Soribel Feliz, Congressional AI Policy Advisor

Laura MacCleery, Senior Policy Director, UnidosUS

Laura MacCleery is Senior Director for Policy and Advocacy at UnidosUS, the nation’s largest Latino-led civil rights organization. A graduate of Stanford Law School, Laura has deep expertise in regulatory design guided by public interest principles and has advocated for more than 20 years for changes to benefit civil rights and human lives at scale, include on food labeling and nutrition standards, cars, financial services and products, technology and artificial intelligence, health policy, democracy, and campaign finance reform.

Lili Gangas, Chief Technology Community Office, The Kapor Center

Lili Gangas is the Chief Technology Community Officer at the Kapor Center, an operating foundation at the intersection of technology and racial justice, providing research and thought leadership, operating programs, supporting strategic partnerships and investments to increase diversity across the tech ecosystem--from K-12 education through entrepreneurship and venture capital. She co-leads the Kapor Center’s Equitable Tech Policy Initiative with a focus on inclusive technology policy with special interests in closing digital divide, scaling new tech workforce models, advocating for responsible emerging technology as well as providing foundational support across civic engagement issues and tech enablement of civic organizations.

She's been recognized as Latino Leader’s 100 Most Influential Latinas, ALPFA’s 50 Latinas to Watch, SF Business Times Most Influential Women in Business, SF Business Times 40 Under 40, featured Salesforce Dreamforce and TEDxOakland speaker. Lili's tech fellowships include Omidyar Network's Digital Luminaries and New America CA focused on Tech for Good. She's been part of key working groups including FCC Diversity & Inclusion WG, Aspen Latinos & Society Digital Equity, Aspen Fair Data Future, Rock Health Latine Digital Health Innovators WG.

Lili is also the co-founder of 2x Emmy NorCal award winning LTXConnect.org - a platform elevating rising Latinx/e voices at the intersection of culture, innovation, inclusion, and opportunity, through partnerships, programs, and technology. LTXConnect’s LTXQuest was one of the largest virtual community activations, bringing close to 5K Latinx/e across sectors together for job & startup launch preparation, knowledge sharing, advocacy and systems change.

Chris Rodriguez, HTTP Law & Policy Fellow

Ximena Gates Hartstock, CEO/Co-Founder, BuildWithin

Dr. Ximena Gates-Hartsock is a serial tech entrepreneur, co-founder, and Chief Executive Officer of BuildWithin, a venture-backed technology company located in Washington, DC. BuildWithin's platform streamlines the process of addressing skills shortage challenges for employers, governments and job-seekers. Previously, Ximena founded Phone2Action, which was acquired in 2019. She is a researcher, philanthropist, and the author of two software patents. With a background in education, Ximena has served as a former school principal and Assistant Superintendent of Instruction in Washington, DC. She currently holds executive board positions at the Washington Economic Club, the Northern Virginia Technology Council, and The Consumer Technology Association, and advisory roles at the Center for Innovative Technology of the state of Virginia, the Migration Policy Institute, and the Gender and Policy (GAP) Center of George Mason University. Ximena has been featured in prominent publications such as Fortune, Forbes, The Washington Post, and the New York Times. Recently, she was recognized by Forbes magazine as one of the 50 women in tech in the U.S. In March of 2024 she was featured in the documentary, 10 Chilean Women Changing the World. A native of Chile, she holds degrees in Literature and Philosophy from Chile and a Doctorate in Administration and Policy from the George Washington University.

Cid Wilson, President & Chief Executive Officer, Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR)

Cid Wilson was named President & Chief Executive Officer of the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) in July 2014, where he manages a growing staff of talented, dedicated professionals. He leverages more than 30 years of corporate finance and Wall Street equity research experience to work closely with corporations, their CEOs and board directors, and chief diversity officers to increase the representation of Hispanics at all levels in Corporate America. In addition, he directs programs and initiatives aimed at encouraging Fortune 500 companies to increase Hispanic inclusion in Corporate America.

Wilson is considered one of the foremost national leaders on executive-level diversity, equity, and inclusion. He is a featured speaker at numerous annual convenings in the U.S. and globally as well as a source on the topics of diversity and inclusion on corporate boards, C-suite pipelines, CEO ascension, corporate acculturation, strategic board service, and inclusion empowerment. Wilson serves on the governing steering committee for the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion, the Fortune CEO Council, the CNBC CEO Council, and the Wall Street Journal CEO Council. Wilson serves on the governing steering committee for the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion, the Fortune CEO Council, the CNBC CEO Council, and the Wall Street Journal CEO Council.

Clarissa Ramon, External Partnerships Lead, Civil Rights, Google

Clarissa Ramon leads partnerships and program management for Google’s Government Affairs and Public Policy, US Civil Rights team. The Civil Rights team leads engagement with national civil rights and multicultural organizations. She joined Google in 2015 to lead community engagement and government affairs for Google Fiber, an innovative home broadband product, in her hometown of San Antonio, TX. This role developed social impact partnerships promoting broadband access and close digital divide. She was previously on the government affairs and outreach team for Public Knowledge, a nonprofit tech policy organization based in Washington, DC. She has a Masters in Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, Austin and Bachelors in Political Science from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, TX. She is Mexican-American and the proud daughter of former migrant workers.

Moderator - Diego Deleersnyder, Managing Director, Latinos and Society - Aspen Institute

Diego Deleersnyder is the managing director of the Aspen Institute Latinos and Society program, where he leads the Latino Digital Success Initiative. This initiative focuses on enhancing Latino workers' and entrepreneurs' preparedness for the 21st-century digital economy.

With over a decade of experience in local capacity building, economic development, and urban policy, Diego has worked in the public and non-profit sectors across Latin America, Europe, and the U.S. At CIPPEC, a leading Latin American think tank, he led research and technical assistance projects on the gig economy, entrepreneurial ecosystems, and metropolitan policy coordination.

In Argentina's federal government, Diego spearheaded initiatives to bolster local economic development and capacity building of local governments, including launching the National Network of Productive Municipalities, a collaborative platform including over 400 local governments. In London, he served as an international development researcher at the UK Parliament and managed the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Mexico.

Diego holds a Master's in International Affairs from Columbia University, an MSc in Local Economic Development from the London School of Economics, an MSc in Urban Economics from Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, and a BA in Political Science from Universidad de Buenos Aires.

Francella Ochillo, Director, Office of Public Engagement, NTIA

Francella Ochillo is an attorney and public interest advocate who works to ensure that all residents benefit from advances in technology. Before serving as the Director of the Office of Public Engagement at NTIA, she was detailed to Energy and Commerce's Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee in the U.S. House of Representatives through her fellowship at Georgetown University.

During Francella's tenure as executive director of Next Century Cities, she was a champion for digital equity, centering it as a foundational principle in broadband program development. At the National Hispanic Media Coalition, Francella partnered with government officials and industry stakeholders to improve digital opportunities for Hispanic and Latino communities nationwide. These posts informed Francella's research publications which examine how digital inequities exacerbate other societal inequalities and cause a ripple effect in local and state economies.

Focused on expanding who creates technology, Francella has served on grant selection committees, infused community-based perspectives into federal workgroups, and orchestrated campaigns to advance consumer-focused technology policies in federal, state, and local government proceedings.

Gilbert Resendez, Federal Program Officer, BEAD & Digital Equity Programs, NTIA

Gilbert Resendez joined the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in July 2019 and is a federal program officer (FPO) with for the District of Columbia. In this role, Gilbert coordinates partnerships and outreach with the District of Columbia and local governments, community groups, and other entities with a vested interest on NTIA’s high-speed internet grant programs and policy issues. In this role, Gilbert works with District of Columbia Government and community stakeholder groups to ensure comprehensive engagement from all stakeholders in the state on the high-speed internet planning and funding process.

Prior to NTIA, Gilbert worked as a legal assistant helping clients and community foundations with estate planning and business issues.

Gilbert earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management from the University of Portland. He also received his Master of Science in Public Policy & Management at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy. At Carnegie Mellon, he specialized his studies in technology and information policy.

Ronnie Hammond, Director, Office of Statewide Broadband, Maryland

Ronnie is a highly accomplished professional with a commitment to enhancing connectivity and digital equity. With a decade-long career spanning both the private and public sectors, Ronnie has been a driving force in Diversity & Equity initiatives. In 2019, he transitioned to the Office of Rural Broadband as a Program Manager, dedicated to ensuring that all Maryland residents have access to reliable high-speed internet.

In his current role as Director of the Maryland Office of Statewide Broadband, Ronnie played a pivotal role in facilitating over $300 million in grants to address broadband gaps and close the digital divide. His leadership has been instrumental in implementing Digital Equity initiatives at a broad scale, resulting in more than 140,000 households gaining access to affordability measures, devices, or skills training. Ronnie's unwavering commitment to bridging the digital divide has left an indelible mark on Maryland's efforts to create a more connected and equitable future.

Edwin Canizalez, Program Manager- Policy and Legislation, LULAC

Edwin Canizalez serves as Program Manager, Policy and Legislation at LULAC . Canizalez is a results-driven professional with a 20+ years successful leadership track record. Canizalez has a history of program management in equal access matters for diverse populations including linguistic minorities and people with disabilities. His experience extends to multinational, government, non-profit, consulting, start-up, and publicly held business environments.

Prior to joining LULAC, he was the CEO at Prospects Sports Solutions, a sports management company offering strategic planning and acquisition services to professional sporting clubs in Europe -where he would spend 50% of the year working- with budgets between €10M-€250M.

He also served as COO at TASH, a human rights organization for people with severe disabilities. He developed the logic model to implement a national training and technical assistance center to improve competitive employment outcomes and college enrollment for transition age youth and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and to increase collaboration amongst government state agencies, transition professionals, employers and direct service providers to increase integrated employment and decrease shelter work in 8 states. This plan resulted in a $2M award from the US Department of Health and Human Services. Canizalez has managed quality control and contract compliance for a number of government projects ($100M) for DOJ, DHS, and FBI to name a few.

He implemented the Court Interpreter Certification program while working at the Nevada Supreme Court, Administrative Office of the Courts . Furthermore, he helped in the implementation of equal access initiatives in criminal courts at the State level in Hawaii, and Vermont.

Canizalez has worked in U.S. Department of Education funded projects promoting parental involvement and his initiatives have been adopted in several states. He has served as trainer and panelist at the National Judicial College in matters of equal access and ethics. He is a polyglot, fluent in four languages, and a former language teacher in Long Island, NY, Roslyn, Virginia, Washington, DC, and Las Vegas (NV).

Lynn Follansbee, VP Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships, USTelecom

B. Lynn Follansbee is the Vice President, Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships for USTelecom. She leads the association’s efforts on state and third party engagement on policy issues impacting the broadband industry. She has also served as Vice President, Policy & Advocacy at USTelecom where she provided policy analysis and legal and regulatory support on a range of issues including broadband, universal service, telecom deregulation, privacy, and consumer protection. Lynn also represents USTelecom and its members before the Federal Communications Commission, the Federal Trade Commission and other federal agencies. Prior to joining USTelecom, she was an attorney-advisor in the Federal Communications Commission’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau and an associate with the Washington, DC based law firm of Lukas, LaFuria, Lantor & Sachs, where she represented clients before the Federal Communications Commission. Lynn is an active member of the Federal Communications Bar Association and the District of Columbia and Maryland Bars. She received his undergraduate degree from Boston College, cum laude, and her law degree from Catholic University’s Columbus School of Law.

Alisa Valentin, Ph.D., Broadband Policy Director, Public Knowledge

Alisa Valentin, Ph.D., is the Broadband Policy Director at Public Knowledge where she focuses on ensuring all consumers have access to affordable, reliable broadband. Before joining Public Knowledge, Alisa was the Senior Director of Technology and Telecommunications Policy at the National Urban League where she advocated for policies that empower Black communities and other communities of color as consumers, workers, and business owners. Alisa previously worked as the Special Advisor to FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks and as the Communications Justice Fellow at Public Knowledge.

She is also an adjunct professor at Norfolk State University where she teaches media law and public policy courses. In 2023, she received the 2023 Donald H. McGannon Award presented by the UCC Media Justice Ministry for her expertise and consistent work to bring more diverse perspectives into policy-making on technology, media, and telecommunications.

Alisa received her Ph.D. in Communications from Howard University, her M.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University, and her B.S. in Telecommunications from the University of Florida.

Amina Fazlullah, Head of Tech Policy Advocacy, Common Sense

Amina Fazlullah is the Head of Tech Advocacy Policy in Common Sense Media's D.C. office where she works on a range of issues including expanding affordable access to technology, privacy, platform responsibility, artificial intelligence, and digital well-being. Before joining Common Sense Media, Amina was a tech policy fellow at Mozilla, where she worked to promote broadband connectivity in underserved communities (tribal, rural, and refugee communities) around the world. She has testified before committees in the U.S. House and Senate on technology issues impacting vulnerable consumers, kids, and families. She has been featured by the press and at conferences on issues related to broadband competition, Section 230, the digital divide, and dark patterns. She has published multiple research reports about the scale, cost, and solutions for addressing the digital divide and ensuring digital equity. She is a member of the FCC’s Consumer Advisory Committee and served as a founding board member of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance.

Moderator - Alejandra Montoya-Boyer, Senior Director, Center for Civil Rights & Tech, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

Alejandra Montoya-Boyer (she, her, ella) is the Senior Director of the Center for Civil Rights and Technology at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, where she focuses on research, policy solutions, and advocacy that responds to the growing opportunities and challenges from AI and emerging technologies and their impact on marginalized communities.

Prior to the Leadership Conference, Alejandra was the Director of Policy at Prosperity Now where she led the development and advocacy of policies that work to close the racial wealth gap by creating a more equitable tax system, putting Black and Brown people on a path to homeownership, and ensuring economic well-being for workers and families. She has also worked at the National Association of Counties (NACo), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, and the Office of Ben Ray Luján (NM-03). She has a diverse background in policy, political campaigning, grassroots advocacy, and program management with deep content expertise in workforce development, tech policy, economic justice, and racial equity.

Alejandra calls Albuquerque, New Mexico home, and is a fan of the best green chile, hot air balloons, and hikes up the Sandia Mountains.