the Women in Consumer Technology (WiCT) Legacy Award.
Below, Moore discusses the driving factor behind her passion for innovation, amplifying diversity in the industry, and her work creating governmental policies for technology.
RESI: How did you get your start in the CT industry?
TIFFANY M. MOORE: My interest in and passion for technology really grew from watching my mother, who was an entrepreneur by necessity. I remember seeing her type away on a personal computer—DOS and WordPerfect back then—to make extra money through a desktop publishing business.
After graduating from college, I moved to Washington, D.C. where I went to work on Capitol Hill, and, later, in the federal government. This was the 1990s through the 2000s, the height of the tech boom, and I saw firsthand the important role technology plays in changing lives for the better and creating economic empowerment opportunities. The internet was just beginning, and it shattered barriers to entry to starting a business and becoming an entrepreneur. I realized that fair and flexible tech and innovation policy allows companies to innovate—and consumers to benefit.
I’ve always respected the work the CTA does to advance technology policy. After I left the Hill, I went to work as assistant U.S. trade representative, advancing trade policy to reduce barriers to innovation. That’s when I attended my first CES—in 2008. Later, I went to work as a consultant for CTA, and in 2015, I came on board as a full-time employee. Today I serve as CTA’s senior vice president of political and industry affairs.
RESI: What is your goal at CES 2019?
TM: I have two main goals at CES 2019. First, I want to showcase the best of innovation to government guests, many of whom are grappling with some of the toughest policy challenges our industry faces. My second goal is to amplify our industry’s commitment to stepping up to the challenge of developing a workforce reflects the best and most diverse talent our country has to offer.
RESI: What do you believe will dominate the tech conversation in 2019?
TM: Technology has the amazing ability to improve lives, solve some of our toughest challenges, and change the world for the better. But fear of change and technological advances has the ability to halt that process. Ultimately, technology is a tool. And there are challenges we need to consider—for example, concerns related to privacy and security—when we think about how we use and how we benefit from this incredible tool.
RESI: How do you hope to inspire the next generation of women in tech?
TM: You can’t be what you can’t see. I have a responsibility, and an honor, to be a visible and engaged leader in the tech industry. I hope to inspire the next generation of women and people of color in tech by using every opportunity I have to mentor, amplify, cheer, congratulate, fund, support, and hire the best talent to make sure the tech industry continues to be a shining light for good.
