Profiles in Tech: Grit & Gratitude • Tiffany Moore (CTA)

SVP of Political and Industry Affairs at the Consumer Technology Association, Tiffany Moore, gives a behind-the-scenes look at their popular CES tradeshow, shares why she’s passionate about their $10 million venture fund focused on increasing diversity in tech, and talks about the importance of GlobalWIN in helping to mentor others.  

"...whether you're a large company with a keynote that seats a thousand people, or you’re a startup with a 12 foot table, there is a place for you at CES.”  -Tiffany Moore

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Transcript

Niki: I'm Niki Christoff and welcome to Tech'ed Up. Today's guest on the show is Tiffany Moore, Senior Vice President of Political and Industry Affairs at the Consumer Technology Association. Today, we'll be talking about Tiffany's work at CTA, including its 10 million dollar venture fund, some of her professional passion projects, and her unique career path from Detroit to Capitol Hill.

Tiffany, thank you so much for coming into the studio today. 

Tiffany: Niki, thank you for having me as a guest. 

Niki: You have been so supportive of this podcast despite never having [Both: laughing] climbed up the stairs to this studio. I am so grateful. 

Tiffany: Of course. No, I was so excited. Like, when you launched the podcast, I thought it was exciting. And you recall, I was like, “Hey, you got to come to CES. We got to do this live on one of our stages.” 

So, one, thank you for being willing to come, but thank you for starting this podcast because I think it's important. 

Niki: And we're going to get to CES [Tiffany: Yes],  which is your mega trade show that you guys oversee.

And [Tiffany: yes, exactly] You make sure that there's interesting voices there. I'm thrilled to have you up here. [Tiffany: Thank you]  I always say up just for our listeners because there are a lot of stairs to get - 

Tiffany: [interrupts] There are three flights of stairs to get here!  So, give yourself a minute if you're ever coming up. 

Niki: But now you have to catch your breath. 

Tiffany: Good exercise. 

Niki: It is. Well, you're a Peloton - 

Tiffany: Oh, yes!  And I did ride this morning, of course. 

Niki: Of course. You ride every morning. 

Tiffany: So, I should be ready. 

Niki: I see, I see you riding on social media. 

Tiffany: Yes! Y’know, it's probably been the most consistent I've ever been thanks to Peloton, a like long-time, like pre-pandemic purchase. And it's just like, it continues. I've, it’s one of the best investments I've ever made. 

Niki: This is an ad for Peloton. 

[Both: laughing]

Tiffany: Oh wow! A valued CTA member company.

[Both: chuckling] 

Niki: A valued CTA member company!  

Tiffany: Exactly. 

Niki: Which, okay! So, we're going to get to that, but I want to start with you.

Before I have any guests on the podcast, even people like you [chuckles] that I've known for years, I always do a little research into their background. And I did not know about your origin story, which is fascinating. I had a suspicion you were from the Midwest [Tiffany: mm-hmm] because you worked for Congressman Upton. Tell me a little bit about Detroit and how you made your way from where you started to Capitol Hill.

Tiffany: Well, thank you. So, I was raised by an incredible single mother in Detroit, Michigan, and that woman had a full-time job, a part-time job, and a side hustle. And so, she did everything and sacrificed for me. So, I was fortunate to go to a great high school and be able to go to college.

And I went to Western Michigan University and I studied Spanish and Japanese. My mother was very concerned. She's like, “You're the first to go to college and you're going to major in what? Foreign languages?” [Niki: laughing]  I was like, “But mom, I want to travel the world.” But she's like, “Get a business degree. “ [Niki: Right] And I only took one political science class, interestingly enough.

So, I finished undergrad, and a month later, I moved to Washington, D.C., with no job. I had sent my resume out to a bunch of, I don't know, just anybody. Like, literally, I did not know very much about Capitol Hill. I just knew I wanted to be in D.C. It seemed like the place to be.

And the day before we rolled out in the U-Haul truck, I got a call from Congressman Fred Upton's office. And he; his office said, “We have an opening for a staff assistant. We got your resume somehow.”  The one thing I always credit with Fred is that the easiest thing for him to do would have been to hire a political donor's kid, a family friend, someone that was kind of in his world, but he was the first person; him and Joan Hillebrands, his Chief of Staff, to take a shot on me.

He gave me that opportunity and I have both of them to thank for an almost 30-year history and career in Washington, DC.

Niki: I find it really interesting that you cite that. So, I didn't grow up with any connections. It was, like, a huge understatement.

[Both: laugh] 

I grew up with, with no connections. And when I think about the people who've helped me through my career  I am really motivated to look for those people that don't have connections, that don't have parents who can call me. If they've got that they worked at McDonald's in high school on their resume, that is a plus for me.

That is somebody who could use the extra help. So, I actually am kind of predisposed to look for people like that. 

Tiffany: And people like to call it so many things. I mean, there's so much criticism on, you know, D&I and all of that. But, y’know, some of it is really grit. Like, if you've been able to make it where your peers are when they've had this, had all of the tutoring, all the great schools, all the parents who could call, and you're in the same room, and like, that shows a level of grit that you want to help, that you want to nurture, and that you know will go so much further because how they've earned it and how they've gotten here.

Niki: Well, this is sort of, I have a weird psychological tick, which is instead of imposter syndrome, because I grew up with, y’know, very little help getting to where I ended up when I got to Harvard and I realized, “Oh my gosh, people have so many connections and their legacies and all this stuff.” I actually ended up with a superiority complex instead of an imposter syndrome.

[Both: laugh]

I was like [Tiffany: I love it!!] I don't know. I feel like I did this by myself. 

Tiffany: Let's push that narrative. Like, y’know, “In spite of it, I am here with you!” 

Niki: Right! I don't know if that's a likable trait, but [chuckling]-  

Tiffany: Well, but like, it's like not having SAT, y’know, classes to prep or anything like that, y’know, somehow I'm still here in this room with you.

So, I mean, it's a boost for us. And I love the way, I love that approach. 

Niki: I do, too!  Okay. And it leads to also some of the work that you do in kind of lifting up folks who aren't as seen in, in our industry. [Tiffany: yep] 

So, but first, let's talk about CTA. At this time, everybody thinks they're a tech company, but who do you specifically represent?

Tiffany: So, it's interesting, our CEO Gary Shapiro has said for years that “Every company is a tech company,” and we're like, “Yes, every company is a tech company.” But he has been proven right! So, if you look at our membership, we are fortunate to represent about 1,300 companies within the entire tech ecosystem.

So, it's the big brands that you know and love for consumer electronics: Samsung, LG, Sony, those great companies, but also your platforms. So, whether it's, it's Meta, Amazon, but also, car manufacturers, retailers. We even have agriculture; John Deere is a member of CTA, Brunswick. 

It's all because every company is utilizing technology in some way, and particularly with artificial intelligence, which is ingredient technology, which every company will be using. It makes our membership so very diverse when it comes to the types of companies.

It's not just your traditional tech companies. The amazing thing about CTA is that 80 percent of our companies are actually small businesses and startups. And that's unique. Although we are in Washington, D.C., and we are Washington-centric with our advocacy, 80 percent of our companies aren't able to afford to have a lobbyist or to have a government affairs department.

And so, they rely a lot on CTA and we take that responsibility very seriously.

Niki: So one of the ways I know you is when I was at Uber, we were members.  [Tiffany: Yes!] We were pre-IPO. I don't know. We were technically a startup, although we were the world's biggest, loudest [Both: laugh], most boisterous startup that ever existed. But I remember talking to you and the team, and to your point on helping the startups with, like, a force extender, an extra set of hands, you understood our issues, and then suddenly op-eds would just appear.

They would just be almost written for us because we were aligned on the policy issues and self-driving issues. And it was the easiest [chuckling] relationship I had with an outside trade association because it just happened. It just worked that we had you guys as advocates. 

And I don't know if you remember this, but we brought one of the self-driving cars over to this beautiful townhouse. [Tiffany: Yeah. Yes]  Did this - we called it like a pit stop and whatever. that's the Indianapolis in me. [Tiffany: chuckles] But we had an event and you guys are also incredibly generous for people who don't have a space in Washington.

I guess this is sounding like an ad for a CTA. I'm not a member, but it’s true!  

Tiffany: Yeah, but you know it actually something that is, I think, unique to CTA because our CEO, Gary Shapiro, and our president, Kinsey Fabrizio, have always been, like, focused on, “How do we help the small guys get bigger?” 

Everybody wants to get big. Everybody wants to grow. But until you have that megaphone, who's listening to you? We're not trying to protect incumbency. We're not trying to protect business models. We are making sure that companies who have great ideas aren't hampered because, you know, that industry all of a sudden says, “No, we don't want new entrants. We are going to do it the way we've always done it.” And that's what Uber did. 

We did the same thing with over-the-counter hearing aids. That was an industry that was about three companies and it cost five or six thousand dollars for hearing aids. And we were able to push through legislation which created over-the-counter hearing aids.

Niki: Which is huge because hearing aids are not covered by Medicare. [Tiffany: Exactly!] I know this because I have a mom I help out.

Tiffany: Exactly!And when my grandfather was alive, he was a proud man. And so he refused to wear hearing aids. I'm very honest; they were also cost-prohibitive for him.

And so, the ability to go into a Best Buy or into a retailer and purchase over-the-counter hearing aids, like that's a difference maker, but not having kind of a big trade association to muscle in when you needed it most. I don't know that that would have happened.

Niki: We can't talk about CTA without talking about CES. 

Tiffany: Yes!

Niki: So, this is what you're especially known for which is I call it like a mega-trade show in Vegas every year. It's incredibly fun It's all these gadgets. Tell us more about it. 

Tiffany: So, CES, my favorite time of the year is in January. So CTA owns and produce sCES, which is the global stage for innovation.

And we usually attract about 130,000 people, more than 2 million net square feet of exhibit space of just companies who are showing off what's next. And so, you'll have these mega booths of like, I swear, it's like one or two city blocks and you're just like dazzled by the TVs, refrigerators, all the things that are connected, the cars. It's really awesome. 

Then you'll go to one of our venues, like Eureka Park in the Venetian, and there are 1000 startups who have a 12-foot table and who are talking to VCs, who are talking to corporate VCs, talking to news outlets about their product.

And so, the energy there is just incredible. So, y’know, whether you're a large company with a keynote that seats a thousand people or you’re a startup with a 12-foot table, there is a place for you at CES. 

And then, outside of the trade show floor, we have incredible thought leadership. So, most people know us by our big, huge keynotes, but we probably, in any given year, probably have close to a thousand speakers and maybe 150 panels, conversations, or keynotes at CES, all looking at kind of those tech verticals. You can see it on the show floor, but then there's thought programming that talks about how it's done, being used, the best use cases, impediments to kind of getting the technology across the finish line and into consumer's hands. 

And so, we do that through our research summit that we host there. We do a policy summit where we bring government guests to see us to talk about policy issues.

And it's because we always say, “Before you're going to regulate, touch, feel, understand what it is and the value, and how we can use it to its highest best purpose if we do it the right way.” So, that is the way we get to kick off our policy year.

Niki: So, in addition to CES, another thing that you've been working on specifically is a venture fund. [Tiffany: Yes] Tell me about it. 

Tiffany: So, I will tell you, y’know, because of the generosity and vision of CTA's executive board. We wanted to make sure that we were supporting and investing in a diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem where women, startups, founders, and those of diverse backgrounds had the ability to come to CES and get venture funding. And so they were gracious enough to create a 10 million dollar fund. And since then, we've been able to invest in about eight or nine venture funds that invest in women and diverse-led funds. 

I learned so much over the last several years. We're a trade association, so this was a unique thing for us to do. It was one of those things and I will tell you from my first boss to my current one, like “Figure it out. You don't have to have a degree, just like it's about hustle and grit and figuring it out.” 

We have an amazing finance team too [chuckles] who helps us do kind of the major pieces of it. But we figured it out!  And so, I can tell you we've invested in funds like Rethink impact. Oh my gosh, Jenny over there, Jenny Abramson is incredible. We've invested in other women-led funds like Plum Alley and SoGal Ventures.

 In fact, we just did a documentary screening at our townhouse for “Show Her the Money,” which is a documentary about women investors and startup founders.

And given the fact that only 2 percent of venture funding goes to women to 2%- 

Niki: Two?!

Tiffany: Two!! Right. 

We wanted to figure out, “How could we be a part of this solution? We can have a lot of panels, we can have a lot of discussions,” but given, again, the wonderful support of our executive board, we had 10 million dollar fund where we could actually put in the hands of VCs, women. Women-first-led VCs who are looking at investments just like any large fund would, but their edge is that their view and their lens of the companies that they're seeing is much more, much wider than your typical VC crowd that may only be looking at “Everyone that went to Harvard” or “Everyone that, y’know, I golf with.”  

So, I think that actually gives them an incredible edge because the individuals who are creating the companies that they're investing in are seeing are seeing problems and seeking solutions, which are going to help an incredible amount of people or just make really cool products that people will enjoy.

Niki: Right. And I think that when you consider that two percent of venture funding goes into women-founded or diverse startups. And yet, women are the biggest spenders in the United States. [Tiffany: Exactly] They own the pocketbooks of America.  And so, you're missing the biggest consumers if you aren't thinking about what they're thinking about. It's just sort of a missed opportunity. 

So, I agree with you. I think it gives people an edge. 

It's not a charity project.

Tiffany: Not at all!

Niki: It's about an addressable market that might be missed. To your point, if you're just talking to people who golf or went to an Ivy League school with you, you're just [Tiffany: you're missing], you're missing it.

Tiffany: And if you look at kind of the demographics of the, of the US and where we're shifting, there are more women, there are more people of color. 

Niki: And then this is also related to something else that you're passionate about [Tiffany: mm-hmm], which is our industry, not just venture capital, but tech itself [Tiffany: mm-hmm], thinking about populations that might not be otherwise served.

I've heard you talk about accessibility products or AI and accessibility. I don't know if you have any favorite [Tiffany: [sighs] Well], you're not allowed to pick favorites. 

Tiffany: No, I love them all!  But like, I'll tell you what I'm excited about. [Niki: ok] And it is artificial intelligence and we talk about it all the time. At CTA, the great thing about our association is we do advocacy, but we're also a standard-setting organization, ANSI accredited.

So, we're developing standards when it comes to AI. We're doing research. So, we can see the whole picture. 

And I have always been a person that just likes to try things out. I'm usually a first adopter for most things. I credit that to my mother when she got her first computer to, y’know, with, like, the blue word perfect screen and [Niki: right [chuckling]] and like print master and like her side hustle was desktop publishing. That's what it was called back in the day, y’know, to make signs and graphics or type dissertations. And so, my first kind of tinkering on a computer was because my mom brought a computer home. I've always just loved, like, building websites, tinkering.

And so, when ChatGPT came on the scene, I was like, “I'm in!”, like, “Sign me up!” And just to see all of the wraps around ChatGPT, and what, what that's creating. And it's, it's incredible. And it, like, in every aspect of your life, I think it can be helpful. And I think unfortunately, there are some communities where AI is being demonized.

Will it cause disruption? Absolutely. What hasn't? ATMs, horse and buggy, like, all of the, all of the things that we have gone through, but we will come out better, stronger. different types of jobs, different types of possibilities. And so, like, yes, we need to have guardrails and we need to go after, like, specific instances of harm.

But, let's not, let's not forget to embrace the technology so that we're not scaring communities away because we can get in at the ground floor. And that's the one thing that I really like about tech policy is that when I started in tech policy, it didn't exist. So it wasn't like I was a couple of steps behind.

When I started working on tech policy, everyone was trying to figure it out. I remember, I had a brief stint at Kellogg Company. Worked for there for a couple of years and next to me was the single lobbyist for Google, and that was. 2000 and something. And so, to see how the tech industry has grown, it's incredible. But as a Hill staffer or as a young lobbyist, I was able to kind of figure it out when everybody else was figuring it out.

So, it made it fun and it made it accessible in that, like, it's not like, “Oh, you have to have done tax for 20 years to kind of really know anything.” 

Niki: Right. The tax crew is like a very special [Tiffany: Oh, yes!], special crew in D.C. [Both :chuckling] But you're right. I talk a lot to reporters who, I'll say, y’know, “I started working in tech before the iPhone was released.”

Tiffany: Exactly!  I remember when I was like, “You will not take my Blackberry from my cold, dead hand.”

[Both: laugh]

Niki: I know! That was my, I always talk about my Motorola Razr [chuckling]- 

Tiffany: Oh yeah, I had the two-way pager, the beeper,  I had it all. 

Niki: And so, I think that, y’know, your point about AI, I've seen you write before that “resisting AI is like trying to fight gravity.”

Tiffany: Exactly

Niki: So, freaking out about it is not going to stop it from happening. So, having this more expansive view of the positive aspects, and which obviously many, not just CTA members, but everybody is looking at how this can be baked in. 

Tiffany: Yeah, and I think people don't understand that they're already using AI. We've all been experiencing AI. And so, it's just about like, “How do we take it to the next level?”

Niki: I think it was Kevin Roos, uh, came on the podcast and talked about how he actually thinks this is going to make people. more human, because that's going to be the differentiator between people, right? Is that you're going to need those human skills when you're using a lot of these tools. It doesn't mean we're all going to turn into just, y’know, pushing buttons. 

Tiffany: No, I mean, you need a human to check the information.

Niki: Well, this is me with Grammarly every day. 

Tiffany: Oh my goodness!

Niki: Not to be annoying, but I am always like, “Grammarly's wrong!”  

Tiffany: I know!!

Niki: I use it for tone because it'll give you a little smiley face with these little white gloves when you're nice. It's wrong on its grammar sometimes. So, I'm always like, “It's gaslighting me! 

Tiffany: Exactly. 

[Both: laugh]

Niki: Just me with my computer fighting with the machine. 

Tiffany: I know. I'm like, “No, don't correct!” Like, it's not right.

Niki: Okay. I want to talk about one more thing that you are known for and you were the chair of and is an interesting project, especially for our audience, right? We, a lot of policy folks, Hill staffers, listen to this podcast. 

GlobalWIN. [Tiffany: Yes] Tell me about it because I've known you just as much as CTA, I have known you as associated with that organization.

Tiffany: I am fortunate to be the immediate past Chair of the Global Women's Innovation Network. And it is a network that was founded 15 years ago by Melika Carroll and Helen Milby. And the idea was to bring women in innovation advocacy, specifically tech advocacy, together with women on Capitol Hill to create a network; to develop professionally; and really to talk about tech issues to understand it.

I remember when I came to D.C., and I was on Capitol Hill, it was rare that I saw women lobbyists come into the office. [Niki: Mm-hmm]  And it was very rare that I saw African American lobbyists. But the ones that did come in, the women, they would always say hi. I mean, I was the staff assistant. Like, I'm the least important person.to talk to in the office, but they also always asked me. “How are you doing? Y’know, what is your major? What do you want to do?”  

I think what GlobalWIN does is that creates that network instead of that “by the way” conversation we do it in an intentional way and try to give you tangible skills. And so, we do that through an international trip, CODEL staff dells. Ithink it's really important to understand what those issues are, to meet with government officials to kind of understand how are they tackling tech policy issues, tangible things like headshot. 

We are no longer cropping our photo from a group photo from Facebook. [Niki: Yes] Like we have to have a professional [Niki: Yes] headshot. So, those are tangible things. What's your 3o second pitch? What's your three-minute pitch? I you were pitching yourself in the elevator, what you do, whether you're a consultant, whether you're a company, or it's an issue, “How are you pitching yourself? Are you speaking confidently?” 

Those are the types of things that we provide women on Capitol Hill, but also women as they evolve and grow in their careers. 

Niki: I think this is huge!  Tech used to be niche and then women in tech used to be even smaller. We are growing, but it is still small. It's a tight community in this town [Tiffany: Yes] and in this business, and yet you're going to have a long career, [Tiffany: mm-hmm] and those staff assistants are going to be somebody who might invest in [chuckles] a startup later. 

Tiffany: Exactly! 

Niki: And so, it is wise to build those relationships. to see talent early, and to make sure that you're learning those skills.

I know several young women who participate in it and it's, it's made them smarter on the subject matter. And it has had them redo their headshots. [chuckles] 

Tiffany: Well- 

Niki: Which is a real thing. It's huge! It's important!

Tiffany: And I always say, I remember when I, I got to D.C. and I first started lobbying it was kind of like, you're always fighting to get at a table that wasn't set for you. So, why don't you make your own table? And so, GlobalWin is really about like, “Let's set our own table.” 

It's not exclusive. It is inclusive. But like, let's just set our own table. And that is what GlobalWin has done consistently for 15 years. 

Our events are very sticky and people enjoy coming. It is bipartisan. We do events at both conventions. We engage with Republican and Democrat staffers, and we're really just focused on women's development irrespective of our two corners, when it comes to politics. 

Niki: Yes. Well, I'm so glad that you came on to talk about this. I am delighted to have had the opportunity for us to connect, kind of more casually, and in person, and learn about your background.

There's this great article, which I'm actually going to link to. [Tiffany: chuckles]  It's a, kind of, hometown article. It's really good about your background and explains sort of what drives you. And, I'm going to put that in the show notes, but Tiffany, thank you so much for coming on today and taking the time!  

Tiffany: Thank you!