TheBridge profile: Kara Calvert
Name: Kara Calvert
Current city: Washington, DC
Current job: Partner at Franklin Square Group
Past job: Director of Government Affairs at Information Technology Industry Council and Policy Advisor to Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY)
Q. Favorite spot for a coffee meeting: Le Bon Cafe on Capitol Hill.
Q. Describe how a skill you learned in a previous job helped you in your current job: My former chief of staff, Flip McConnaughey, taught me you have to be honest and present both sides of the argument -- even if you don’t agree with the opposing view -- in order to gain trust and respect. As a technology and innovation lobbyist, my job is to help policymakers understand complicated issues. Being transparent is the only way to become a trusted advisor on those controversial and often emotional issues. I think every day about how to do my job in a thoughtful and honest way.
Q. Job advice in three words? Always be available.
Q. How are you (or your company, org, nonprofit) currently bridging the gap between politics and tech/innovation and regulation? This question perfectly sums up what we strive to do at Franklin Square. We were the first lobbying firm in Washington DC established with the goal of bridging the gap between Silicon Valley and Washington DC. Eleven years later, we represent the world’s most successful technology companies and startups, and we are still focused exclusively on how to help policy makers understand the culture, values, and key issues that drive innovation across the U.S. We understand and advocate on issues that are core to the technology industry, as well as issues that sit at the intersection of traditional industry and innovation. As a bipartisan firm, we also provide strategic guidance and thoughtful intel to our clients on the political nuances of an issue.
Q. What can innovators learn from policymakers? Policymaking is hard, it’s not an episode of the "West Wing." Policymakers must build coalitions in order to get anything done in Washington. By design, it takes time, direct engagement, and political knowhow in order to change law and regulation in the U.S. Innovators can increasingly adopt this approach when faced with outdated regulatory and statutory barriers. It is particularly important for innovators who are disrupting traditional industries to engage, to build a coalition of like-minded voices, and to understand the political landscape.
Q. What can policymakers learn from innovators? Policymakers need to find opportunities to take risks. Innovators take risks everyday -- it’s what leads to transformation and modernization. Policymakers need to create the legal and regulatory space to take risks in a responsible and safe way in order to modernize the government and ensure America continues to lead the world in innovation.
Q. Favorite book/podcast/long-form article you recommend? How I Built This by Guy Raz. I love listening to innovators describe their business models, struggles, and successes. It helps me do my job better when helping policymakers understand the challenges and opportunities in the innovation sector.
Q. Looking back, what advice would you give yourself in the beginning of your career? Read more. Take the time to read for both pleasure and work.
Q. Living person you admire? My 99-year-old Grandmother is truly an inspiration. She was one of -- if not the first -- woman to enlist in the Navy WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) program in Wyoming during World War II. She went on to become a business woman, postmaster, matriarch of our extended family, and trusted and wise friend to countless individuals. Her work ethic, brilliance, and charm has never faltered.
Q. Best advice you’ve received? Take every meeting, and listen. Business in Washington is no different than business across the U.S. -- it’s about developing a strong, trusted network and understanding what matters to your allies and adversaries. Building relationships is the foundation of a strong strategic approach to policy.
Q. Last time you were completely unplugged? On a sailboat with my kids a few weeks ago. No time to hold a phone when you’re helping your 7-year-old son run the main sheet and your 5-year-old daughter run the tiller.
Q. Which Member of Congress/local lawmaker is most tech-savvy? Thankfully, the list is growing.