Larry Irving helped popularize the term “digital divide” and produced the first empirical research to document it. As Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) under President Clinton from 1993 to 1999, he co-authored the landmark “Falling Through the Net” report series, identifying the gap between those with access to digital technology and those without as one of America’s leading economic and civil rights issues. That work shaped national and international internet policy and helped drive programs like E-Rate, connecting schools and libraries to the internet.
Irving went on to advise both the Clinton-Gore and Obama-Biden presidential transitions on technology policy, and today leads the Irving Group, a consulting firm serving telecommunications, media, and technology clients. In 2019, he became the first African American inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame.
A founding member of Connect Humanity’s board, Irving has, since 2023, served as board member emeritus and remains closely connected to the organization’s mission.