Eben Tisdale was one of the industry’s most dedicated and effective advocates. After losing his battle with cancer in 1998, Eben’s friends, family and colleagues created the Tisdale Fellowship Scholarship  for students in the TFAS Business + Government Relations program as a lasting tribute to his commitment to the importance of public policy in the high-tech arena. Throughout his career, Eben made a special effort to bring bright young people to Washington. Through a long-term commitment as a mentor and friend, he helped many achieve outstanding success in government and in the private sector. The fellowship is a living monument to Eben’s legacy of nurturing young people’s interest in high technology and public policy.

ABOUT EBEN SMITH TISDALE

Eben was the director of Hewlett-Packard’s government affairs office in Washington, D.C., and served as co-chair of the Computer Coalition for Responsible Exports. He was past vice president of the Scientific Apparatus Makers Association and a founding member of the Semiconductor Industry Association and the Electronics Association of California.

A California state lobbyist, he came to Washington, D.C. in the 1970s to work as a staff associate at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He later worked as vice president of the Western Electronics Manufacturers Association, the predecessor to the American Electronics Association.

He was a native of Ithaca, New York, and a graduate of Stanford University.

How Eben Tisdale approached policy advocacy seems, to me, to be the way that we should approach life – with high levels of integrity, valuation of people, and respect for the importance of the issues that define our work. I especially think this is true with respect to the legislative process, and lobbyists’ interactions with it.” – Joel Mehler (Tisdale 08), Stanford University, Business Software Alliance Intern