About the IAPP

Paul Lekas is an experienced advocate and thought leader in technology policy, national security, and other areas with over two decades of experience advising leaders and organizations in government and the private sector. Currently, Paul heads public policy and government affairs efforts of the Software & Information Industry Association. He responsible for overall strategy, policy development, and government engagement in the United States and internationally on a range of technology policy issues including artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, data protection and privacy, competition and innovation, intellectual property, cross-border data flows, and education technology. Previously, Paul served in senior legal and policy positions in the U.S. government, including as Deputy General Counsel at the Department of Defense and with the National Security Commission on AI and the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service. He also served on the Biden-Harris Transition Team and spent a decade as a lawyer in private practice. Paul currently serves on advisory panels and task forces with the OECD, the SAFE AI Alliance, TeachAI, the CivXNow Coalition, Future of Privacy Forum, R Street Institute, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the G7. He presents regularly at major conferences and other events and has been featured in the New York Times, Politico, Axios, FedScoop, USA Today, and other publications. Paul received his A.B. and J.D. degrees from Harvard University.