Carol Anderson is a senior legal advisor and policy advocate with over two decades of experience in the technology and communications sector. Carol is a leader in the development of advocacy and compliance strategies for trade and national security matters and is recognized for her ability to build consensus and breakthrough challenges. Throughout her career, Carol has advocated for responsible technology policies that promote innovation and trust.

As Senior Corporate Counsel - Global Trade for Microsoft, she manages critical trade, supply chain, and national security policy and compliance as a member of the U.S. Government Affairs National Security and Global Trade team with Microsoft Corporation. She launched her career at the King County Prosecutor’s Office in Seattle, Washington, where she tried over 100 criminal and jury trials. Ms. Anderson transitioned to corporate practice, joining AT&T (then Pacific Bell Telephone Company) in San Francisco, California. Carol’s 22-year career with AT&T took her to Washington, D.C, where she played a critical role in securing global competition and regulatory approvals for significant company mergers, led the implementation of sweeping regulatory requirements across the enterprise business portfolio, and represented AT&T in global policy discussions, including participating in panels at the Internet Governance Forum and on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. She also directed domestic and global regulatory policy, trade, and compliance strategies and managed social justice and racial equity policy engagement nationwide. She retired from AT&T and joined Microsoft in 2021.

Throughout her career, Carol has promoted diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession and pro bono efforts in her community. Prior to joining the Board of the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL) in 2021, Ms. Anderson served as the co-chair of NAWL’s Advocacy Committee relaunched in 2020, chaired the 2019 General Counsel Institute, and was awarded with the organization’s Virginia S. Mueller Outstanding Member Award in 2020. She received her J.D. at Hastings College of Law in San Francisco and her B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley. Ms. Anderson and her family are based in Seattle, WA, where she also volunteers at the Seattle Aquarium.