TheBridge profile: Mitchell Kominsky
Name: Mitchell Kominsky
Current city: Washington, DC
Current job: Special Assistant for Policy, Governmental and Public Affairs, NHTSA at U.S. Department of Transportation
Past job: Co-Founder + Chief Strategy Officer of Venture Smarter, Inc.; Technology Policy Counsel for U.S. Senate Leadership
Q. Favorite spot for a coffee meeting? Think Coffee on 14th St. and 8th Ave in NYC
Q. Describe one way how a skill you learned in a previous job helped you in your new job. Leading legislative efforts - from drafting language to executing strategy to pass into law - for various cybersecurity bills as a Counsel in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives helped me learn how to craft complex strategy and work with a multitude of stakeholders, both skills essential in my current role as co-founder of a technology company.
Q. Job advice in three words? Push new boundaries.
Q. How are you (or your company, org, nonprofit) currently bridging the gap between politics and tech? My company is a technology startup utilizing big data to build an ecosystem for governments, fortune 500 companies, innovative startups, and universities to collaborate in a larger effort to build smart cities and connected communities.
Q. What can DC teach Silicon Valley? You cannot move fast and break things - and expect to be successful in Washington.
Q. Which Member of Congress is most tech savvy? My former boss Darrell Issa understands technology better than any Member. As an entrepreneur and engineer, Darrell gets (and enjoys) highly technical matters and has a been, in my view, a leader in developing national technology policy.
Q. Best advice you've received? My father taught me growing up that "good enough is not good enough." This advice has helped me focus on how to continually learn and grow. It also, I think, places importance on setting and achieving certain expectations and standards for your career and personal life.
Q. What is your favorite restaurant? R&G Lounge in San Francisco. Best Chinese food and incredibly authentic. I'd recommend ordering the Salt and Pepper Crab!