CDT’s Tech Prom to Feature Knight Foundation President Alberto Ibargüen

On Wednesday, April 10, 2019, the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) will host its annual dinner, Tech Prom. This year’s event will feature the President of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Alberto Ibargüen. Under his leadership, the Knight Foundation seeks to foster informed and engaged communities, and is taking a leading role supporting research and convenings that address the rapidly evolving information landscape, citizen trust, and the impact of these issues on our democracy.

“CDT’s mission is to create a more democratic world that is supported by technology. We are at the forefront of the fight for free speech, secure elections, individual privacy, and human dignity online. As we grapple with these issues and explore the impact technology is having on informing our democracy, we’re heartened to see Alberto and the Knight Foundation boldly engage new voices and fortify quality journalism. We’re looking forward to a thought-provoking conversation with him at Tech Prom,” said CDT President & CEO Nuala O’Connor.

Prior to his role as CEO and a trustee of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Ibargüen was the publisher of The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald. During his tenure, The Miami Herald won three Pulitzer Prizes and El Nuevo Herald won Spain’s Ortega y Gasset Prize for excellence in journalism. He graduated from Wesleyan University and the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Between college and law school, he served in the Peace Corps in Venezuela’s Amazon Territory and was the Peace Corps programming and training officer in Colombia, based in Bogotá. After law school, he practiced law in Hartford, Conn., until he joined The Hartford Courant, then Newsday in New York, before moving to Miami.

“Informed and engaged communities are essential for democracy to function well. Technology has changed not just how we receive and share information but what news is actually produced,” Ibargüen said. “The Center for Democracy & Technology is asking critical questions and pragmatically working towards solutions to shape the informed society we need.”

CDT is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that advocates for internet policies and practices that protect our fundamental rights in the digital age. CDT’s Tech Prom will take place at The Anthem and will feature a live performance from local favorite White Ford Bronco. Tech Prom attracts the most influential minds of today’s tech policy world, and highlights the pressing issues in the field. More information is available at cdt.org/annual-dinner.