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Carl Holshouser is the Executive Vice President, Corporate Officer, and Head of Government Relations and Policy at TechNet, the national, bipartisan network of technology CEOs and senior executives. Carl leads a world-class team of experts advocating for nearly 100 of the world’s most innovative companies at the intersection of technology, policy, and politics. Since joining TechNet in 2020, Carl has led transformative growth, increasing membership by 40%, expanding the annual operating budget by 400%, and building a best-in-class lobbying program delivering significant impact for the technology industry. 

Carl has guided TechNet to major legislative and regulatory victories, including protecting Section 230 to preserve essential intermediary liability protections, defeating punitive antitrust proposals to safeguard innovation, and testifying against regulatory overreach in the fintech industry. He played pivotal roles in the bipartisan passage of the Chips and Science Act, the Building Chips in America Act to strengthen U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, and FAST-41 legislation to streamline environmental permitting for critical infrastructure projects. Carl has also been at the forefront of digital trade advocacy, pushing back against harmful digital services taxes (DSTs) to protect U.S. innovation and global competitiveness. His work also includes the $25 million AI for America campaign, which educates policymakers and the public on the transformative benefits of artificial intelligence. In 2024, TechNet’s policy team submitted over 23 filings on AI to federal agencies, ensuring industry leadership and thoughtful regulatory approaches to emerging technologies.

Carl leads United for Privacy, a cross-industry coalition advocating for a preemptive national privacy law to protect consumer data and provide businesses with clear, uniform guidelines. He has been instrumental in defeating privacy proposals that would undermine innovation, burden small- and medium-sized businesses with lawsuits, and exacerbate the patchwork of state privacy laws.

To further advance TechNet’s mission, Carl founded the TechNet Innovation Legal Center, an industry-first initiative focused on strategic litigation, amicus briefs, and thought leadership in the courts and broader legal community.

Carl’s deep bipartisan relationships and strategic expertise have established TechNet as a trusted voice in Washington and across the U.S. His leadership has earned him recognition as a top lobbyist by The Hill (2021–2024), the National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics (2022), and CEO Report’s Salute to Excellence (2025).

Before joining TechNet, Carl held senior roles at PwC, advising Fortune 500 companies on trade and technology policy. Carl spent seven years at Visa, where he served as Senior Director of Government Relations and led the company’s global technology policy initiatives. At Visa, Carl played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s advocacy strategy, positioning Visa as a leader in the payments and fintech space during a time of rapid technological transformation. His work not only protected Visa’s business interests but also drove industry-leading positions on innovation-friendly policies. He also held positions at Textron Systems and Capitol Partners, Inc. Carl began his career in the offices of U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) and U.S. Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX).

A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Carl was an Archer Fellow and now serves as an active investor in technology startups and a board member of the Louise Batz Patient Safety Foundation. His work reflects a steadfast commitment to advancing American innovation, driving economic growth, and ensuring the U.S. remains the global leader in technology and innovation policy.