Technology has transformed our lives in countless ways. We carry powerful computers in our pockets, we spend hours staring at screens, and we rely on the Internet not only for news and entertainment but also to communicate with friends and colleagues across the globe.
Technology leaders in Washington DC have been behind many of these advancements over the years, making history in science, entrepreneurship, and politics.
The following is a list of top technology leaders from Washington DC
1. Will Ackerly
Formerly the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for the National Security Agency (NSA), Will Ackerly was responsible for leading all technology, including cybersecurity. Before that, he served as a Vice President of Research and Development at Lockheed Martin, where he supervised insecure research information systems.
He created Virtru, an email encryption service that does not require a software installation and can be used in a web browser.
2. Chris C. Kemp
Formerly the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NASA’s Ames Research Center, Chris C. Kemp is currently the CEO of Nebula, an enterprise cloud computing startup based in Washington DC. In his work with NASA, he was responsible for increasing the agency’s collaboration with private companies and entrepreneurs.
3. Peter Lee
Peter Lee is the Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Research, where he oversees six laboratories around the world that research machine learning, robotics, human-computer interaction, and more. He was one of the first inventors behind Microsoft’s Kinect project and developed the computer vision and machine learning technologies that allowed him to see in 3-D.
4. Peter Levin
Peter Levin is the President of Qualcomm Labs, which encourages research at universities and other institutions on future wireless technologies such as 5G networks, smart cities, and more. Before this role, he was CEO of Lytro, a consumer light-field camera technology startup based in Silicon Valley.
5. Megan Smith
As the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of the United States, Megan Smith is responsible for advising the White House on ways to encourage technological innovation that benefits Americans and makes government more efficient. Before this role, she was Google’s Vice President of Google Cloud and the company’s Vice President of New Business Development. She was a member of Google X, the team responsible for developing Google Glass and self-driving cars.
6. Andrew J. Antony
Andrew J. Antony is the co-founder and CEO of Enterproid, which provides Android security tools for enterprises. Before this position, he was Vice President of Development at Safend, an enterprise data security firm IBM purchased in 2011.
These top tech leaders from Washington DC are changing how we share information, create technology, and access entertainment.
