I’m Jen Fox, Engine’s Manager of External Affairs. I am excited to work with America’s startups across the country, and I want to get to know what issues matter most to you and your startup. Can you fill out this survey?
Prior to joining Engine, I spent nearly five years at the National Restaurant Association. I managed the Association’s grassroots and engagement programs for an industry that employs over 15 million people. I’ve resided in the nation’s capital for nine years but am a true New Yorker at heart. As a proud graduate of the George Washington University, I spend time volunteering with my alumni groups. In my free time, I enjoy reading, traveling, running, and cooking.
Engine’s work is twofold—we work on educating lawmakers about startups, but an equally important piece is educating startups about lawmakers. The technology sector is not just a handful of big players, and startups across the nation are disrupting the tech landscape to make our world a better place. However, without knowing what policies matter most to startups, lawmakers make decisions without knowing the impact on our startup ecosystem. In this newly-created role, my goal is to leverage the great work of startups to ensure legislators call upon the ecosystem before considering any legislation that maybe harmful to our growth.
As the Manager of External Affairs, I will be managing Engine’s outreach and engagement including our #StartupsEverywhere initiative. If you or someone you know is interested in being featured, please email me! Collectively, we can make the voice of startups louder and get lawmakers to listen. We need your help to tell the story of the technology entrepreneurship industry. There are many ways to engage with lawmakers - both back home in the district and here in Washington, D.C. As busy entrepreneurs, we can find a level of engagement that fits your needs. One size does not fit all.
Similarly, advocacy is different on all levels of government. The biggest difference is what it takes to move the needle. On a local level, 15 advocates can quickly make an alderman aware of the consequences of a policy; on the federal level, you need your voice to be a lot louder. A key to grassroots advocacy on all levels is identifying what is meaningful to you. If you really care about immigration issues, then we can make sure you are our advocate on immigration. Take this short survey to tell us about what matters to you!
Looking forward to getting to know the industry and working with you. Feel free to reach out to me at jen@engine.is .
