Craig Albright – Senior Vice President, US Government Relations
From Birmingham, Michigan. Moved to Washington, DC, in 1997.
As the Senior Vice President for US Government Relations at BSA | The Software Alliance, I lead the team responsible for driving our engagement with the US federal and state governments.
Before joining BSA in March 2014, I spent four years as the World Bank Group’s Special Representative for the United States, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Prior to that, I served over 12 years in the US government, including positions in the White House as Special Assistant to President George W. Bush and Deputy Assistant to Vice President Dick Cheney. I also worked in Congress as the Legislative Director and Chief of Staff for former Congressman Joe Knollenberg of Michigan and as Chief of Staff for Congresswoman Kay Granger of Texas.
I am originally from the Detroit area and hold a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Michigan State University.
What/who inspired you to have the career you have today?
I’m a kid from the Midwest who fell in love with C-SPAN. I didn’t know what I wanted to do in college, but I loved watching C-SPAN. It finally hit me: I could move to Washington and get into the mix. I got an internship in the Michigan State Capitol, which turned into a job, and I helped pass a bill on drinking water into law — all while still in college. When I graduated and moved to Washington, DC, I had a huge head of steam and dove right into working in Congress.
What’s the most unique part about working at BSA?
It’s the culture. We’re able to achieve levels of excellence while working in a relaxed atmosphere with free-flowing collaboration across teams. That’s just not the norm in Washington. Even when there’s great urgency and pressure, we’re all connected and helping each other. When there are tensions, we’re able to talk about them honestly. I really enjoy my colleagues. It’s a great way to live.
How would you describe BSA and the software industry to someone unfamiliar with them?
BSA members are business-to-business companies that create some of the most advanced technology in the world. They help organizations across every industry and of all sizes modernize and grow. They compete with each other to provide the best privacy and data protection in the world because that’s what their customers demand. Our companies want BSA to help policymakers pass new laws so governments can do a better job of catching up to where technology is already going.
What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
Variety! I love trying lots of different flavors. If I could only have one, I’d be depressed. Ben & Jerry’s Chubby Hubby and Peanut Butter Cup are amazing. But there’s something in me that’s always pushing me to have different experiences. Sometimes, I’ll even try a flavor that I don’t think I’m going to enjoy just so I can have the experience of trying it.
If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be and why?
I have to go with Jesus. The guy lived thousands of years ago, and today, hundreds of millions of people are still passionately studying what he said and did. Something really big happened there, and it was super focused on love. I don’t claim to understand it, but it was enormously powerful. To be able to get a piece of that directly from the source would be absolutely amazing.
Favorite book/podcast/long-form article you recommend? What did you learn?
I listen to many podcasts while I run, drive, and do chores. It’s hard to pick one favorite. “The Focus Group” with Sarah Longwell for understanding politics, “The Rewatchables” with Bill Simmons for laughs, and “Dungeon of Doom: A Detroit Lions Podcast” by MLive for my obsession are top-notch. But my sneaky sleeper recommendation is “Everything Everywhere” by Gary Arndt. It’s a daily 15-minute deep dive on completely different topics across history, geography, technology, and more. I find pretty much every topic fascinating and walk away feeling smarter.
