Michael Karimian has responsibility for Microsoft’s implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, which includes Microsoft’s human rights policy, due diligence, transparency, and training, as well as external engagement with human rights organizations. The human rights team is also responsible for implementing the Global Network Initiative Principles on Freedom of Expression and Privacy and for strategic partnerships with the UN, the World Economic Forum, and other key partners. Prior to joining Microsoft, Karimian worked in trade finance at the Royal Bank of Scotland in London and in business and human rights at the UN in Bangkok and New York.

Harvey Jang is chief privacy officer and counsel for Cisco Systems, Inc. He leads a team of lawyers, privacy professionals, and engineers responsible for developing and orchestrating Cisco’s global data protection policies, compliance capabilities, privacy engineering methodologies, and accountability frameworks and certifications. Prior to joining Cisco, Jang was senior director at McAfee. He was part of Intel Security and served as lead counsel for privacy, security, marketing, consumer protection, and antitrust compliance. Before McAfee, Jang was the director of privacy and information management and chief privacy and security counsel for HP; senior compliance counsel for Symantec; and litigation counsel with O’Melveny & Myers LLP.

Biography coming soon.

Katie Joseff is the research manager of the Digital Intelligence Lab at Institute for the Future (IFTF). She works to investigate computational propaganda—the use of automation, disinformation, and algorithms to manipulate public opinion online—and the ethical implications of emerging technologies. At IFTF, she has conducted research on a wide variety of topics, including the “human consequences” of computational propaganda during the 2018 U.S. midterm elections—a series of eight studies on impacted social groups and issue-publics (e.g. Jewish Americans and immigration); the effects of false information on journalism and journalists; nuclear disinformation; psychological biases underlying propaganda; technology policy in the U.S.; and Ethical OS (a training series meant to illuminate future ethical risks related to technology). 

Michaela advises multinational companies on how to drive impact through human rights, sustainability, and multistakeholder collaboration. She specializes in the intersection of tech and human rights and covers the cross-industry implications of issues like privacy, security, and free expression. 

She also supports the cross-industry Human Rights Working Group and Building Responsibly.

Before joining BSR, Michaela was awarded the CORO Fellowship in Public Policy, through which she drove cross-sector collaboration among government, business, labor, and nonprofit organizations. She has also done field research in West Africa to examine the use of mobile phones and educational apps by women-led microfinance and savings groups. She has additional experience with an international policy firm helping companies open, access, and expand into international markets in the food, beverage, and agriculture sectors. She is proficient in French.

Michaela holds a B.A. in International Relations and a B.A. in Economics from University of California, Davis. 

Follow Michaela @twisterlee.