TheBridge profile: Kate Tummarello

Name: Kate Tummarello

Current city: Washington, DC

Current job: Executive Director, Engine

Past job: Before Engine; Formerly at the Electronic Frontier Foundation; tech policy reporter at Politico

Q. Favorite spot for a coffee meeting? Once indoor coffee meetings are safe again, I'm really excited to have a newly opened spot, The Duck and the Peach, right near our office in Eastern Market.

Q. Describe how a skill you learned in a previous job helped you in your current job. I cannot overstate the importance of being able to write clearly, compellingly, and quickly. Whether it's emails, op-eds, testimony, one-pagers, etc., my job is made easier by my ability to write well. It's drilled into you when you work in journalism, but being able to write well will help no matter what you do.

Q. Job advice in three words? Get it done

Q. How are you currently bridging the gap between innovation and regulation? Engine is a non-profit that works with a nationwide network of startups to advocate for pro-innovation, pro-entrepreneurship policy. We educate policymakers about the startup ecosystem and the startup experience, and we educate startups about policy issues that impact them and how to get involved in policy conversations.

Q. What can innovators learn from policymakers? The importance of building consensus and reaching compromise while working within a system. Not everything needs to be, or can be, disrupted, and things like policymaking can be done better when they're cautious and deliberate.

Q. What can policymakers learn from innovators? How innovation actually happens! Policymakers too often look at the technology landscape as if it's just the biggest companies. But there are startups in every state and every district across the country doing incredible things that solve problems while creating jobs and contributing to economic growth. It can be harder to find those folks (which is why Engine is here), but they're the companies that should be top of mind for policymakers thinking about tech issues.

Q. Why do you think it is important TheBridge community exists for tech, policy and political professionals? We work in such an exciting and dynamic space, and it can feel impossible to really get your arms around everything that's going on. It's great to have a community of smart, friendly folks to learn from and work with.

Q. Favorite book/podcast/long-form article you recommend? Wordslut by Amanda Montell. Reading it is like having coffee with your favorite linguistics professor, and I highly recommend it to any woman who has been criticized for her speaking voice/patterns in a professional context (which, if you're a reporter who has done TV or radio interviews, you're all too familiar with).

Q. Most underrated virtue in an employee? The ability to recognize when you don't know or understand something and ask the right questions to get up to speed.

Q. How do you unwind after work? I play with my dogs, watch way too much Real Housewives, and read.

Q. Everyday is probably different, but can you describe a "day in the life" of your job? Right now, it's a lot of emails and conference calls, both internally with the Engine team and externally with other advocacy groups, companies we work with, etc.

Q. Embarrassing work moment? I was on a panel a few weeks ago and somehow forgot to unmute myself. You'd think after ten months of doing everything virtually, I would have figured it out, but apparently not!

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