TheBridge profile: Maurice Turner
Maurice is a keynote speaker at the CFASummit, learn more and get your ticket here!
Name: Maurice Turner
Current city: Washington, DC
Current job: Senior Advisor to the Executive Director, U.S. Election Assistance Commission
Past job: Deputy Director at the Center for Democracy & Technology; Deputy Director & Senior Technologist, Internet Architecture Project at the Center for Democracy & Technology; TechCongress Congressional Innovation Fellow in the Senate Homeland Security & Government Affairs Committee
Q. Favorite spot for a coffee meeting? Gregory's Coffee (Vermont & K NW)
Q. Describe how a skill you learned in a previous job helped you in your current job. Having empathy for the end user is always a good idea. It involves being considerate of how a product or service is used by the customer. My time in local government has given me perspective on how policy is actually being implemented at the lowest level. For example, it is hard to escape an angry phone call from a resident whose trash wasn't collected or what it means to interpret state-level environmental regulations for a municipal procurement.
Q. Job advice in three words? Lean toward opportunities.
Q. How are you (or your company, org, nonprofit) currently bridging the gap between innovation and regulation? The Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) has been working to strengthen individual rights and freedoms by defining, promoting, and influencing technology policy and the architecture of the internet that impacts our daily lives for over 25 years. It is a natural fit for me—in fact, this is my second time working at CDT. I was a summer policy fellow at CDT in grad school. In the 15 years between CDT roles, I worked within different levels of government and at tech companies on the east and west coasts. I have always had an eye for finding ways to leverage new technologies to increase the accessibility and efficiency of government. Today, my focus is working with local, state, and federal officials on making the election process more resilient and approachable for all voters.
Q. What can innovators learn from policymakers? Providing public services is a long-term responsibility. Many of the stakeholders depending on public services cannot absorb the negative consequences of the "move fast, break things" development philosophy.
Q. What can policymakers learn from innovators? Be more open to embracing change by starting the policymaking conversation sooner. Some technologies have a way of becoming mainstream very quickly and the current policymaking process is just not keeping up. The old way that you're accustomed to was once the new way that was also resisted.
Q. Why are you part of TheBridge community? Tech is everywhere—influencing everyone's lives in ways most of us couldn't imagine. Social media has transformed advocacy by allowing many more people to be informed on issues and act on making a change. Being able to understand how tech, policy, and politics interplay is a valuable part of today's change process.
Q. Favorite book/podcast/long-form article you recommend? Podcasts are my daily soundtrack. Here are a few of my regular shows to make sure that I am getting a combination of perspectives I agree with and perspectives I don't normally consider.
News: The Daily by New York Times, Fox News Rundown, The Globalist by Monocle
Tech: Accidental Tech Podcast, Security Now, Exponent by Stratechery
Q. Looking back, what advice would you give yourself in the beginning of your career? Most of the interesting work you'll do will be in jobs where the title doesn't always make sense. You won't be able to take advantage of all the opportunities, which will lead you to even more opportunities down the road.
Q. Startup to watch? VotingWorks is developing a voting machine that is designed to be secure, affordable, accessible, and delightful. Boosting voter turnout and confidence in the face of apathy and interference is tough but a worthwhile challenge to take on.
Q. Last time you were completely unplugged? March 2019 when I earned my SCUBA certification. Being 60 feet underwater has a way directing my focus on relaxing and exploring a whole new world.
Click below to join TheBridge community.