The Digital Patriots awards program, created by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)®, recognizes government and industry leaders for their commitment to advancing policies and practices vital to innovation in consumer technology.
Thank you for joining us for an evening of celebrating the thought leaders and innovators who are changing lives for the better. This year’s Digital Patriots Dinner, part of CTA’s 100th anniversary milestone, recognized the 2024 Digital Patriot honorees and welcomed a new tech pioneer to the CT Hall of Fame. Watch a recap of this year's event in the video below.
Colin Angle is former chief executive officer and co-founder of iRobot. Under Colin's leadership for more than 30 years, iRobot grew from an MIT startup to a global leader in consumer robots, including the award-winning Roomba® robot vacuum and the Braava® family of robot mops. Angle was inducted into the CT Hall of Fame in 2019 for his contributions in making robots in the home commonplace and establishing the home robot as a product category. He was selected as an industry honoree for the CTA Digital Patriots Award for his long-time advocacy for the consumer technology industry, including calling for the removal of tariffs on technology products and supporting STEM education through the creation of National Robotics Week. Recently, the European Commission, with support from the Federal Trade Commission, blocked a deal for Amazon to acquire iRobot, undercutting a deal between two successful American companies that would have benefitted consumers.
Congresswoman Robin Kelly is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where she focuses on expanding access to healthcare, consumer protection for American families, and economic development. In her role on the Energy and Commerce Committee, Congresswoman Kelly serves on the Health, Communications and Technology, and Innovation, Data, and Commerce subcommittees. With the support of CTA, Congresswoman Kelly leads the newly-established Congressional Digital Health Caucus. The Caucus will shape policies that support the integration of digital health technologies into the healthcare landscape. She was chosen to receive the CTA Digital Patriots Award for her work advancing digital health access, equity, and innovation.
Congressman Bob Latta is a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where he focuses on crafting the nation’s energy, telecommunications, environment, health care, and interstate commerce policy. He is also chair of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology where he advocates for policies that help consumers, grow the economy, spur innovation, and close the digital divide. Previously, Congressman Latta chaired the Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee where he advocated for policies that protected consumers and promoted privacy, data security, and motor vehicle safety. Congressman Latta was selected as a CTA Digital Patriot for his leadership to introduce the SELF DRIVE Act and advance legislation to implement a federal framework for autonomous vehicles, which would improve roadway safety and save lives.
Denise Gibson is a visionary leader and industry trailblazer at the forefront of one of the most popular consumer electronics products in history – the mobile phone. Denise led the North America technical and commercial teams for Motorola during its rapid ascent to becoming the global leader in wireless handsets. She then shifted to entrepreneurship launching two fast-growth companies, as Founder and CEO of Brightstar US and CoFounder of Ice Mobility, developing services and providing marketplace solutions focused on accelerating the spread of wireless technology.
A longtime advocate of innovation and accessibility in consumer technology, Denise has held multiple roles within CTA including: Executive Board, Chair of the CTA Foundation, Board of Industry Leaders, CTAPAC Leadership Board, Audit Committee Chair, and the Diversity Investment Committee. Keenly aware of the proven success achieved by diverse teams, Denise is an industry thought leader and promoter of diverse leadership and inclusion in technology development and commercial businesses. She is a catalyst in CTA’s commitment to invest $10 million with venture funds that are committed to funding women-led startups, underrepresented founders, and diverse leadership teams.
