Iowa Tech Policy Podcast

In this latest episode, Mollie Ross, VP of Operations at TAI, sits down with Tim Coonan, TAI Legislative Liaison and Government Relations and Special Counsel at Dentons Davis Brown, to recap the 2023 Iowa legislative session. Mollie and Tim discuss the three TAI priority bills that were unanimously passed and signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds. Tim provides insights into the process behind these bills and explores how education evolves into advocacy and action, particularly within the legislative technology space. They also take a look ahead at what's next and explore how TAI members and Iowa's technology community can actively participate and contribute to shaping future policies.

Discussion with Iowa Senator, Izaah Knox by Iowa Tech Policy Podcast

In the latest episode of the Iowa Tech Policy Podcast, we welcomed Senator Chris Cournoyer, who leads the Senate Technology Committee. She shares her experience as a technologist by trade and how that helps guide committee decisions. She also stresses the importance of partnering with subject matter experts to develop policy and legislation to serve all Iowans.

We recently met with Representative Ray Sorensen, representing District 23 in the Iowa House. who chairs the Economic Growth and Technology Committee in the Iowa House. He shares insight into the committee's work and details regarding consumer data protection and ransomware bills and why it is critical for technology professionals to reach out and be a resource during the legislative process.

Our guest Tim Coonan, TAI's legislative liaison, sits down with Mollie Ross, VP of Operations at TAI. Tim shares an update on TAI's priorities as session gets underway, some key highlights from the first two weeks of the session, and provides insight on what's next in TAI-supported legislation.

Tim Coonan, TAI Legislative Liaison and Government Relations Special Counsel at Dentons Davis Brown, recaps the 2022 legislative session, including major technology bills that moved through the statehouse, and discusses the upcoming election and TAI members can get engaged.

Jennifer Young, CEO at Technology Councils of North America (TECNA), discusses technology related legislation at the Federal level, including data privacy, immigration reform, and more. The Iowa Tech Policy Podcast is proudly presented by SHAZAM, with additional support provided by Dentons Davis Brown.

Hear from Ari Schwartz, Managing Director for Cybersecurity Services at Venable and former Senior Director for Cybersecurity for the White House National Security Council about what is happening at the Federal level around cybersecurity legislation as well as an update on the national cyber threat landscape. The Iowa Tech Policy Podcast is proudly presented by SHAZAM, with additional support provided by Dentons Davis Brown.

Tune in to the latest Iowa Tech Policy Podcast, Protecting Iowans' Data, featuring Representative Brian K. Lohse and Senator Zach Nunn, providing House and Senate perspectives regarding cybersecurity and data protection in Iowa.

In this episode of Iowa Tech Policy Podcast, Robert Palmer, General Counsel and Director of Government Affairs at Iowa League of Cities, discusses bills that will impact Iowa's communities through digital transformation. The Iowa Tech Policy Podcast is proudly presented by SHAZAM, with additional support provided by Dentons Davis Brown.

In this episode of Iowa Tech Policy Podcast, CEO of ProCircular and TAI Public Policy Committee Chair, Aaron Warner, discusses cybersecurity legislation and provides an in-depth statehouse update.

With an aggressive and successful legislative session in 2021, TAI's President, Brian Waller, and Vice President of Operations, Mollie Ross, discuss developments in the 2022 Legislative Session with Government Relations Special Counsel, Sydney Gangestad. Sydney is an attorney at Dentons Davis Brown and advocates for TAI and its members.

Listen in as we reflect on the 2021 legislative session and take a look forward with current TAI Public Policy Chair, Matt Koch with Sukup Manufacturing and ProCircular CEO Aaron Warner, who will lead the Public Policy Committee in 2022. They discuss the progress of tech legislation in a year where technology was front and center on many issues. They also provide insight into TAI policy priorities moving forward and why strengthening Iowa's workforce and retaining talent will be critical to building a leading technology ecosystem and driving widespread growth in the state.

In this episode, we sit down with Tim Coonan and Sydney Gangestad, both with Dentons Davis Brown who work on behalf of TAI at the statehouse. They discuss progress and updates regarding tech-focused legislation and what we can expect moving forward.

Senator Liz Mathis (District 34) joins the podcast to discuss Senate File 580, known as the "Anti-Big Tech Bill." She walks through details of the bill, how it relates to free speech, and why the legislation would significantly hinder economic growth efforts and adversely impact businesses and communities across the state. We also chat with Dave Tucker, Partner at Next Level Ventures, who shares his experience at Workiva and the companies growth and success in Iowa. He also discusses his current venture capital work and why Iowa must have effective policies that help recruit and retain top tech talent and position the state as a premier destination to build and grow companies.

Adrienne Greenwald, Managing Principal at VentureNet Iowa, joins the podcast to discuss her work in managing Iowa’s public innovation funds and evaluating startup companies seeking state funding. She also walks through the evaluation process and why Iowa needs to invest in innovators and early-stage companies. We also chat with Eric Engelmann, Managing Partner at ISA Ventures. He shares his experience building and providing resources for entrepreneurs through Iowa Startup Accelerator and ISA Ventures. He also discusses the current state of the Iowa startup ecosystem and his efforts to better connect investors with founders in rural areas to ensure opportunities are available for everybody to participate in Iowa’s tech ecosystem.

Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls joins the podcast to discuss legislation focused on inclusion and why all Iowan’s inherent worth and dignity should be at the heart of public policy. He discusses how inclusive policies will help Iowa’s workforce crisis and shape a more equitable, welcoming, and forward-looking state to grow and do business. We also talk with Rona Berinobis, VP of Inclusion and Organizational Development at Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield. She shares why a diverse and inclusive culture is a critical core value within Wellmark’s corporate culture and how it drives innovation and supports the communities in which they serve.

In the latest episode of the Iowa Tech Policy Podcast, we discuss cybersecurity with Senator Zach Nunn and Stephan Thomasee, Senior Vice President & Chief Technology Officer at SHAZAM.

We recently sat down with Senator Dan Dawson, Iowa Senator serving District 8. He breaks down Senate File 29 and the impact the bill would have on the state's IT infrastructure and data security. We also were joined by Jim Sherlock, Director, Information Security & Technology Implementation at Pearson, who provides firsthand insight on investing in IT infrastructure modernization and securing sensitive data.

To kick off the Iowa Tech Policy Podcast, we sat down with Representative Brian Lohse to discuss the newly-formed Iowa House Information Technology Committee and the investment in expanding statewide broadband internet access. Also joining the Podcast is Paul Hlivko, CXO and CTO at Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, and 2021 TAI Board Chair. He shares his insights on the Iowa tech industry and how the work of the Information Technology Committee could impact tech companies across Iowa.