Let’s Talk Self-Driving: A Fireside Conversation with Waymo’s Tekedra Mawakana

A lively, engaging and informative fireside chat between Professor Andrew Maynard from the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and Tekedra Mawakana , chief engagement officer at Waymo, that covers the promise, challenges and opportunities of developing self-driving car technologies, and touches on technology drivers, Waymo’s history and vision, Waymo initiatives in and around Chandler and Tempe, social and policy-related challenges, and what the future looks like.

Tekedra Mawakana

Tekedra N. Mawakana is the Chief External Officer (CXO) at Waymo — formerly the Google Self-Driving Car Project. In this role, Tekedra leads Waymo’s external engagement organization, overseeing the teams responsible for public policy and government relations, public affairs, communications, marketing, and social initiatives/CSR. She is responsible for setting the strategic vision for optimal alignment and impact with critical external stakeholders as Waymo advances its efforts to commercialize its autonomous vehicle technology. She joined Waymo in 2017 as Global Head of Policy, bringing over two decades of experience leading global policy, legal and regulatory teams, and managing strategic outreach and communications at technology companies facing complex, high-profile issues, including eBay, Yahoo, AOL and Startec. She started her career at the law firm Steptoe & Johnson LLP.

Tekedra has earned a reputation as a trusted and reliable industry leader. She currently serves on the Consumer Technology Association’s Board of Industry Leaders. In August 2016, she was recognized as a Visionary Leader by ALM and InsideCounsel. In May 2015, she was recognized by the Washingtonian magazine as a Tech Titan — top 100 tech influencer.

Tekedra received her JD from Columbia Law School and her BA from Trinity College. She lives in the Bay Area with her husband and son.

Andrew Maynard

Andrew Maynard is the author of “Films from the Future: The Technology and Morality of Sci-Fi Movies,” a professor in the ASU School for the Future of Innovation in Society and leading expert on the socially responsible development of emerging and converging technologies.

For over 20 years, he has worked closely with experts from around the world on the challenges and opportunities presented by technologies ranging from nanotechnology and genetic engineering, to artificial intelligence and self-driving cars.

He blogs on technology and society at 2020Science.org, produces the YouTube channel Risk Bites and is active on Twitter as @2020science.