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Tiffany M. Moore

Tiffany M. Moore
Senior Vice President, Political and Industry Affairs
Consumer Technology Association
10+ years in the tech industry

Black Leaders In Consumer Tech Award Winner 2021

Tell us about your career so far.

My curiosity and interest in technology began with my mother, an entrepreneur by necessity. She introduced me to computers and technology at a young age. That curiosity has become a consistent thread throughout my career.

My career, particularly in consumer technology, has been policy driven. Throughout my 25-year career, I’ve served in a variety of roles including stints as a senior adviser to Congress, a corporate government relations executive, a political appointee at the Office of the United States Trade Representative, and as a strategic consultant for tech and telecom companies and trade associations. For the last 10 years, I’ve focused exclusively on tech and innovation policy.

Describe your current role.

I currently serve as the Senior Vice President, Political and Industry Affairs at the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the producer of CES. In that role, I manage CTA’s White House and Capitol Hill advocacy as well as broader industry initiatives related to the future of work and diversity.

When it comes to diversity and inclusion, how is the CE industry doing both historically, and also in the past year?

Diversity must be a business imperative instead of a “nice to do.” Organizations that view diversity as a corporate social responsibility exercise will miss the opportunity to dominate the innovation game. It must be a core value.

Sadly, no industry has gotten it right. But our industry is getting better. Importantly, the intention and attention is there.

The last year was a tipping point in the social consciousness of companies and their unique role to play to ensure greater diversity, equality, and justice.
We are the innovation industry. Diversity is the secret sauce if we want to remain the envy of the world as it relates to innovation. Innovation coupled with the ingenuity of diverse individuals and voices will solve today’s and future challenges and increase economic opportunity.

What could the CE industry do to improve on diversity and inclusion?
As an industry, we need to be willing to move outside of our comfort zones and existing networks. Let’s face it; it’s easy to tap into your existing network when you’re hiring for positions. The most successful companies will be those that recognize existing networks miss out on an entire world of talent. It takes work. Commit to the work.

Recognize that we can’t do this work by ourselves. It requires partnership.
Mine your own organization for talent. Take a look at how you’re grooming the next generation of leaders at your company. You could have your next senior executive already working for you. Your challenge is to ensure you’re mentoring that talent for success.

What would you tell non-black professionals in the CE industry who want to support the inclusion of black people in the industry?

Be intentional about expanding your networks. Defaulting to your college alumni association for talent misses the concentrated talent of African American engineers and STEM-graduates at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Create additional avenues to enter the tech industry. Is a 4-year degree necessary or just the default? How are you accounting for grit, hustle, and creativity.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

In 2019, CTA announced it would invest $10 million in venture funds that invest in women and diverse founders. We’re committed to a diverse and entrepreneurial ecosystem and selfishly don’t want to miss out on the next world-changing innovation because a women or diverse founder didn’t have access to capital. To date, we’ve announced investments in Collab Capital, Founders First Capital Partners, Harlem Capital, MacVentures, Plum Alley, Rethink Impact, and SoGal Ventures.

What technology are you most interested in at the moment?

Smart home technology. As much as I love my tech, I had yet to make smart home improvements until this last year. The ability to automate home appliances, change temperature settings, see who’s at my door, and manage home security from my smart phone has been a game changer.

What’s the top trend in CE for you right now?

Digital health and connected fitness. The pandemic made digital health a reality and necessity. And exposed how connectivity can play an important role in increasing access and improving health outcomes. The technology that underpins digital health will have an increasing role in health care delivery. While a growing trend pre-pandemic, the growth in connected fitness has been exponential. There’s great competition in the space and can’t wait to see how that feeds creativity.

What’s your favorite gadget right now?

My Peloton Bike+.