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Anchor Change is a newsletter that provides analysis of what's happening around the world at the intersection of democracy and technology.

“Election whisperer to the tech industry.” - Foreign Policy Magazine

Welcome to my newsletter and podcast! My name is Katie. I’ve spent the last twenty-plus years working at the intersection of technology and democracy, including at political campaigns, tech companies, and non-profits.

Since 2021, I’ve been an independent consultant. My clients are mainly non-profits and tech companies, many of whom I work with through Duco Experts. Anchor Change—and the sister podcast Impossible Tradeoffs—are ways I aim to make your life easier by curating news and events and providing insight into what is happening at the intersection of technology and democracy. I also include some personal essays about my life and building my business.

My analysis has appeared in news outlets such as 60 Minutes, On with Kara Swisher, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CNN, Washington Post, Axios, Associated Press, and Politico.

As a subscriber, I’ll help you stay updated with everything happening in the world, provide some historical context, and share some early insights into emerging trends. Current subscribers come from all 50 US states and 124 countries.

Subscriber Benefits

All subscribers get four posts a week:

1. Sundays: What I'm Reading, a list of the week's must-reads from around the internet

2. Tuesdays: Taking the Long View, a roundup of upcoming world events that should be on everyone's radar, and a few you might otherwise miss

3. Wednesdays: Analyses of the most pressing issues at the intersection of technology and democracy and personal essays about what is happening in my life.

4. Thursdays: Impossible Tradeoffs, a podcast featuring expert guests in politics, technology, and the trust and safety space.

I do not have a paywall for any of my content. However, I pay for it myself through subscriptions and the occasional sponsored piece.

When you financially support this newsletter, you're not just getting weekly insights but investing in the independent analysis that bridges the gap between democracy and technology. Your subscription directly funds the research, resources, and time needed to provide a unique perspective on these critical issues. 

Your support also helps elevate diverse voices and foster a community where different sectors can come together and share ideas. In a world where technology and democracy are increasingly intertwined, your contribution helps sustain a crucial dialogue that might otherwise go unheard. 

Please consider becoming a paid subscriber. If a subscription isn’t in the cards right now, I also offer one-time donations through Venmo, or you can share the newsletter with friends and colleagues. Any little bit helps!

Thank you so much for being on this journey with me. I can’t thank you enough for your support. Below is a little bit more about me if you are interested!

Thanks.

PS: I also have a merch site with my Panic Responsibly mantra for these crazy times. Become a paid subscriber, and I’ll send you a free sticker. You can also order your own swag here.

About Me

I was born and grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Until I was seven, my family and I lived near Lambeau Field. We are huge Packer fans and are owners of the team. We love to hunt and fish and are a very outdoorsy family. We’re also huge Disney fans. I’m the oldest of three kids, single, and have lived in Washington, DC, for 20 years.

Careerwise, I started my journey post-college at the Republican National Committee in 2003. I worked in the communications department and ran the beginnings of an e-campaign department (as we called it those days.) I bounced around doing digital for various campaigns through the 2010 cycle and then joined Facebook.

My role at Facebook evolved a lot over ten years. I started working with Republican candidates and elected officials on how to use the platform. In 2013, I pitched to the company that we should build an international team to help political figures use the platform and develop a global elections strategy across the company.

That work shifted a ton in the six and a half years I was doing it. We started small, with me building the election day reminders myself and begging and pleading for help across the company wherever I could get it.

In 2015, the civic product team was created, and in 2017, the work shifted primarily to integrity work. By 2019, I was working closely with product teams to develop and deploy civic engagement and election integrity products, including political ads transparency features; developing and executing policies around elections; building the teams that support the government, political, and advocacy partners; working with policymakers on shaping the regulation of elections online, and serving as a spokesperson for the company about these issues. I was involved in this work in major elections for every country worldwide, including the United States, India, Brazil, the United Kingdom, European Union, Canada, the Philippines, and Mexico.

I’ve written in the past about my process in deciding to leave Facebook as well as how I mapped out my post-Facebook journey, so I won’t go into too much detail again here but to say that when deciding to go out on my own, I knew I wanted to keep working at the intersection of technology and democracy in the United States and around the world. I have three pillars that my work fits into:

1. Mentorship: I liked being a manager, and I love working with students, recent graduates, or anyone interested in this space, so I wanted to make sure a portion of my time when to do that.

2. Voice: When I left, I had this strong urge - that continues to this day - to write and create. I thought the public discussion of content moderation, elections, politics, speech, and others needed more nuance. I wanted to build up my own brand and thought leadership versus representing the company's point of view. My goal is to call balls and strikes as I see them. I would do some things differently if I could return in time. There are other decisions I’ll continue to defend. There was often no easy answer, and I can see why someone else would have made a different call. In writing this newsletter, I hope to give you a glimpse of those tradeoffs and decision-making processes.

3. Build: For the last pillar, I didn’t want just to be someone who talked about what should be done, but I wanted to help build the future of this work. This is why I enjoy the work at the Integrity Institute and with people at the platforms as they continue to work through these challenges.

To make this all happen, there wasn’t a full-time job that would encompass all of this. The thought of a regular, full-time job didn’t appeal to me either. So I decided to put together a portfolio of projects with non-profit orgs like the Bipartisan Policy Center, Integrity Institute, and the International Republican Institute; traditional consulting through organizations like Duco Experts; and write this newsletter and produce a podcast. (PS: If you are interested in potentially doing something similar, you can check out a book by Christina Wallace called The Portfolio Life.)

Paid subscribers make this work possible. I’d love your support. You’ll support my work and allow me to bring you in-depth analyses on the most pressing issues in tech and politics. 

Thank you for coming on this adventure with me.