Spencer Ward serves at the intersection of tech policy for the Texas Legislature. As the ED of the Innovation and Technology Caucus, he works with the largest bi-partisan and bi-cameral caucus members and their staff on legislation, helping guide the stakeholder process for common sense regulations and reforms between tech companies, start-ups, and legislative offices and members. In his capacity for Representative and Chairman Giovanni Capriglione, Spencer worked on and eventually passed Texas' first AI Governance framework, HB 149, and worked on other major initiatives such as the Texas Quantum Initiative, the Texas Cyber Command, Texans Right to Repair their digital devices, and AI code transformation within state agencies to cut down on legacy modernization costs. His members continue to work on legislative policy around AI and its acceptable uses, as he looks to give them meaningful insights as to how to do that responsibly, and what the major areas of concern or risk may be.
Tom Cormen is Emeritus Professor of Computer Science at Dartmouth College, where he was on the faculty for over 29 years and taught the introductory Computer Science course 25 times. He chaired the Computer Science department for six years and was also the founding director of the Dartmouth College Institute for Writing and Rhetoric, which he directed for four years. Within the field of Computer Science, Cormen is best known as the lead author of the textbook Introduction to Algorithms, known as “CLRS” after the initials of the four coauthors, and which has been translated into several languages and sold over one million copies. He also wrote Algorithms Unlocked. Although “CLRS” is used on six continents, Cormen takes the greatest pride in the students he mentored over three decades.
Thomas Cormen,
New Hampshire State Representative
Spencer Ward, Executive Director of the Innovation and Technology Caucus of the Texas Legislature
Liz Benett,
Iowa State Senator
Senator Liz Bennett is entering her 11th year in the Iowa Legislature, where she has earned a reputation as a thoughtful, pragmatic problem-solver. She is especially known for elevating the voices of young professionals and working families. A 14-year veteran of Iowa’s tech industry, she serves as Ranking Member of the Iowa Senate Information Technology Committee. Her work centers on consumer protection, privacy, and cybersecurity in an increasingly digital world.
