Jessica Rosenworcel

The very first live episode of Broadband Conversations focuses on the intersection of women, entrepreneurship, and technology. On this episode, Commissioner Rosenworcel sat down with a live audience and Congresswomen Davids and Finkenauer, two women who are breaking barriers and getting things done on the Small Business Committee, to discuss how women can and should build the next big thing online or open a store on Main Street. Listeners will hear the Congresswomen and the Commissioner cover a lot of ground in this episode, including how women need reliable broadband and access to capital necessary to start businesses and how things like student loan debt can hold female entrepreneurs back.

Minnesota Senator Tina Smith is a community organizer, entrepreneur, and a policymaker. In this episode of Broadband Conversations, listeners will hear her describe her path to the US Senate, which started as a community volunteer when she knocked on doors with her two children and a stroller in tow. She went on to serving in local government, including a stint as Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota, before her current role on Capitol Hill. As a US Senator, she's used her platform to fight for universal, affordable broadband coverage. As Senator Smith says in the episode, we should not take internet access for granted. She points out that when hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans do not have online access to jobs, education, and economic growth, families and communities are left behind.

Did you know Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey was also a professional basketball player? Learn about her history as a point guard, her work protecting consumers, and why she joined the fight to protect net neutrality in this episode of Broadband Conversations.

Sarah McBride is an author, an activist, and one of the most visible voices for trans equality. She's made history, too. She was the first openly transgender woman to serve as an intern at the White House and the first openly transgender person to address a major party convention. Sarah's conversation with Commissioner Rosenworcel focuses on the importance of internet connectivity for all and how it can be a lifeline for the LGBTQ community.

"Making the improbable possible." "Beat the odds." These are just a few of the quotes you'll hear from this episode of Broadband Conversations, featuring San Jose, California Chief Innovation Officer Shireen Santosham. From her parents' upbringing to her childhood to her career working on behalf of her community, listeners will be inspired by Santosham's personal story and commitment to digital equity.

California Congresswoman Norma Torres is the only former 911 dispatcher in Congress. She joined Commissioner Rosenworcel to share how one 911 call led her to activism and what Washington can do to give 911 operators the tools and respect they deserve to better serve their communities.

Victoria Espinel, an expert on the intersection of technology, innovation, and public policy joined Commissioner Rosenworcel for an in-depth discussion about her career as a lawyer, professor, and trade negotiator. She also discussed her time as President Obama's advisor on intellectual property, and her work at the helm of BSA | The Software Alliance. On the podcast, listeners will hear Commissioner Rosenworcel and Ms. Espinel discuss the growing impact of software on our civic and commercial lives, how we can build unbiased artificial intelligence, and what the future looks like for the use and deployment of AI.

Cecilia Munoz, Vice President of Public Interest Technology and Local Initiatives at New America Foundation, joined Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel for a conversation about her career as an advocate for change and how we can open government to new ideas and new technologies.

In this episode of Broadband Conversations, Commissioner Rosenworcel chats with Congresswoman Yvette Clarke. Commissioner Rosenworcel and Congresswoman Clarke discuss the importance of public service as well as the Congresswoman's work on broadband, diversity in media, and efforts to promote opportunities for girls and women of color.

In this episode of Broadband Conversations, Commissioner Rosenworcel talks with Samantha John and Jocelyn Leavitt, co-founders of Hopscotch, an app that allows users to code and design games, art and animations on their hand-held devices—two women who have revolutionized the way kids—and adults too—are learning how to code and build in the digital age. In this episode, listeners will learn from two women entrepreneurs about how they built Hopscotch, what challenges they faced along the way, and what advice they'd give anyone looking to start something new.