❓ Interested in applying to our summer 2026 Science and Technology Policy Fellowship? Join our upcoming informational webinars for further details on the Fellowship and the application process.

As we head into the end of the year, we’re excited to share our partner @pausetake9.bsky.social's Holiday Cybersecurity Resources, designed to help communities stay safe online during one of the busiest digital moments of the year.

📣 You shouldn’t need a policy degree or connections in DC to make your voice heard. That’s why we’re launching our paid summer 2026 Science and Technology Policy Fellowship. Learn more and apply here: aspenpolicyacademy.org/fellowship

🔐 This morning we released a new cybersecurity project created by 2025 Science and Technology Policy Fellow Amber Turner!

🤖 As we wrap our 3-month #RisingCivicAILeaders program with @aspendigital.bsky.social, we’re celebrating a cohort that turned civic AI challenges into grounded public-sector solutions. Participants sharpened core capacities in policy writing, public engagement, & more over dedicated weekly sessions.

📣 You have insights that the government needs to hear. Come to our How To Tell Governments What You Think webinar for staff and alumni tips on making officials listen to your voice. Register here to join us Dec. 17 from 9-10am PT: aspenpolicyacademy.org/program/how-...

🌎 In the Press: Why platforms still miss climate misinformation We're proud to spotlight alum @theodoraskeadas.bsky.social on a new @techpolicypress.bsky.social piece showing how incentive structures, not technical limits, allow climate misinformation to persist.

👀 Pssst… we have big news coming up next week! Over 7 years, our cornerstone summer Fellowship has transformed 100+ subject-matter experts into policy leaders. We’re now ready to find our 2026 cohort. Stay tuned for details dropping Thursday, December 18.

🗣️ Do you want to make your voice heard on key policy issues? Join our How To Tell Governments What You Think webinar next Wednesday, December 17 from 9-10am PT for expert tips and alumni examples of policy advocacy. Register here: aspeninstitute.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_C20FNNhtSLWbKHJKcNXiqQ

🌿 Environmental Policy Accelerator 2025 Recap: in 6 weeks, our cohort turned climate urgency into policy, tackling issues from responder resilience to data-center impacts. Alum Holly Alpine of #EnabledEmissionsCampaign said the program helped them build “a cohesive strategy."

🫂 Our 2025 Savilla Pitt Memorial Fellows, Yakaira Nunez and Carlos Javier Torres, recently met with policy leaders in Washington, DC, about responsible AI and economic opportunities for Alabamians. 👉 Learn more about the Fellowship here: aspenpolicyacademy.org/savilla-pitt-memorial-fellowship

This December, we’re offering these free virtual webinars designed to strengthen your civic voice: 🔹 Getting a Job In Policy 🗓️ Dec. 3, 11am–12pm PT 🔹 How to Tell Governments What You Think 🗓️ Dec. 17, 9–10am PT 🔹 Cyber Civic Engagement 🗓️ Dec. 18, 9–10am PT

🏛️ We’ve helped 100+ alumni secure roles in government. Now we want to help you! Join our Getting a Job In Policy webinar on Dec. 3 from 11am-12pm PT for insider advice on finding job openings and crafting application materials.

💡Do you want to share your ideas with government officials, but are unsure of where to start? Join our Dec. 17 How To Tell Governments What You Think webinar for expert tips and stories of policy advocacy from alumni. 🔗Register here: aspeninstitute.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_C20FNNhtSLWbKHJKcNXiqQ

🌟 Team Spotlight: Meet Qismah Balogun, our Communications Intern! A UCLA senior passionate about making policy accessible, she expands our webinar outreach and brings more voices into civic engagement.

🔎 With NYC agencies using cameras and sensors throughout the city, our 2025 Science & Technology Policy Fellows are helping the city proactively safeguard against privacy risks.

🙌 Last week we released a new artificial intelligence policy project that’s getting adopted by the New York City Office of Technology and Innovation (NYC OTI)!

Local school boards + city councils make decisions on data protection, Wi-Fi security, and cyber incident response. Anyone can submit a public comment. ⏱️ How to write one in 60 seconds: ✅ Share your story ✅ Connect it to community impact ✅ Make one clear ask

✨ Last night, we hosted an alumni happy hour in DC! We look forward to continuing to welcome new voices into our policy community in 2026. Visit our website to join upcoming training programs: aspenpolicyacademy.org/programs/

🏛️ Government officials want to know what you think. That’s why we’ve published a beginner-friendly guide on how to share your ideas with policymakers. Anyone interested in making change in their community can use these tips from policy leaders and Academy staff and alumni.

🔴 Myth: Local gov doesn’t affect cybersecurity 🟢 Truth: Their vendor + funding choices shape your WiFi 🔴 Myth: Public/friend’s WiFi is private 🟢 Truth: Owners see your activity; hackers see more 🔴 Myth: You must be a tech expert 🟢 Truth: Community voices drive policy

⏰ There are only 2 days left to apply for our free training course, Building Nonprofit Advocacy Capacity! Don’t miss this chance to scale your nonprofit’s impact, access expert insights, and grow your capacity.

🎉 Thank you to everyone who joined us at our Policy In Action event in NYC last night! It was inspiring to hear from our panelists and alumni about how we can all play a part in civic innovation. If you weren’t able to attend, you can still get involved.

📣 “We are in a really historic moment right now when it comes to applying the benefits of the technological revolution to creating tools that help…public servants achieve their goals of better service,” said former Tulsa, OK Mayor G.T. Bynum.

Congrats to Fellow Camille Carlton, policy director at the @humanetech.bsky.social, for her new co-authored piece: “AI Product Liability: The Light-Touch Law With Heavyweight Impact.” The piece asks: Who is responsible if AI products can emotionally manipulate users or mislead the public?

💡 Nonprofits can be power players in the policy space. Is your organization tapping into this potential? Join our free Building Nonprofit Advocacy Capacity training course to learn how to build an effective policy strategy and team.

Our friends at @rstreet.bsky.social recently published an analysis of how AI is making online scams more convincing and widespread. One of the key takeaways is that protecting consumers will take collaboration between policymakers, tech companies, and financial institutions.

📰 Last week, our Director @betsycooper.bsky.social was quoted in @npr.org's coverage of the #AmazonWebServices outage that disrupted major websites/services across the internet. Betsy noted that incidents like this display the danger of so many critical systems depending on a few major players.

🧠 “There are many ways to create meaningful policy impact for a nonprofit research organization,” said fellowship alum Kelsey Whiting of @thelandinstitute.bsky.social. We’re excited to now offer the virtual Building Nonprofit Advocacy Capacity course to help other nonprofit leaders.

🔎 We’re hiring an entry-level Program Assistant to provide operational, administrative, communications, and event support to our programs. We prefer candidates based in the Bay Area, but remote candidates are also eligible. Learn more and apply here 👉 www.aspeninstitute.org/about/our-ca... #Hiring

📣 We want educators helping shape the future of education policy. That’s why we are excited to announce our new partnership with Teach For America’s Rural School Leadership Academy fellowship! 👇 Learn more about the partnership here: aspenpolicyacademy.org/news/new-par... #TeachForAmerica

🎧 Our Founding Director @betsycooper.bsky.social appeared on the #NonprofitLeadershipPodcast to share how social impact leaders can navigate advocacy: “Many nonprofits focus on service delivery, but lasting impact often requires shaping the policies that define the system itself.”

Join us for Policy In Action NYC: a free event on Nov 13 featuring former mayors London Breed & G.T. Bynum, policy proposals from Academy Fellows, and networking.📍Betaworks | 🕕 6pm | 🎟 RSVP: forms.gle/RsK7gwXvWw87... #PolicyInAction #AspenPolicyAcademy

📢 Applications are open for our Building Nonprofit Advocacy Capacity course! A free, part-time, virtual program (Dec. 8–12) to help nonprofits build a policy advocacy plan from scratch. Apply by Nov. 16, 11:59pm PT. Details & application here: aspenpolicyacademy.org/program/buil...

🏘️ In a new @invisiblepeople.tv feature, fellows Hannah Somers and Ananthi AI Ramiah share how they worked with Sante Fe, NM to better understand local concerns and identify ways to build support for shelter initiatives.

🌟 We're thrilled to announce the 21 participants of our Fall 2025 Rising Civic AI Leaders program, hosted in conjunction with @aspendigital.bsky.social. These Leaders are gaining policy impact skills in our immersive 3-month course. Check out their bios here: aspenpolicyacademy.org/news/announc...

On dotmed.com, alum Daniel Bardenstein discusses cybersecurity in healthcare procurement. Questions he recommends hospitals ask: 🚨 What operating system is this device running? 📣 Does it have default passwords? 🙋 How will it be secured over 10-15 years?

🛡️ Everyone can help protect their communities from cyber threats. Join our #CyberCivicEngagement training, developed with support from craig newmark philanthanthropies. #Take9. 📅 First sessions are Oct 23 & Nov 20 | Free & Virtual 🔗 Register: aspenpolicyacademy.org/cyber-civic-...

🌿 A big thank you to everyone who applied to the hashtag#EnvironmentalPolicyAccelerator! This 6-week program is one of several opportunities we offer each year to help individuals and teams strengthen early-stage policy ideas and turn them into actionable solutions.

🗞️ @techpolicypress.bsky.social featured our Nonprofit and Public Interest Fellowship alum @theodoraskeadas.bsky.social on why cloud computing should be considered a public utility. 🔎 Read the full article here: techpolicy.press/why-the-clou...

Join Aspen Policy Academy’s free webinar, “How to Tell Governments What You Think,” on Sept 24 at 9am PT / 12pm ET. This one-hour session will teach you how to communicate effectively with Congress. Register here: aspeninstitute.zoom.us/webinar/regi... #CivicEngagement #Policy #AspenInstitute

🎙️ Podcast Feature! Our founding director @betsycooper.bsky.social joined Forcepoint's #TothePointCybersecurity podcast to discuss cybersecurity through a civic engagement & policy lens. The episode makes the case for why your voice matters in shaping a resilient digital future.

🗣️ Your voice can spark change! One participant in our #HowtoTellGovernmentsWhatYouThink webinar shared: 💬 “Because of this webinar, I feel empowered to talk to my government and advocate for change in my community… it was the perfect bridge for me.”

📚✏️ Back-to-school season is for everyone! Who says learning stops after graduation? We believe it’s never too late to build new skills and engage with policy in meaningful ways. 🔗 Learn about our free, virtual webinars and register here: aspenpolicyacademy.org/webinars/

👏 NPR recently featured Tim Pappa, our 2025 #PolicyPrimer cohort alum, in a piece about how a small Vermont town is defending its water systems against hackers. 💬 As Tim shared, projects like this bring people together to pair community operators with cybersecurity experts.

🌟 Alumni Impact Spotlight 🌟 We’re proud to celebrate alum Rebecca Kilberg for her recent policy contribution now moving through US Congress. 💡 Her proposal emphasizes incorporating #PowerUsageEffectiveness (PUE) and #waterconsumptiondata into federal data center planning.

Here’s what Jayvee Del Rosario, a participant in our #PolicyImpactforEmergingClimateLeaders program, had to say: 💬 “The program equipped me with the tools to navigate policy discussions, engage key stakeholders, and drive impactful change in the areas of sustainability and climate finance.”

✨ What sets our EPA program apart? It's built for action: - Converting early-stage environmental improvement ideas into policy solutions - Collaborative workshops with peers & seasoned policy experts - Creating strategic advocacy plans that connect your work to decision-makers

🚨 Last chance to register! 🚨 Our #EnvironmentalPolicyAccelerator informational webinar is tomorrow, September 11 at 9am PT/12pm ET. 🌱 Come learn what the program covers, get concrete application tips, and have your questions answered live by Academy staff.

Come learn more about our Environmental Policy Accelerator program! Join us for an informational webinar on September 11 at 9am PT/12pm ET. We’ll provide an in-depth overview of the program, concrete application tips, and dedicated time for audience Q&A: aspenpolicyacademy.org/program/envi...