White House Correspondents Insider

Behind the scenes of the most powerful city in the world — Washington, D.C. — and those who cover it.

Lynda Carter, Rep. Debbie Dingell Co-Host Powerhouse DC Book Party for Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Bestselling Memoir, ‘True Gretch’

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Rep. Debbie Dingell and Lynda Carter co-hosted a lunch reception on Tuesday, July 30th at the Royal Sonesta Hotel on Capitol Hill to celebrate Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the publication of her new bestselling memoir, True Gretch: What I’ve Learned About Life, Leadership, and Everything in Between.

The event opened with inspiring remarks from Lynda Carter, best known for her iconic role as Wonder Woman, in which she lauded Whitmer’s courage and authenticity—qualities that resonate prominently throughout the book. Next up was Rep. Debbie Dingell, a longtime family friend and ally of Whitmer, who praised the Governor’s unwavering dedication to the people of Michigan, noting how she has consistently put the needs of Michiganders first even in the face of immense pressure and opposition. Before introducing the Governor, Rep. Dingell closed by expressing her pride in Whitmer’s accomplishments and her excitement for the future as the Governor continues to rise as a formidable national figure.

Lynda Carter, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Rep. Debbie Dingell pose with copies of “True Gretch” at the Royal Sonesta Hotel on Capitol Hill, Tuesday July 30th

Whitmer then took the stage and reflected on the personal journey of writing her memoir and how the book provided her with an opportunity to share her story with genuine candor and vulnerability, especially on the challenges she has faced throughout her career. Whether it be navigating sexism in politics or making difficult decisions during crises like the pandemic, she emphasized that these obstacles have not only shaped her but made her a stronger and more resilient leader.

The afternoon concluded with a book signing where guests had the opportunity to meet and take photos with the Governor and receive personalized copies of True Gretch. 

Antony Lynch, Rep. Haley Stevens, Rep. Debbie Dingell, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Australian Ambassador and Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd

Lynda Carter, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Rep. Debbie Dingell

Amy Ricchetti, Amb. Oksana Markarova and John McCarthy

Lynda Carter and French Amb. Laurent Bili

British Ambassador Karen Pierce and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Attendees included prominent members of Congress, senior White House officials, influential media figures, and other key influencers in Washington, D.C.

SPOTTED: Sec. Jennifer Granholm, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Rep. Dan Kildee, Rep. Gabe Amo, Rep. Melanie Stansbury, Rep. Marilyn Strickland, British Ambassador Dame Karen Pierce, Irish Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason, French Ambassador Laurent Bili, Australian Ambassador Kevin Rudd, Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova, Teresa Carlson, Jessica Nigro, Lisa Allen, Olivia Igbokwe, Jill Hazelbaker-Franks, Sally O’Brien, Gideon Bragin, Elizabeth Falcone, Helen Milby, Liz Johnson, Robert Costa, Lara Tennyson, Crystal Carson, Sumi Somaskanda, Pamela Brown, Timothy Lowery, Eugene Daniels, Shuwanza Goff, Dr. Christine Grady, Amanda Katz, DeDe Lea, Meg Makarewicz, Cathy Merrill, Melissa Moss, Jane Oates, Ruth Marcus, Rita Braver, Amy Ricchetti, and Jayne Sandman

Washington AI Network Hosts DHS Under Secretary for Policy Rob Silvers

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The Washington AI Network hosted a cocktails and conversation event on August 1 featuring special guest Rob Silvers, the under secretary for policy at the Deparment of Homeland Security. 

Washington AI Network founder Tammy Haddad conducted a wide ranging interview with Silvers, which was recorded as an episode of the Washington AI Network podcast. The under secretary addressed how conflicts in the Middle East impact domestic security efforts, the power and fragility of the nation’s cybersecurity infrastructure, China’s standing in the global AI race, and how DHS deploys AI, including at the border to stop fentanyl.  

Silvers, who also serves as chair of the Cyber Safety Review Board, praised Microsoft’s response to the recent Crowdstrike outage, calling it “fantastic,” yet said the entire incident was “a very stark reminder of both the power of our internet infrastructure and technology and how much it does for us.”

Nicoletta Giordani, Victoria Virasingh and Nicole Sganga
Tammy Haddad and Rob Silvers

On increased domestic threats due to the conflict in the Middle East, Silvers said: “We are very conscious that we’re in a heightened threat environment …  and we are pouring unprecedented levels of resources into our communities, into ensuring that the American people are safe.”

On competition with China, Silvers said: “When it comes to AI … I’m happy to say that at this moment, I think the United States is ahead of China. But it’s not a foregone conclusion that we always will be.”

On combating the Chinese government’s human rights abuses of the Uyghurs, Silvers said DHS “is on the front lines of making sure that products made with forced labor by Uyghurs in Xinjiang province are not allowed to come into this country so that China cannot profit from that.”

“Our enforcement has been so strong that we are seeing supply chains start to shift,” he continued. “We are seeing companies, big U.S. retailers and importers start to do really deep diligence into who they are buying from and … it is changing trade for the benefit of human rights.”

And on the use of AI at the border, Silvers said:  “We are using machine learning models now that can analyze factors, including a vehicle’s travel history to look for anomalies, to look for things that seem suspicious.” Silvers said the new tools recently led border patrol officers to stop a vehicle containing 75 kilos of narcotics.

Gov. Tim Walz Wins The White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch Primary

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WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 27: Gov. Tim Walz attends the 31st Annual White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch at Beall-Washington House on April 27, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Haddad Media)

Minnesota Gov. Tim Waltz, Vice President Kamala Harris’s new running mate, attended the White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch this year – the annual gathering of leaders in government, politics, media, business, and entertainment during the Correspondents’ weekend. Earlier in the day, he was spotted attending the Deadline Netflix reception hosted by Irish Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason at the Irish Embassy with the stars of Netflix’s series, “The Diplomat.” He arrived with Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar.

This was the first time the new democratic running mate attended the annual gathering and the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 27: Gov. Tim Walz attends the 31st Annual White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch at Beall-Washington House on April 27, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Haddad Media)
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 27: Gov. Tim Walz attends the 31st Annual White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch at Beall-Washington House on April 27, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Haddad Media)

Washington AI Network Hosts AI Leaders to Commemorate First Anniversary of the White House’s Voluntary Commitments on AI

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Tammy Haddad, Founder and CEO of Washington AI Network, and David Zapolsky, Senior Vice President of Global Public Policy and General Counsel at Amazon, discuss AI policy on July 11, 2024 at the House at 1229 in Washington, DC.

The Washington AI Network hosted AI leaders to commemorate the first anniversary of the White House’s Voluntary Commitments on AI. Founder Tammy Haddad hosted a fireside chat with David Zapolsky, Senior Vice President of Global Public Policy and General Counsel at Amazon, who highlighted the opportunities and challenges AI presents and the work that Amazon has provided to businesses and customers for secure AI. He emphasized the power of frameworks connecting industry, government and researchers.

Tammy Haddad, David Zapolsky, Rebecca Finlay, Dr. Seth Canter, Rep. Don Beyer, and Shannon Kellogg.

A panel conversation followed with Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), Vice Chair of the AI Caucus, Rebecca Finlay, CEO of the Partnership on AI, and Dr. Seth Center, Acting Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology at the U.S. Department of State. Their discussion underscored the significant progress made since the inception of the Voluntary Commitments on AI and the ongoing efforts to ensure that AI technologies are developed and deployed ethically, transparently, and for the benefit of all.

Rebecca Finlay speaks during the panel commemorating the first anniversary of the White House’s Voluntary Commitments on AI on July 11th at the House at 1229 in Washington, DC.

The speakers emphasized the unusual collaboration of tech companies and the critical importance of these commitments in fostering a landscape where AI advancements align with societal values and public interest. The event served as a platform for reinforcing the shared vision of an ethical and inclusive AI future, highlighting the collaborative efforts needed to navigate the complexities of emerging AI technologies. 

Helen Milby, Founder at GlobalWIN, Miriam Vogel, CEO of Equal AI, and Olivia Igbokwe, Head of U.S. Political Federal Affairs at AWS.
Cynthia Lee, AI Lead at the office of Sen. Martin Heinrich, Correlli van Hulten, First Secretary at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Leila Elmergawi, Senior Advisor for Critical and Emerging Technology at the U.S. Department of State.

The event was attended by an array of distinguished guests including senior officials from the White House, government officials, top executives from leading tech companies, members of the media and other influential thought leaders within the AI community.

Amy Sennett, Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Karat, Benjamin Haas, Chief of Staff, Bureau of Industry and Security at the U.S. Department of Commerce, and Shannon Kellogg, Vice President of Public Policy at Amazon.

Other notable guests Included: Senior Advisor to the President and White House Director of Public Engagement Steve Benjamin, Deputy Assistant to the President John McCarthy, Chief AI Advisor at the National Institute of Standards and Technology Elham Tabassi, Deputy Press Secretary at the Department of Defense Sabrina Singh, Assistant Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security Mary Ellen Callahan, Costa Rican Ambassador to the Unites States Catalina Crespo-Sancho, Director of Government Relations and Public Policy at CAIS Varun Krovi, Cyber Security Advisor at the Embassy of France Oceane Thieriot, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Nicoletta Giordani, Advisor for Public Engagement at the White House Sydney Harvey, Special Assistant to the Senior Advisor to the President Daisy Buenrostro, CBS’ Chief Election and Campaign Correspondent Robert Costa, Technology Reporter for CNBC Annie Palmer, the Washington Post’s Tech Policy Reporter Cat Zakrzewski, Politico’s Deputy Tech Editor Daniella Cheslow, Sen. Mitt Romney’s Chief of Staff Liz Johnson, AI Policy Advisor for Rep. Don Beyer Jason Liang, Head of Government Relations at Scale AI Max Fenkell, Founder and President of Seed AI Austin Carson, Eric Schmidt’s Chief of Staff Andrew Moore, Global Policy Director at Credo AI Evi Fuelle, Co-Founder and Chairman at Silverado Policy Accelerator Maureen Hinman, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Brazil Fernando de Oliveira Sena, and First Secretary of Technology Policy at the British Embassy Jonathan Tan.






Washington AI Network Hosts Power Breakfast with Special Guest Ben Brake, Digital and Data Policy Directorate-General at the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport

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Varun Krovi, Ben Brake, Shane Tews, Julian Ramirez, Dr. Dorothee Schneider, Jane Caldwell, Winston Lord, André Loesekrug-Pietri, Tammy Haddad and Helen Toner discuss AI policy at the House at 1229 on Thursday, July 11th in Washington, DC.

Coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the NATO Summit in Washington, D.C, Tammy Haddad’s Washington AI Network hosted a high-level breakfast on July 11th featuring Ben Brake, Digital and Data Policy Directorate-General at the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport. Listen to the full podcast conversation here.

The gathering brought together policymakers and industry leaders in the field of artificial intelligence to discuss pivotal issues and exchange ideas including Johannes Bahrke, Digital Counselor at the Delegation of the European Union to the United States, and André Loesekrug-Pietri, Chairman & Scientific Director at the Jedi Foundation.

L to R: André Loesekrug-Pietri, Chairman & Scientific Director at the Jedi Foundation; Tammy Haddad, Founder of the Washington AI Network; and Varun Krovi, Director of Government Relations and Public Policy at the Center for AI Safety Action Fund.

Mr. Brake underscored the importance of international dialogue in shaping the responsible future of artificial intelligence and his detailed analysis of policy frameworks and practical implementations offered attendees valuable insights into the ever-changing landscape of AI. 

Held at the House at 1229 in downtown Washington, the gathering provided a unique opportunity for both public and private sector leaders to engage directly with Mr. Brake. His insights on the latest developments in digital and data strategies in Germany and beyond offered valuable perspectives on the future of AI governance and its global impact.

Julian Ramirez, Senior Advisor of Digital Policy at the German Embassy and Helen Toner, Director of Strategy and Foundational Grants at CSET


Ben Brake and Tammy Haddad

Esteemed attendees included Varun Krovi, Director of Government Relations and Public Policy at the Center for AI Safety; Julian Ramirez, Senior Advisor of Digital Policy at the German Embassy; Helen Toner, Director of Strategy and Foundational Grants at CSET; Shane Tews, Senior Fellow at AEI; Daniella Cheslow, Deputy Tech Editor at Politico; and Helen Milby, President of GlobalWIN. 

Washington AI Network Hosts Presidential Debate Watch Party

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General Catalyst’s Teresa Carlson, actress Lynda Carter, and Rep. Debbie Dingell attend the Washington AI Network’s presidential debate watch party on Thursday, June 27.

Washington AI Network founder Tammy Haddad and Teresa Carlson, General Catalyst Advisor, hosted a presidential debate watch party at the House at 1229 on June 27th. The exclusive gathering brought together a diverse array of Washington D.C.’s most influential figures including politicians, diplomats, policy experts and media personalities.  Notable government officials included United States Rep. Debbie Dingell, French Ambassador to the United States Laurent Bili and Irish Ambassador to the United States Geraldine Byrne Nason.

Lynda Carter, Irish Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason, and French Ambassador Laurent Bili

The evening began with a cocktail reception, allowing guests to interact and share their perspectives on the key issues at stake. As the history making debate commenced, attendees took to their seats in front of an oversized screen and watched in anticipation as this historic and pivotal moment in American politics unfolded

Joanna Ain, Maryam Mujica, Tammy Haddad, Rep. Debbie Dingell, and Ashley Callen

Also in attendance were Speaker Johnson’s general counsel Ashley Callen; General Catalyst’s Maryam Mujica; The Washington Post’s Amanda Katz and Kathy O’Hearn; American actress/singer Lynda Carter; Amazon’s Steve Hartell, Shannon Kellogg, Jennifer Prescott, and Olivia Igbokwe; Lara Tennyson from Booking Holdings; Miriam Vogel, NAIAC chair and CEO of EqualAI; Helen Toner, Director of Strategy and Foundational Research Grants at CSET; Amy Sennett, Senior Vice President at Karat; Troy Perry, Director of Policy & Advocacy at Omydiar Network; Victoria Espinel, CEO of BSA; Sydney Harvey, Advisor for Public Engagement at The White House; and Pascal Confavareux from the French Embassy.

Bloomberg’s Justin Sink elected to WHCA board, to serve as president in 2026

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Justin Sink, photo courtesy of the White House Correspondents’ Association.

Justin Sink, White House correspondent for Bloomberg News, has been elected to the White House Correspondents’ Association’s board of directors and will serve as WHCA president in 2026.

Sink has covered the White House since 2012 across three presidential administrations, and previously covered presidential politics and campaigns for The Hill newspaper in Washington, DC.

The elections took place on Wednesday, June 26 to fill three seats on the WHCA’s board, each for a 3-year term. Sink will serve as an at-large member of the board from 2024-2027, and he will assume the top post as WHCA president from 2026-2027.

Karen Travers from ABC News will assume the radio seat for 2024-2027, and Trevor Hunnicut of Reuters won the wire seat for the same term.

Founded in 1914, the WHCA exists to promote excellence in journalism as well as journalism education, and to ensure robust news coverage of the president and the presidency. 

The inaugural White House Correspondents’ Dinner took place on May 7, 1921, after President Warren G. Harding revived the presidential news conference, and the tradition continues to this day. Read more about the WHCA’s history here.

Washington Women Technology Network Hosts Election Preview With CBS News’ Robert Costa

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Sumi Somaskanda, Jessica Nigro and Michelle Freeman listen to CBS News chief election and campaign correspondent Robert Costa discuss the 2024 presidential election at Washington Woment Technology Network breakfast hosted by Nigro and Tammy Haddad on June 18.

Washington Women Technology Network founder Tammy Haddad and Jessica Nigro, vice president of external affairs at Lucid Motors, hosted a 2024 election preview breakfast at the House at 1229 on June 18 featuring a conversation with Robert Costa, the chief election and campaign correspondent at CBS News.

Costa shared his experience on the campaign trail and discussed the strategic considerations and challenges the Biden and Trump campaigns face leading up to November’s presidential election.

“This election is not so much about Trump versus Biden, it’s about who is going to get their core voters to come out in these key battleground states,” said Costa. 

Reema Dodin, Sen. Brian Schatz’s chief of staff, Deputy Irish Ambassador Orla Keane, Jessica Nigro and Uber’s senior vice president of marketing and public affairs Jill Hazelbaker Franks

Costa also said the Biden administration’s efforts to engage labor unions are critical to his campaign, called North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum “very well positioned” to be Donald Trump’s vice presidential pick, and discussed whether the former president would show up to the first presidential debate this month.

Guests included Monumental Sports partner and Carl M. Freeman Companies CEO Michelle Freeman; Jill Hazelbaker Franks, senior vice president of marketing and public affairs at Uber; General Catalyst’s Teresa Carlson and Maryam Mujica; Tina Anthony, senior vice president of marketing and communications at the NobleReach Foundation; Sen. Mitt Romney’s chief of staff Liz Johnson; Sen. Brian Schatz’s chief of staff Reema Dodin; Sen. Mark Warner’s chief of staff Elizabeth Falcone; Betsy Fischer Martin, executive director of American University’s Women & Policy Institute; Muriel Chase, the director of broadcast media the White House; Julissa Marenco, GlobalWIN founder Helen Milby; BBC Washington anchor Sumi Somaskanda; YouTube’s head of public policy Alexandra Veitch; former first lady Michelle Obama’s communications director Crystal Carson; Irish Deputy Ambassador Orla Keane; Lyft’s head of global public policy Heather Foster; and Washington Post Live executive producer Kathy O’Hearn.

Tina Anthony, senior vice president of marketing and communications at the NobleReach Foundation, and Heather Foster, head of global public policy at Lyft
Co-hosts Tammy Haddad and Jessica Nigro with Robert Costa at the House at 1229

Washington AI Network Hosts David Ignatius for “Haippy Hour”

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FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 2024

David Ignatius (left) and Washington AI Network founder Tammy Haddad (right) pose for a selfie with guests at the Washington AI Network’s “Ask David Anything” event on Friday, June 7, 2024, at the House at 1229.

Tammy Haddad and the Washington AI Network hosted special guest David Ignatius for a Washington AI Network “Haippy Hour” on Friday, June 7th with an audience that included Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, her husband, Danylo Volynets, and former California Congresswoman Jane Harman. The event kicked off with Haddad interviewing David Ignatius, the renowned Washington Post columnist and bestselling novelist. Ignatius’s new spy thriller,  Phantom Orbit, details how wars have moved to space using technology like satellites and drones. The backdrop of the novel is the war in Ukraine, which Ignatius calls “the first space war.”

The novel also depicts how the relationship between the rapid progression of technologies and global tensions that are consistently developing, can cause various prospective outcomes.  

Guests included:

Government officials Nicoletta Giordani, acting principal director of the Office of Global Investment and Economic Security at the Department of Defense, Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and Justin Fanelli, CTO of the Department of the Navy. 

Also in attendance were Congressional staff AI leaders in Congress; Jon Cardinal, Ali Biasotti, Tim Ryder, and Corry Schiermeyer, as well as tech executives, Steve Hartell from Amazon, Jackie Rooney from Meta, and Govind Shivkumar from Omidyar Network.

Victoria Virasingh from Noble Reach Foundation and Monica Holt from the Kennedy Center, Invariant CEO Heather Podesta, and Dimitri Alperovitch and Maureen Hinman from Silverado were also all at the event.

Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova (center) and husband Danylo Volynets exchange “A History of Ukraine” book with David Ignatius (right) for his new bestseller “Phantom Orbit.”
Tammy Haddad poses with Govind Shivkumar, Omydiar Network’s Director of Responsible Technology
L to R: Nicoletta Giordani, acting principal director, Office of Global Investment and Economic Security (GIES); CISA director Jen Easterly, and Silverado Policy Accelerator co-chairs Maureen Hinman & Dmirtri Alperovitch

The audience was invited to“Ask David anything” hearing his latest reporting on Gaza, Ukraine and other host spots around the world. The event concluded with a book signing by David Ignatius.  

Rama Elluru of the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) holds a signed copy of “Phantom Orbit” during a conversation with David Ignatius

Exclusive Interview with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on AI Legislation with Washington AI Network

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Washington AI Network founder Tammy Haddad interviews Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer at the SCSP AI Expo for National Competitiveness in Washington, D.C., Wednesday, May 8, 2024.

In a special fireside interview at the Special Competitive Studies Project’s AI Expo for National Competitiveness, Washington AI Network founder Tammy Haddad interviewed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer about AI legislation, election concerns, and the global AI race.

Following an introduction from SCSP President & CEO Ylli Bajraktari in front of a standing-room-only audience, Haddad took the stage with Sen. Schumer, who started the conversation by noting how the Washington AI Network is “helping make sure everyone has a seat at the table as we address the challenges and the opportunities of AI.”

Sen. Schumer then made clear that it’s “one of [his] highest priorities to make sure that Congress is ready to do its part to keep and advance America as the global leader in AI”:

Sen. Schumer laid out his plans to release a roadmap for addressing the risks and benefits of AI in the coming weeks, with committees then “translating that, concretizing that into legislation.”

Regarding the global AI race, Sen. Schumer also called out competition with China – saying that “If we don’t do anything, China could get ahead of us … They’re spending much more money right now on investing in science and AI than we are now, make no mistake about it.”

Watch the full conversation below: