TheBridge profile: Jannelle Watson
Name: Jannelle Watson
Current city: Washington, DC
Current job: Politics and Government Outreach Manager, Facebook and Instagram
Past job: Head of Constituency Groups, National League of Cities
Q. Favorite spot for a coffee meeting? Maketto
Q. Describe how a skill you learned in a previous job helped you in your current job. Always over-communicate!
Q. Job advice in three words? Build your brand.
Q. How are you (or your company, org, nonprofit) currently bridging the gap between politics and tech / innovation and regulation? I'm grateful that I get to be at the intersection of tech and policy everyday. We often see companies having to balance promoting innovation and research against protecting people’s privacy and security. Apart of my role is making sure that government officials and politicians understand the steps my company is taking to achieve this balance.
Q. What can innovators learn from policymakers? Rules and processes can often lead to the discovery of a better idea.
Q. What can policymakers learn from innovators? Often times there is this perception that innovators have access to an indispensable amount of resources and funding to get something "right" the first time around, but the truth is that often times this is not the case. While things do move quickly, this also means we're likely to see errors or not get it right the first time around.
Q. How do you unwind after work? Playing with my puppy - a 6 month year old Yorkipoo and rewatching the Hobbit series.
Q. Last time you were completely unplugged? Prior to COVID, I spent a couple of days in Kumasi, Ghana where I was able to unplug near Lake Bosumtwi and learn about the Ashanti kingdom.
Q. Looking back, what advice would you give yourself in the beginning of your career? Each job prepares you for the next job - whether you're learning a new skill set or how to navigate working in the corporate sector versus government - either way, you'll be better prepared to take on your next opportunity.
Q. Most underrated virtue in an employee? Flexibility - being able and willing to adapt and adjust is a key asset for employees to have.
Q. Which Member of Congress/local lawmaker is most tech savvy? California State Assemblymember Evan Low - he is a living version of every "Facebook and Instagram" best practice guide we share with external partners. Most importantly, he understands the importance of using technology to connect with his followers and community on issues important in his district.
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