Behind the Headlines
For a decade, I worked behind the scenes on cases that made national headlines. When Facebook agreed to a $5 billion settlement, when Amazon changed how Alexa handles children's data, when Rite Aid dismantled its facial recognition system—I was there, shaping the technical requirements and legal strategies that drove these outcomes.
Early in my career, I identified a large gap: security was seen as something requiring technical solutions. Yet legal and policy approaches to improve security were left largely unnoticed. After formative years working on advanced cybersecurity research projects at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, I decided to take a dual approach to my education. I completed a joint Masters in Information Management and JD supported by the Nation Science Foundation.
This combination—technical depth with legal training—made me uniquely valuable at the FTC, where I became a leader and advisor across multiple adminstrations on ways the FTC could use its legal authorities to protect consumers and ensure competitive markets.
I investigated services that shared sensitive health data to advertisers unbeknownst to users. I initiated enforcement actions against location data brokers that sold location data that could be used to trace individuals to sensitive locations. I worked to ensure companies cannot undermine critical security safeguards such as multifactor authentication. I evaluated anticompetitive practices like exclusivity agreements that could limit fair competition. And much more. Each investigation reinforced my belief that we need people who can translate between worlds—technical and legal, regulatory and business, protection and innovation.
As the first technologist to hold the position of Counsel to the Director of Consumer Protection, I played a pivotal role in identifying potential harms arising from emerging technologies. By translating technical complexities into actionable insights, I provided valuable guidance to decision-makers that meaningfully improved security & privacy for individuals. I sought to provide clarity to businesses by helping detail specific unfair practices. And I'm proud of my work crafting and helping negotiate novel remedies tailored to addressing problematic conduct while providing routes for continued innovation.
Now, I'm stepping from behind the scenes to help directly. Whether you're a startup building privacy or security into your DNA, a regulator needed a translator between technical and legal concepts, or a firm needing expertise for complex litigation, I bring a unique perspective from the front lines of tech regulation.