PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 45 L St., N.E. News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: https://www.fcc.gov Washington, D.C. 20554 TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 21-339 Released: March 22, 2021 FCC RELEASES SPEAKERS BIOS FOR MARCH 24, 2021 TECH STARTUP ROUNDTABLE WITH ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTING MINORITY, WOMEN, AND SMALL BUSINESS TECH ENTREPRENEURS GN Docket No. 17-208 By this Public Notice, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) releases the biographies of speakers participating in the upcoming Tech Startup Roundtable on March 24, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EDT. As previously announced, the event will be held virtually and will be open to the public on the Internet via live feed from the FCC s web page at www.fcc.gov/live and on the FCC s YouTube channel. The roundtable will feature Minority, Women, and Small Business (MWS) Tech Entrepreneurship Support Organizations that facilitate entrepreneurship in their local cities. Within certain cities, these organizations have become  tech anchor institutions for conversations, funding, and policies regarding the building of local, inclusive tech ecosystems, and the development of both diverse tech founders and worker pipelines. The roundtable will highlight best practices of industry leaders in training and employment diversity in the tech field. It will feature three structured discussions to share how MWS Tech Entrepreneurship Support Organizations are rapidly becoming economic cornerstones for minority communities, thereby expanding workforce training and employment opportunities in underserved communities, centered around the following themes: Ï% Theme 1: Firsthand accounts of how MWS Tech Entrepreneurship Support Organizations have sustained operations during the COVID-19 pandemic and how they function as  tech anchor institutions in cities to support the rebuilding of tech businesses. Ï% Theme 2: Capital formation and access to federal small business funding, including grants and loans, for which MWS Tech Entrepreneurship Support Organizations might qualify. Ï% Theme 3: The range of emerging tech industries for new businesses  including opportunities and challenges  and how MWS Tech Entrepreneurship Support Organizations may serve as conduits to support small tech founders, including those owned by women, minorities, and other diverse entrepreneurs. The previously released agenda for the roundtable and biographies for roundtable speakers are included as Attachments 1 and 2 to this Public Notice. Members of the public may submit questions during the roundtable to livequestions@fcc.gov. Members of the public may also submit comments to the ACDDE using the FCC s Electronic Comment Federal Communications Commission DA 21-339 Filing System, ECFS, at www.fcc.gov/ecfs. Comments to the ACDDE should be filed in GN Docket No. 17-208. Open captioning will be provided for this event. Other reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. Requests for such accommodations should be submitted via e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or by calling the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY). Such requests should include a detailed description of the accommodation needed, as well as contact information for the requester if more information is needed to address the request. Please allow at least five days advance notice for accommodation requests; last minute requests will be accepted but may not be possible to accommodate. More information about the ACDDE is available at https://www.fcc.gov/advisory-committee- diversity-and-digital-enpowerment. You may also contact Jamila Bess Johnson, the Designated Federal Officer for the Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment, at (202) 418-2608, or Jamila-Bess.Johnson@fcc.gov; or Julie Saulnier, Deputy Designated Federal Officer, at (202) 418-1598, or Julie.Saulnier@fcc.gov; or Jamile Kadre, Deputy Designated Federal Officer, at (202) 418-2245 or Jamile.Kadre@fcc.gov.  FCC  2 Federal Communications Commission DA 21-339 ATTACHMENT 1 Tech Startup Roundtable A Conversation with Diverse Tech Entrepreneurship Support Organizations Diversity in the Tech Sector Working Group of the Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment and the FCC s Media Bureau Federal Communications Commission Washington, DC March 24, 2021 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 10:00 a.m.  10:25 a.m. Welcome Remarks Anna M. Gomez Partner, Wiley Rein LLP Representing Hispanic National Bar Association Chair, Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment (ACDDE) Heather Gate Director, Digital Inclusion, Connected Nation Vice Chair, ACDDE Dr. Nicol Turner-Lee Senior Fellow, Governance Studies and Director, Center for Technology Innovation, Brookings Institution Chair, Diversity in the Tech Sector Working Group, ACDDE 10:25 a.m.  10:30 a.m. Opening Remarks Dr. Fallon Wilson Board Chair, Board Chair of the Tennessee for Higher Education s HBCU Success Office Subgroup Lead, Startup Diversity Subgroup, ACDDE 10:30 a.m.  12:10 p.m. Panel: Diversity in Tech Entrepreneurship 3 Federal Communications Commission DA 21-339 Panelists: Shelly Bell Founder/CEO, Black Girl Ventures Dr. Quincy Brown Director of Engagement and Research, AnitaB.org Foundation Lili Gangas Chief Technology Community Officer, Kapor Center Jerome Hardaway Founder, Vets Who Code Dr. Makada Henry-Nickie David M. Rubenstein Fellow, Governance Studies, Brookings Institution Andrew Lowenthal Executive Director, Out in Tech Alicia Ortega Co-Director and Co-Founder, Native Women Lead Sabrina Short Founder and CEO, NOLAvate Black Andy Stoll Senior Program Officer, Entrepreneurship, The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Panelists will discuss the three themes listed below, with each discussion led by a different moderator or pair of moderators. Theme 1: Firsthand accounts of how Minority, Women, and Small Business (MWS) Tech Entrepreneurship Support Organizations have sustained operations during the COVID-19 pandemic and how they function as  tech anchor institutions in cities to support the rebuilding of tech businesses. Moderator: Christopher Wood Executive Director, LGBT Tech Member, Diversity in the Tech Sector Working Group  Startup Diversity Subgroup, ACDDE Theme 2: Capital formation and access to federal small business funding, including grants and loans, for which MWS Tech Entrepreneurship Support Organizations might qualify. 4 Federal Communications Commission DA 21-339 Moderators: Dr. Allison Scott Chief Executive Officer, Kapor Center Member, Diversity in the Tech Sector Working Group  Startup Diversity Subgroup, ACDDE Brian Scarpelli Senior Global Policy Counsel, ACT  The App Association Member, Diversity in the Tech Sector Working Group  Startup Diversity Subgroup, ACDDE Theme 3: The range of emerging tech industries for new businesses  including opportunities and challenges  and how MWS Tech Entrepreneurship Support Organizations may serve as conduits to support small tech founders, including those owned by women, minorities, and other diverse entrepreneurs. Moderators: Rashidi Hendrix Founding Partner, Metallic Entertainment Member, Diversity in the Tech Sector Working Group  Startup Diversity Subgroup, ACDDE Clint Odom V.P. Strategic Alliances & External Affairs, T-Mobile Member, Diversity in the Tech Sector Working Group  Startup Diversity Subgroup, ACDDE 12:10 p.m.-12:20 p.m. Comments/Questions from the Public 12:20 p.m.-12:30 p.m. Next Steps and Closing Remarks Dr. Fallon Wilson Board Chair, Board Chair of the Tennessee for Higher Education s HBCU Success Office Subgroup Lead, Startup Diversity Subgroup, ACDDE Jamila Bess Johnson Designated Federal Officer, ACDDE 5 Federal Communications Commission DA 21-339 ATTACHMENT 2 Tech Startup Roundtable A Discussion with Diverse Tech Entrepreneurship Support Organizations Diversity in the Tech Sector Working Group of the Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment and the FCC s Media Bureau March 24, 2021 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EDT SPEAKER LIST Anna M. Gomez Chair, ACDDE Wiley Rein LLP The former National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Deputy Administrator, Anna specializes in a wide range of spectrum licensing issues and regulatory, policy, and transactional matters related to domestic and international telecommunications and unmanned aircraft systems. Anna also served for 12 years in various positions at the FCC, including Senior Legal Advisor to then-Chairman William E. Kennard and Deputy Chief of the International Bureau, where she developed and implemented Commission policy on international telecommunications and satellite spectrum. Anna is co-chair of Wiley s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Practice Group and chairs Wiley s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. 6 Federal Communications Commission DA 21-339 Heather Gate Vice Chair, ACDDE Connected Nation As the Director of Digital Inclusion for Connected Nation (CN), Heather Gate is responsible for strategy development and implementation of programs that impact digital inclusion for all people in all places. Ms. Gate has more than 12 years experience working in digital inclusion with the mission of improving the lives of vulnerable populations across the country. She has extensive experience engaging with minorities, rural communities, families, and others on the frontlines of the digital divide and working behind the scenes as an advocate and tactician with local, state, and federal leaders. Heather also serves as Vice Chair of the Federal Communications Commission s Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment (ACDDE). Dr. Nicol Turner Lee Chair, Diversity in the Tech Sector Working Group, ACDDE Brookings Institution Center for Technology Innovation  Governance Studies Dr. Nicol Turner Lee is a senior fellow in Governance Studies, the director of the Center for Technology Innovation, and serves as Co-Editor-In-Chief of TechTank. Dr. Turner Lee researches public policy designed to enable equitable access to technology across the United States and to harness its power to create change in communities across the world. Her work also explores global and domestic broadband deployment and internet governance issues. She is an expert on the intersection of race, wealth, and technology within the context of civic engagement, criminal justice, and economic development. Her current research portfolio also includes artificial intelligence (AI), particularly machine learning algorithms and their unintended consequences on marginalized communities. Her recent co-authored paper on the subject has made her a sought-out speaker in the U.S. and around the world on the topics of digital futures, AI and ethics, algorithmic bias, and the intersection between technology and civil/human rights. She is also an expert on topics that 7 Federal Communications Commission DA 21-339 include online privacy, 5G networks and the digital divide. Dr. Turner Lee has a forthcoming book on the U.S. digital divide titled Digitally Invisible: How the Internet is Creating the New Underclass (forthcoming 2021, Brookings Press). She sits on various U.S. federal agency and civil society boards. Dr. Turner Lee has a Ph.D. and M.A. from Northwestern University and graduated from Colgate University. Dr. Fallon Wilson Lead, Diversity in the Tech Sector Working Group  Startup Diversity Subgroup, ACDDE Dr. Fallon Wilson is the newly named the Vice President of Policy at the Multicultural Media and Telecommunication Internet Council (MMTC). She is also the co-founder #BlackTechFutures Research Institute, which is funded by a Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation's 2020 Open Knowledge grant. #BlackTechFutures Research Institute builds a national network of city-based researchers and practitioners conducting research on sustainable local black tech ecosystems. Prior to launching the #BlackTechFutures Research Institute, Dr. Wilson was the former Research Director for Black Tech Mecca, where she developed the SMART Black Tech Ecosystem Assessment Framework. Dr. Wilson is a 2019 TEDx Speaker (e.g. Stop Ignoring Black Women and Hear of Our Tech Prophecies). She is a Board Member of the State of Tennessee s Future of Work Taskforce and co- chairs Nashville s smart city plan, Connected Nashville. Given her tech activism, she is a 2017 recipient of the International Society for Technology Education's Digital Equity Award. Additionally, Dr. Wilson s research on first-generation black college students alternative tech pathways and black tech ecosystems has garnered notable research grants from Kapor Center and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. During the pandemic, Dr. Wilson launched Nashville's Digital Inclusion and Access Taskforce to address the effects of the pandemic and the digital divide on communities of color. In seven months, she raised and launched a mixed method city assessment of digital inclusion in Nashville. Because of her great work to support tech equity, Venture Beat referred to her as the modern-day Fannie Lou Hamer for tech equity. Dr. Wilson chairs the Tennessee Higher Education Commission's HBCU Success Board. Dr. Wilson has a BA from Spelman College and MA/PhD from the University of Chicago. As a public interest technologist, she discusses race, gender, faith, and civic tech issues. She is on Twitter @SistahWilson. 8 Federal Communications Commission DA 21-339 Shelly Bell Black Girl Ventures Named as one of Entrepreneur Magazine s Top 100 Powerful Women in Business, Shelly Bell is a computer scientist, system disruptor, and business strategist who moves ideas to profit while empowering people to live, build, and foster better relationships. She connects entrepreneurs, investors, and corporations in order to diversify their talent pipeline, increase equity, and grow their brands. Dr. Quincy Brown AnitaB.org Foundation Quincy Brown, Ph.D. is the Director for Engagement and Research at AnitaB.org. Before this, she worked at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Science Foundation. Her work focuses on education and professional development for students and adults in STEM and Computer Science. She was also a Computer Science professor at Bowie State University and co-founded blackcomputeHER.org, a non-profit organization providing education and support to Black women and girls in computing and technology. 9 Federal Communications Commission DA 21-339 Lili Gangas Kapor Center Lili Gangas is the Chief Technology Community Officer at the Kapor Center working to create new and more inclusive tech innovation ecosystems regionally & nationally. Her work is centered at the intersection of technology, economic justice, and action driven partnerships to tackle pressing social and economic inequities of underrepresented communities. Her areas of focus and interest include tech advocacy themes such as closing the Digital Divide, Future of Work(ers), Responsible Technology, and Ecosystem Building as they relate to new models with cross sector partners. Lili believes that it is critical that we help prepare and upskill communities of color for the future and encourage going beyond being consumers to also being creators and owners. She was a New America CA fellow focused on Tech for Good, was recognized as SF Business Times Most Influential Women in Business and SF Business Times 40 Under 40, and is an MBA lecturer at Mills College. Lili was recently a featured Salesforce Dreamforce and TEDxOakland speaker. Before coming to the Kapor Center, Lili was an Associate Principal at Accenture Technology Lab s Open Innovation team, based out of Silicon Valley, focused on partnerships and programming to connect startups to Fortune 500 clients. She was also a founding member of the Innovation Services team at Booz Allen specializing in crowdsourcing, prize challenges, and open data solutions at the federal level. Before that, Lili could be found in the lab working on software and hardware solutions for the aerospace industry as a Senior Multi-Disciplined Software Engineer at Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems. She is an advisor to tech focused nonprofits such as AI-4-All.org as well as community investing organizations such as The Unity Council and Pacific Community Ventures. Lili holds an MBA from New York University Stern School of Business, a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California. 10 Federal Communications Commission DA 21-339 Jerome Hardaway Vets Who Code Jerome Hardaway, also known as the "Captain America of Code, is the Executive Director of Vets Who Code. Having transitioned into software programming from Security Forces in the U.S. Air Force, he focuses on teaching veterans how to program and get jobs in the tech sector. Currently a senior-software engineer at Microsoft during the day, he focuses on remotely teaching veterans how to work collaboratively to build software using open source and serverless technologies. He has received numerous awards and has been highlighted and featured Wired, Huffington Post, Quartz, and Business Insider. Dr. Makada Henry-Nickie Brookings Institution Makada Henry-Nickie is a Fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution within the Race, Prosperity, and Inclusion Initiative. Her research is focused economic inclusion issues, including promoting equity in public workforce systems, expanding equitable access to responsible credit, and promoting policies that advance inclusive economic opportunities for disadvantaged families and low- income communities. 11 Federal Communications Commission DA 21-339 Andrew Lowenthal Out in Tech Andrew Lowenthal (he/him) is Executive Director of Out in Tech, the largest non-profit community of LGBTQ+ tech leaders in the world. Previously, Andrew served as Chief Operating Officer, New & Charter Schools at the NYC Department of Education and as a Presidential Management Fellow at the U.S. Department of State, including an inter-agency task force to  make government cool again as requested by President Obama. Andrew is a graduate of The George Washington University and the London School of Economics. Alicia Ortega Native Women Lead Alicia Ortega is from the Pueblos of Pojoaque and Santa Clara. She is a Co-Founder and Co-Director of Native Women Lead. She brings over a decade of experience working with minority and tribally owned and operated businesses and entities from start-ups to established businesses. As the former Executive Director of the All Pueblo Council of Governors she has extensive knowledge in working with the 20 Pueblos of New Mexico s tribal leadership on critical issues affecting tribal communities including health, education, state/federal legislation, natural resources, elder issues and youth initiatives. Alicia is a recipient of the 2019 New Mexico Distinguished Public Service Award from New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. She currently serves as a Commissioner on the City of Albuquerque Commission on American Indian and Alaska Native Affairs and the UNM Anderson School of Management s Women in Leadership Advisory Board. Alicia is also an artist and active community member and enjoys volunteering and supporting organizations close to her heart including the American Indian Business Association and the Native Guitars Tour Organization. She holds a BBA in Organizational Management with a concentration in Entrepreneurial Studies and two MBA degrees in Marketing and Management of Technology from the University of New Mexico Anderson School of Management. 12 Federal Communications Commission DA 21-339 Sabrina Short NOLAvate Black Sabrina Short is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of NOLAvate Black. She is known as the  Great Connector because of her unwavering passion for community and social justice. A native New Orleanian, Sabrina moved home post- hurricane Katrina as a community organizer to participate in the city's recovery efforts. She has over 19 years of experience in non-profit management, fundraising, and program development. She has been recognized locally and nationally for youth-led education and health initiatives in New Orleans. Andy Stoll The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Andy Stoll is a serial entrepreneur and a senior program officer at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, where he is part of the team responsible for the implementation and management of the Foundation s ecosystem development strategy. Before joining the Kauffman Foundation, Stoll co-founded Seed Here Studio, a social good company specializing in building entrepreneurial ecosystems in unexpected places. He is the co-founder of six entrepreneurial- focused organizations, most recently The Startup Champions Network, the nation s first professional association for full-time entrepreneurial ecosystem builders. His past work includes projects with The Case Foundation, The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, and The Bohemian Foundation. 13 Federal Communications Commission DA 21-339 Christopher Wood LGBT Tech Member, Diversity in the Tech Sector Working Group  Startup Diversity Subgroup, ACDDE Non-profit Executive and Co-founder, Business Owner, Professor, and Speaker are few ways to describe what Christopher Wood does on a daily basis, but it hardly describes the journey he had to take to get there. His journey, riddled with challenges, moments of survival and reflection, drove him from a place of complacency to a place of empowerment and action. From coming out as  gay to being taken hostage by the first suicide bomber in the US, Chris realized from cradle to grave, this life is short. His non-traditional path, drive to build businesses, and desire to add a voice for a community he deeply loves led him to look beyond traditional boundaries and forge a path of his own complete with teaching others how to do the same. Dr. Allison Scott Kapor Center Member, Diversity in the Tech Sector Working Group  Startup Diversity Subgroup, ACDDE Dr. Allison Scott is the CEO of the Kapor Foundation, part of the Kapor Center family of organizations, aiming to increase racial diversity in tech and entrepreneurship. Kapor believes that when the tech workforce and leadership reflect the diversity of the country, innovation will be strengthened and tech can be used to close longstanding gaps across sectors. At the Foundation, Dr. Scott leads efforts to: (a) conduct research on barriers and solutions to racial inequality in tech, (b) operate programs and invest in pathways into the tech/entrepreneurship workforce, and (c) work in partnership with stakeholders to advocate for transformational policies and practices to expand racial equity in technology. Dr. Scott is currently a Principal Investigator on multiple national grants to expand equity in computer science education and increase participation of women of color across the computing pipeline and, in her previous role as the Chief Research Officer, authored foundational research on disparities in tech and entrepreneurship, inequity in CS education, and interventions to improve STEM outcomes for students of color. Previous positions include: Chief Research Officer at the Kapor Center; Program Leader for the National Institutes of Health s Enhancing the Diversity of the Biomedical Workforce Initiative; Director of Research and Evaluation for the Level Playing Field Institute, and Data Analyst for the Education Trust-West. Dr. Scott holds a Ph.D. in Education from the University of California, Berkeley and a bachelor s degree in Psychology from Hampton University. 14 Federal Communications Commission DA 21-339 Brian Scarpelli ACT  The App Association Member, Diversity in the Tech Sector Working Group  Startup Diversity Subgroup, ACDDE Brian is a Senior Global Policy Counsel at ACT | The App Association, a not-for-profit trade association representing thousands of small business tech firms and software developers, where he advocates on a range of legal and policy issues including diversity and inclusion. Previous to joining the App Association, Brian worked for over five years at the Telecommunications Industry Association. He has also spent time with the Federal Communications Commission, the District of Columbia Public Service Commission, and the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions. Rashidi Hendrix Metallic Entertainment Member, Diversity in the Tech Sector Working Group  Startup Diversity Subgroup, ACDDE Metallic Entertainment is a New York and Los Angeles based talent management and television/film production company founded by Rashidi Hendrix in 2013. As a management company, Metallic represents a roster of actors, comedians, TV & Film writers and directors, actors and comedians, that work on shows like The Ranch (Netflix), Chicago Fire (NBC), Criminal Minds (CBS), Bates Motel (A&E), NCIS (CBS), Deadly Class (Syfy), Preacher (AMC), Crazy Love (Lifetime), Shameless (Showtime), and Late Night with Seth Meyers(NBC). As a producer, Hendrix has worked on shows like Orange is the New Black (Netflix), The Apprentice (NBC), and We Are the Jones (DISCOVERY). Hendrix started his career as a series development executive at MTV in 2007. Prior to MTV, he was an award- winning music publishing A&R executive with multiple Grammy s and BMI, ASCAP and SESAC awards. Hendrix is an avid public speaker with over 200 engagements to his credit speaking at panels, podcasts, conferences, conventions, summits, universities and national television as an expert. In 2019, Hendrix was appointed by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai to serve as a member of his FCC Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment in Washington, DC. to assist the chairman on creating diversity initiatives for the media and entertainment sectors. In 2017, he was asked to join the Diversity & Inclusion Committee for the Writer s Guild of America-East (WGA), in which he is also an active member. In addition, Hendrix serves on many community organizations as a volunteer and active 15 Federal Communications Commission DA 21-339 mentor to young people. Hendrix graduated from Florida A&M and Florida State Universities with a bachelor's degree in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering. Clint Odom T-Mobile Member, Diversity in the Tech Sector Working Group  Startup Diversity Subgroup, ACDDE Clint Odom serves as the Vice President of Strategic Alliances and External Affairs for T-Mobile, where he is responsible for shaping and advancing the company s public policy agenda. He leads the team responsible for increasing visibility and awareness of the brand among external partners in the community and NGOs to further shared policy issues, including 5G deployment, internet governance, privacy, and broadband adoption. In his previous role with the National Urban League, he served as the Senior Vice President for Policy & Advocacy and Executive Director of the Washington Bureau. In this role, he managed the relationship between the League and members of Congress, the White House, and federal agencies. Before joining the National Urban League, Clint served for a decade in the United States Senate as legislative director for then Senator Kamala D. Harris of California, Democratic General Counsel of the Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation, and General Counsel to Senator Bill Nelson of Florida. Prior to then he served as a Vice President of Public Policy with Verizon Communications Inc. and Verizon New Jersey as well as a senior advisor at the Federal Communications Commission for Ambassador William E. Kennard and Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. Clint also practiced law at the firm Dow, Lohnes & Albertson (now Cooley LLP). He served as law clerk to the Honorable Henry T. Wingate of the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Mississippi and is a graduate of Louisiana State University and the University of Pennsylvania Law School. 16