ACT Staff

Jonathan Zuck | President

Jonathan Zuck is a widely known and respected leader in the technology industry. As a professional software developer and IT executive with more than 15 years of experience, Mr. Zuck brings an insider's perspective to his role as President of the Association for Competitive Technology.

Since assuming leadership of ACT, Mr. Zuck has provided analysis, commentary and background information on a wide range of technology issues to the media, the public and Congress. He has been called on as a technology expert for the major news networks including CNN, CNBC and ABC, he is a frequent contributor to national and local radio news programs, and is consistently quoted in the trade and popular press. A prolific writer whose work has appeared in trade publications including PC Magazine, PC Week, Windows Tech Journal and in several books, Mr. Zuck is in high demand as a speaker at trade conferences around the world.

Just prior to coming on board for ACT, Mr. Zuck served as Director of Technical Services at the Spectrum Technology Group in Washington, D.C., a consulting firm specializing in client/server, Internet and data warehouse solutions development. In 1988, Mr. Zuck founded and served as President of User Friendly, Inc., of Washington, D.C., a company providing consulting and software development services to local businesses. Mr. Zuck also set up U.S. operations for a French software firm where he helped build the company into an $11 million business.

In 1996, Mr. Zuck joined Financial Dynamics as Vice President of Technology, where he set the standard for innovation in technical architecture, career management and employee empowerment. During his tenure, company revenues doubled, and his leadership helped position the firm for a strategic combination with the Spectrum Technology Group in November 1997.

Morgan Reed | Executive Director

Morgan Reed is a highly sought after expert on the intersection of government and technology. Beginning with a career in the ROC (Taiwan) and China, Morgan has dealt with foreign governments, telecommunications groups, software manufacturers and small business owners managing the core issues of innovation and IP.

In his role as Executive Director of ACT, Morgan specializes in issues including patents and copyrights in the digital age. His commentary and insight has been sought by the U.S. Senate High Tech Working Group, the U.S. Congressional Caucus on Intellectual Property and Piracy, and the State Senate of California. Outside of government, Morgan has been called on as a technology expert for major news networks including ABC, CNN, CNBC and CBN. He is consistently quoted in the trade and popular press, ranging from “National Journal” to “Slashdot”. Morgan also has a background in software development, contributing to several open source projects including the Linux Router Project (LEAF) and a few small “BSD” based projects.

Morgan’s latest work has focused on developing a culture of IP within entrepreneurial organizations worldwide. Along with a team of venture capitalists, IP attorneys and successful businessmen, Morgan has lectured throughout the United States on the importance of treating IP as a key asset. This “Innovators Network” has reached more than 500 small businesses and is growing daily.

Before coming to Washington, Morgan worked for a Taiwan-based trading company specializing in the manufacture of OEM products for the U.S. market. He served as managing director of North American sales, handling bilingual contract negotiation. During Morgan's time abroad, he gave lectures in both English and Chinese on various aspects of U.S.-China trade, including building and maintaining long term partnerships in Asia. Morgan received his B.A in Political Science from Arizona State University and did graduate research in Chinese at the University of Utah and a Shi Ta University in Taiwan. He lives in Alexandria, VA with his wife, Alexandra and daughter Anwen.

Steve Delbianco | Vice President for Public Policy

Steve DelBianco brings more than twenty-five years of experience in running, advising and investing in high-tech startups to ACT. As the Vice President for Public Policy, Steve works with ACT members to set the organization's policy agenda.

Before joining ACT, Steve was president of Financial Dynamics, an IT consulting firm that he led through the evolution of industry trends. Under his leadership, Financial Dynamics grew to over $20 million in revenues by 1997, when it was acquired by a national firm. Today, Steve continues working to advise and invest in early stage companies as a partner in Draper Atlantic, a venture capital firm based in Northern Virginia.

Steve holds degrees in Engineering and Economics from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA from the Wharton School. He lives in McLean, Virginia with his wife and three children, where he is active in community government and the Northern Virginia Technology Council.

Other Affiliations:

Steve is Executive Director of NetChoice, a coalition of e-commerce businesses, trade associations and online consumers.
In 1999, Virginia governor Jim Gilmore appointed Steve as a director of the state's Economic Development Partnership. He currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Board.
For the past 5 years, Steve has been appointed to the Advisory Committee for Virginia's Joint Commission on Technology and Science.

Mark Blafkin | Vice President for Public Affairs

Mark joined ACT in September of 2001 as the organization's first Director of Communications. In this role, Mark is responsible for media outreach, writing and strategic planning. Prior to joining ACT, Mark served as a communications professional for both political candidates and high tech corporations. Most recently, Mark served as a Account Manager for the Merritt Group, a high tech marketing and public relations firm in Tysons Corner, VA. At the Merritt Group, Mark managed accounts for Check Point Software, ScoreBoard, Etensity and others. Mark has also done high tech marketing/communications for Ogilvy Public Relations in Washington, DC.

From 1996 to 1999, Mark held several political communications positions. In 1996, he began as a political assistant at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. He served as Campaign Director for Joe, Slade White & Company, a political media consultancy, during the 1998 election cycle. At Joe Slade White, Mark managed advertising campaigns for Governor Tony Knowles of Alaska, Congressman Mark Udall of Colorado and AT&T issue advocacy. In 1999, Mark was the Communications Director for the John White, Jr. for Mayor Campaign in Philadelphia the mayor of Philadelphia.

Mark has a B.S. in Communications and Political Science from Boston University. He is currently pursuing graduate work in the sociology/public policy of technology at Virginia Tech. Mark lives on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.

Braden Cox | Research and Policy Counsel

Braden Cox is an expert in communications and Internet policy. As Research and Policy Counsel, Braden analyzes tech-related legislative and regulatory initiatives relevant to the IT industry.

Braden is the former Technology Counsel at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, where he advocated for new approaches toward government regulation of telecommunications and e-commerce. Braden's prior law practice includes technology transactional and civil litigation work. As in-house counsel at Veriprise Wireless, a software development start-up venture, he instituted a comprehensive copyright, trademark and patent program to protect the company's intellectual assets. Before law school, he was a network administrator at IBM providing technical support for business and university local area networks.

Braden obtained both his undergraduate Finance degree and J.D. from the University of Georgia.

Affiliations:

Braden is a member of the Joint Commission on Technology and Science to advise the Virginia General Assembly on technology-related public policy matters.

He is an attorney licensed to practice in Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Georgia.

Braden blogs regularly on the ACT blog and is a regular contributor to the Technology Liberation Front.

Melissa Moskal | Director of Membership

Melissa Moskal brings nearly a decade's worth of experience in member associations, media, marketing, and grassroots organization to ACT. As director of membership, she develops and maintains resources vital to helping ACT's member companies succeed and helps win them exposure for their innovations. Melissa also directs the Innovators Network, ACT's special project connecting and providing resources for small innovators around the world.

Prior to joining the ACT team, Melissa managed member programs and government affairs for trade associations representing entrepreneurs in other industries. Melissa holds a degree in Political Science from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and currently resides in Alexandria, Virginia.

Nora von Ingersleben | Policy Analyst

As Policy Analyst, Nora von Ingersleben provides comment on political, economic and regulatory developments of relevance for the IT industry. Nora's work focuses mainly on Europe, assessing the meaning of legislative, judicial, and regulatory activity in Brussels and in EU member states for American and European IT businesses. Nora's work has been quoted in numerous political and business publications ranging from The Politico to Fox Business News. She regularly travels to Brussels to attend meetings on EU business initiatives and promote a healthy environment for innovation.

Nora is also responsible for the European side of the Innovators Network, ACT's special project that connects U.S. and European innovators with venture capitalists, lawyers, consultants, and potential business partners from around the world.

Prior to joining ACT, Nora completed an internship in the Economics and Science Department of the German Embassy in Washington, DC. At the Embassy, Nora prepared briefs and reports on trade issues for the Ambassador and the Foreign Office in Berlin. Nora also produced an analysis on the state of science and technology in Germany, and worked on the Embassy's annual report on research, innovation and technology in the United States.

Nora holds a Bachelor's degree in Politics and Philosophy from the University of York and a Master's degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics. She speaks German, English, and French.

Nora is a regular contributor to the ACT blog.