TheBridge profile: Lydia Pulley

Name: Lydia Pulley

Current city: Richmond, Virginia

Current job: Senior Vice President, State Government and Legal Affairs, Verizon

Past job: Vice President and Associate General Counsel, Verizon

Q. Job advice in three words? Don’t do everything.

Q. How are you currently bridging the gap between innovation and regulation? By working and listening to diverse community partners across the country. We’ve found that when we take the time to listen and understand what is happening at a hyper-local level, we can meet the community where it is more effectively. This hands-on involvement in local projects has yielded closer relationships – and more trust – between Verizon and the communities we serve. We still have a lot to learn and a lot of work to do, but one thing is for sure - we are all better off when we work together to make our communities better. The more local the better.

Q. What can innovators learn from policymakers? Policy, when done right, is hard and messy and imprecise and full of unknowns, with the purpose of building a better future.

Q. What can policymakers learn from innovators? Innovation is hard and messy and imprecise and risky and full of unknowns, with the purpose of building a better future.

Q. Can you describe a skill you have carried throughout your career that has always proved to be valuable? Problem solving. Regardless of the issue, the ability to sort through conflicting, imprecise, confusing, and often extraneous information and chart a path forward is crucial.

Q. Best advice you’ve received? At the end of every day, no matter how rough, ask yourself whether you individually lived up to your own ideals. If you did, sleep peacefully. If you didn’t, you’ve got some work to do.

Q. Favorite spot for a coffee meeting? Anywhere with a great patio and strong coffee.

Q. Favorite book, podcast or long-form article you recommend to TheBridge community? Any podcast with smart people offering different perspectives on the toughest public policy issues facing us today. And then I listen on 1.5 speed.

Q. Most underrated virtue in an employee? Curiosity

Q. Looking back, what advice would you give yourself in the beginning of your career? Mastering the skill of knowing when and how to speak up. And then doing it.

Q. What's one piece of advice you are still trying to master? The piece of advice that I give to others all the time: Realizing that every problem is not mine to solve.

Q. Everyday is probably different, but are there certain skills you think are essential to your job? Every day must start with coffee. From there, I quickly try to make progress on the list of 3 “Priorities” that I have written down from the end of the previous day. And after that, I switch between meetings with my team across the country making sure we are on top of policy and community issues. And I always break up my day as much as possible with time outside, even if only for brief interludes.

Q. If you had to live in another city, which would it be? Bozeman, Montana or New York City.

We include leaders spotlights in our bi-weekly updates sent to the community. Sign up to stay up to date with events, people, jobs, info in tech, policy and politics: