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BSA Celebrates 30 Years and Honors 2018 Software Champions

Last night, we celebrated BSA’s 30th Anniversary by honoring Sens. Todd Young and Maria Cantwell and Reps. Doug Collins and Hakeem Jeffries as BSA’s 2018 Software Champions during a reception at the US Capitol. Each of these members has worked diligently for issues that matter to the software industry, including driving a constructive discussion about artificial intelligence (AI), helping pass the CLOUD Act, and protecting trade secrets.

The reception also called attention to the economic impact of software, highlighting the growth of software jobs and contributions to R&D in eight states where BSA’s members are located – California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington.

We were honored to have our guests join us for this special celebration, including Reps. Suzan DelBene (one of our 2017 Software Champions), Ruben Gallego, Darrell Issa, Hank Johnson, Jim Langevin, and Brad Schneider, as well as former head of BSA Robert Holleyman and representatives from BSA member companies Autodesk, CA Technologies, IBM, Microsoft, Okta, Oracle, Salesforce, SAS, Siemens, Splunk, Workday.

Happy 30th Anniversary to BSA and congratulations to our 2018 Software Champions!

Click here to view the photo gallery.

BSA President and CEO Victoria Espinel with Rep. Doug Collins.
BSA President and CEO Victoria Espinel with Rep. Doug Collins.
BSA President and CEO Victoria Espinel (center) with 2018 Software Champion Sen. Maria Cantwell (right) and 2017 Software Champion Rep. Suzan DelBene (left), both representatives of Washington state.
BSA President and CEO Victoria Espinel (center) with 2018 Software Champion Sen. Maria Cantwell (right) and 2017 Software Champion Rep. Suzan DelBene (left), both representatives of Washington state.
BSA 2018 Software Champion Sen. Todd Young talks about the important of US leadership in AI.
BSA 2018 Software Champion Sen. Todd Young talks about the important of US leadership in AI.

Author:

Victoria Espinel is a global leader advancing the future of technology innovation.  

As CEO of BSA | The Software Alliance, Victoria has grown the organization’s worldwide presence in over 30 countries, distinguishing BSA as the leader for enterprise software companies on issues including artificial intelligence, privacy, cybersecurity, and digital trade. She launched the Digital Transformation Network and the Global Data Alliance, flagship BSA initiatives to further BSA’s collaboration with 15+ industry sectors globally. Victoria founded Software.org, the enterprise software industry’s nonprofit partner that educates policymakers and the public about the impact of software and careers within the industry. 

Victoria serves on President Biden’s National Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee (Chair of the International Working Group), served as a member of the President’s USTR Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations (ACTPN), and chaired the Future of Software and Society Group at the World Economic Forum. She is a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations. 

 Victoria has testified on multiple occasions before the US Congress, European Parliament, and Japanese Diet. Victoria speaks frequently to groups about AI, cybersecurity, and STEM education, including Latinas in Tech, Girls Rule the Law, the Congressional Staff Hispanic Association, Women’s Congressional Staff Associations, Girls Who Code, EqualAI, CSIS, and numerous academic institutions. She has been featured in a wide range of media outlets, including New York Times, Washington Post, Financial Times, Forbes, C-SPAN, BBC, Bloomberg Business, The New Yorker, and NPR. 

Prior to BSA, Victoria was confirmed by the US Senate to serve as the first White House “IP Czar,” establishing a new office in the White House and advising President Obama on intellectual property. She also served in the Bush Administration as the first chief US trade negotiator for intellectual property and innovation, a role in which she created the office of Intellectual Property and Innovation at USTR and led negotiations with over 70 countries. 

Victoria launched Girls Who Code’s Washington, DC summer program and serves on the Board of Directors for ChIPs, a nonprofit organization advancing women in technology law and policy. 

She holds an LLM from the London School of Economics, a JD from Georgetown University Law School, and a BS in Foreign Service from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. She is a native of Washington, DC, and the proud proprietor of Jewel of the South, a restaurant in New Orleans. 

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