Growing up at CTA: A “Boomerang” Story

“Boomerang Alert” read the headline of a recent all-staff email circulated at the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). At CTA, boomerangs have previously worked for the association, left (for any number of reasons) and now returned. As one of those boomerangs, I want to share my story of how I originally came to CTA and why I left, only to find myself returning nearly a dozen years later.

I joined CTA early in my career. In 2006, I was just a year and a half out of college, having previously worked as an analyst at a law firm. In addition to being the owner and producer of CES, a show I had followed since high school, I was drawn to CTA by the culture. This was a place that valued collaboration, inclusion, innovative thinking, and was at the forefront of tech policy. Within my first week at CTA, I discovered the passion my colleagues had for their work, and the importance of a healthy work-life balance.

It was in those early years at CTA that I pursued a Master of Public Policy at George Mason University , with the help of CTA’s tuition reimbursement program. While the money was a clear perk, it was also the flexibility that CTA leadership afforded me to take classes in the evening, and even pursue a two-week study abroad to India, where I wrote about how the country’s telecommunications networks were unlocking new economic opportunities.

The decision to leave CTA in 2009 was a difficult one, but looking back, it was the right decision to make. In front of me was an opportunity to go to Capitol Hill, and work on tech policy. That transition led to almost a decade of government service, including roles at the House Small Business Committee, for Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, and as the Chief of Staff to FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn . Those experiences broadened my understanding of tech and telecom policy, allowing me to take on new issues, strengthening my writing skills, and introducing me to a wide array of associations and companies.

When I was preparing to leave government in 2018, there were a few things I knew I wanted in my next role. Among them was the chance to be entrepreneurial, utilize my experience in government, and the ability to work across the aisle to get things done in a bipartisan manner. I found that in the GPS Innovation Alliance (GPSIA) , a trade association focused on promoting, protecting, and enhancing GPS.

Fast forward to November 2021, when I had the opportunity to return to CTA’s Government Affairs team in a Vice President role. Now in a new phase of my life, soon to be married (at that time) and looking to start a family, CTA’s benefit package was an attractive draw. Like the tuition reimbursement benefit, which had enabled me to pursue an advanced degree some 11 years ago, the parental leave policy, fertility and adoption reimbursement and 529 College Savings Plan now took on a new meaning. Add to those benefits, the mortgage assistance program, which offers a $40,000 forgivable loan for the purchase of a primary residence within a 10-mile commute of CTA, and it’s no wonder the association has been regularly ranked one of the Washington, DC area’s top workplaces.

Now in 2024, almost three years being back at CTA (six overall), I couldn’t be happier to have “boomeranged.” I’ve even seen others I worked with during my initial stint make the same decision to return. Returning to CTA in a senior role, I bring valuable insight from my past experiences from the public and private sectors that have made me a more well-rounded employee. I also bring a unique understanding of the association’s history, enabling me to be a mentor to our newer staff.

If you’ve read to the end, and think that CTA is the place for you, you’re in luck. CTA regularly hires for full-time and intern roles. If you’re looking for a good work-life balance, great colleagues, attractive benefits, and the ability to work on innovative issues, come join me at CTA and the experience of being part of CES, the most powerful tech event in the world.