WASHINGTONToday, ITI partnered with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) to discuss emerging trends and policy issues in the tech sector. The event, held in Washington, D.C., brought together Members of Congress, tech industry representatives, nonprofit advocates, and CHCI program participants and alumni.

The 2019 CHCI Tech Summit 2.0 featured more than a dozen thought leaders, including executives from ITI members, giving emerging Latino leaders the chance to learn more about opportunities in the tech sector.

ITI President and CEO Jason Oxman hosted a panel discussion at the Summit on “Thriving in an Automated World,” exploring how the private sector can work together with government to help address some of the most important issues facing a diverse workforce, including the industry’s efforts to ensure that workers are prepared for the jobs of the future.

Ahead of the Summit, Oxman also sat down with CHCI President Marco Davis to record a conversation for ITI’s Download On Tech podcast. The two talked about Davis’ plans for the organization, why partnerships between CHCI and the tech industry are so important, what to expect at Tech Summit 2.0, and ways that policymakers, industry leaders, and other stakeholders can work together to address ethical concerns around artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

“Ensuring a diverse and representative workforce is imperative to the success of the U.S. tech industry and the economy,” said Jason Oxman, President and CEO of ITI. “ITI is proud to partner with CHCI to bring together policymakers, industry leaders, academic experts, and CHCI program participants to discuss how the tech sector can help advance the CHCI mission of developing more Latino leaders.”

“As Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), I am proud of our partnership with the Information Technology Industry Council in support of CHCI’s second Technology Summit in Washington, D.C.,” said CHCI Chair, Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-7). “From closing the digital skills gap, to protecting privacy and our country’s digital infrastructure in order to secure professional success for every Latino, with the support of ITI and their members we are driving vital conversations around how to ensure America’s future workforce is fully prepared for a changing technology landscape. The Latino community is bravely looking forward to America’s technological future, and CHCI is grateful for ITI’s support of our efforts."

Numerous ITI member companies participated in CHCI’s Tech Summit 2.0 as panelists and sponsors, including Accenture, Amazon, Apple, Dropbox, Facebook, Google, HP, IBM, Intel, Mastercard, Microsoft, Nielsen, Toyota, and Visa.

“Amazon strives to be earth’s most customer centric company,” said LaDavia Drane, Head of Diversity and Inclusion for Amazon Public Policy. “We know that a diverse and inclusive culture allows our teams to feel more empowered to innovate, grow, and thrive throughout their careers. We were honored to participate in CHCI’s Tech Summit and partake in important conversations around creating a more diverse tech workforce. We look forward to working with the CHCI to help more emerging Latino leaders pursue careers in tech.”

“At Dropbox, we share CHCI and ITI's commitment to developing a diverse group of future leaders who are equipped to navigate the complex but critical intersection of technology and policy,” said Becky Tallent, Director of US Government Relations for Dropbox. “We're proud to be part of the CHCI Tech Summit and the important conversations taking place here.”

“At HP, we pride ourselves on being one of only a handful of Fortune 500 companies with a Hispanic CEO, in addition to the most diverse board of directors in the technology industry,” said Lesley Slaton Brown, Chief Diversity Officer for HP, Inc. “Latino representation in the technology industry has a long way to go, in spite of the fact that Latinos represent one of the fastest growing segments in the workplace. The work that ITI and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute are doing is incredibly important and we are proud to support them in developing future Latino tech leaders.”

"IBM applauds the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute for continuing to focus on how government and the private sector can work together to advance the ethical adoption of AI,” said Roslyn Docktor, Director of Technology Policy for IBM. “By combining industry best practices that promote trust in the technology with precision regulation that addresses legitimate societal concerns, we can together ensure that AI has a positive impact on our society for years to come."

“In our rapidly advancing global economy, developing a workforce of individuals trained in computer science and engineering is critical for U.S. businesses and our country as a whole,” said Lisa Malloy, Head of U.S. Government Affairs for Intel Corporation. “Intel is focused on fostering diverse and inclusive learning environments that lead to successful student outcomes. We are striving to integrate access to more capable technology with a solid foundation of critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration skills development. And we are proud to partner with CHCI to help create the environments that lead to a strong and prepared future workforce.”

“Increasing the amount of underrepresented individuals working in the tech industry better serves people everywhere,” said Kevin Martin, Vice President for US Public Policy at Facebook. “That’s why Facebook supports meaningful initiatives like this summit and set the ambitious goal of doubling the number of our Hispanic employees in the US over the next five years. We are proud to support CHCI’s mission to develop the next generation of Latino leaders and are honored to be a part of today's program.”

“Digital and computational thinking skills are critical at every stage of life as these skills are needed to succeed in the 21st century economy,” said Allyson Knox, Senior Director of Education Policy for Microsoft. “Microsoft is honored to be part of this year’s CHCI Tech Summit to highlight the importance of expanding access to digital skills and computer science for all students.”

"Diversity and Inclusion for Nielsen is a business imperative,” said Lorraine Carrasco, Director Government Relations and Public Policy for Nielsen. “As a CHCI alumna, I am proud of Nielsen’s commitment to creating a pipeline for a diverse workforce and highlighting the impact multicultural consumers have on our economy."

“At Visa, we have an unwavering commitment to developing the best possible leaders and making sure we are growing the best possible talent,” said Sandra Cano, Executive Recruiter at Visa. “Staying competitive in the future demands that companies take action to prepare their employees for success. Visa has developed a number of initiatives and partnerships to prepare current and future employees, including our comprehensive learning available at Visa University. We are constantly trying new programs to attract and retain diverse talent as there is no one size fits all approach to workforce development.”