Skip Newberry

Skip is a frequent speaker on topics related to technology and entrepreneurship, tech policy, economic development, workforce, public-private-academic partnerships and civic innovation. Skip serves on the Oregon Cybersecurity Advisory Council and the Workforce & Talent Development Board. Before founding TAO, Skip was an economic development policy advisor to Portland Mayor Sam Adams, where he helped create Portland’s first comprehensive economic development strategy in 16 years, recognizing software as a key industry cluster. While at the City of Portland, Skip’s projects included the adoption of the nation’s first open-source software procurement policy at the municipal level, an award-winning regional open data initiative and the development of resources to support entrepreneurship, like the Portland Seed Fund.Previously, Skip was an attorney and entrepreneur. Skip served as Chair of the Board of Directors of TECNA, Technology Councils of North America, which is a global network of technology and entrepreneurship associations, and he serves on the advisory board for the OSU Advantage Accelerator and several community-based organizations in the Portland area. Skip is a 2011 recipient of the Society of Professional Journalists First Freedom award, a 2012 recipient of the Portland Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 award and a 2020 recipient of the Oregon League of Minority Voters Liberty & Hope award.