Kelly Carnes is a nationally recognized technology policy expert and thought leader, holding numerous leadership positions in technology business, government and law, during her 30 year career in the tech industry.
She is President and CEO of TechVision21, a Washington, DC-based technology strategy firm. TechVision21 leverages technology, business and government expertise to help companies: pinpoint and secure research and technology funding; forge critical alliances with business and government leaders; and promote and protect their interests in Washington. TechVision21 clients include global technology companies, leading U.S. research universities, government, and science and technology non-profit organizations.
Ms. Carnes has years of experience promoting and supporting the development and commercialization of technology, including various information, communications, defense and nanotechnology applications. Ms. Carnes also has worked to support a wide variety of renewable energy projects, including hydrogen and fuel cells, solar, ocean energy (wave and ocean thermal), biofuels, and innovative vehicle technologies, including fuel efficient engines, batteries, motors and other vehicle components. Under Ms. Carnes leadership, the firm has worked successfully with many Federal agencies, including the Departments of Energy, Defense, Transportation, Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Labor and the National Science Foundation.
TechVision21 also has helped numerous government and non-profit organizations evaluate programs, develop influential reports and make policy recommendations, including work for the Office of Naval Research, the Army, the Alliance for Science and Technology Research in America (ASTRA), the National Association of Manufacturers Center for Workforce Success, Jobs for the Future, and the National Task Force on Technology and Disability. Most recently, Ms. Carnes led a team of researchers in completing an Assessment of the Naval STEM Workforce for the Department of the Navy in 2014.
Previously, Ms. Carnes served eight years in the Federal government, first in the White House, and then as a trusted technology policy advisor to four Secretaries of Commerce. Most recently, Ms. Carnes was a top national advocate for technology business. As a Presidential appointee, confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Ms. Carnes represented the Clinton Administration before Congress, and was a liaison to, and advocate for, the technology business community. Ms. Carnes also represented the United States in bi-lateral negotiations with foreign governments, and in multi-lateral fora, including the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Ms. Carnes was a key point person on numerous high profile technology policy issues, including Federal R&D funding; e-business regulation; strengthening America’s high tech work force; and technology-based economic development.
Ms. Carnes provided strategic direction and management oversight for a multi-million dollar Federal agency; spearheaded sophisticated, highly-leveraged public-private partnerships to promote technological innovation; and led numerous Presidential and Cabinet-level technology initiatives. Private sector partners—including Warner Brothers, Scientific American, the National Association of Manufacturers, and DeVry University—invested $50+ for every Federal dollar invested in these ventures.
Ms. Carnes provided policy support for the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles, an innovative public-private partnership among numerous Federal agencies, automotive manufacturers, suppliers, and universities, to develop fuel cells and other next generation automotive technologies. Ms. Carnes also worked extensively to promote the competitiveness of the U.S. environmental industry, producing a path-breaking report, and speaking nation-wide about the need for reform of U.S. environmental regulations.
Ms. Carnes helped lead the Administration’s efforts to address the nation’s demand for science, technology, engineering and mathematics workers. She orchestrated a series of Cabinet-level town meetings and events, met with more than 1,000 business, academic and state government leaders, developed two highly influential reports, created an award-winning website, and implemented an aggressive policy agenda to address the shortage.
She also created GetTech, a Telly-award winning national public awareness campaign to encourage teens to pursue technology careers. GetTech features celebrity endorsements, radio and television public service announcements, and an interactive web site. GetTech ads have been broadcast more than 45,000 times, and have reached students in 14,000 public middle schools.
Ms. Carnes is known as a dynamic speaker and forceful advocate for industry on technology and competitiveness issues. She is a frequent keynote speaker at national and international technology and business conferences, and has been widely quoted in the media, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, CNN.com, Business Week.com, CIO Magazine and The National Journal. She has been a featured guest on National Public Radio’s Talk of the Nation, and appeared on television and radio broadcasts nationwide.
Ms. Carnes has served on numerous Boards and Commissions, including the Institute for Materials Science Innovation, the Comptroller General’s Advisory Board, the Senior Advisory Council for the Director of National Intelligence, the Water Innovation Alliance, the National Governor’s Association Commission on Technology and Adult Education, and the Steering Committee for the Commission on the Advancement of Women and Minorities in Science, Engineering and Technology (Morella Commission). She also is a member of a Blue Ribbon Panel for BEST: Building Engineering and Science Talent.
In 2000, Ms. Carnes was asked by the Center for the Study of the Presidency to join an elite group of experts making recommendations to President Bush on improving the Federal government’s ability to develop technology and competitiveness policy.
Ms. Carnes previously enjoyed a highly successful technology business career. As a business and technology attorney at a top national law firm, Ms. Carnes structured and negotiated more than $1 billion in technology business transactions. These included Joint ventures and strategic alliances, venture capital transactions, technology development, licensing and marketing agreements, systems integration projects, and large-scale outsourcing deals.
Ms. Carnes graduate Phi Beta Kappa from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Magna Cum Laude from Georgetown University Law School, where she was Topics Editor of the Georgetown Law Journal.
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