Spotlight on Commerce: Emy Tseng, Broadband Program Specialist, BroadbandUSA, National Telecommunications and Information Administration

I am honored to participate in the Department of Commerce’s celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. I was born in Taiwan and spent most of my childhood in Seattle. I spent the early part of my career as a software engineer in network architecture and database internals. But as the Internet went mainstream, I became more interested in the socio-economic implications of the digital divide and who might be left behind. So in 1999, I left the private sector to study public policy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 2009, I joined the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to become a Program Officer with the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program. Currently, I work with BroadbandUSA and provide states, local governments and other stakeholders technical assistance on strategies to increase broadband adoption, use and digital skills. As part of this work, I facilitate the Digital Inclusion Leaders Network, a group of state and local government leaders.

Technology is a powerful tool and can a great enabler – however, for everyone to benefit, we need to design policies and programs that are equitable. In the end, it’s people who matter and I am grateful to have a role in empowering them through technology. 

[In 2017, Emy Tseng was named a Charles Benton Digital Equity Champion by the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society and the National Digital Inclusion Alliance]