Christian Tamotsu Fjeld, Senior Vice President at ML Strategies in Washington, DC, advises clients on a broad array of federal policy issues. He draws on two decades of Capitol Hill experience to support clients in building relationships, shaping policy, and engaging effectively with the federal government.
Christian’s experience working with Congress and his insights help clients anticipate federal developments and advance their priorities with clarity and confidence.
Prior to joining ML Strategies, Christian held senior roles on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, including as Senior Counsel and Subcommittee Staff Director. In so doing, he served under the Ranking Member, Senator Maria Cantwell (D – WA), as well as former Chairman John D. Rockefeller IV (D-WV) and former Ranking Member Bill Nelson (D-FL). Christian worked with key oversight agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and the Department of Commerce. He also previously served in advisory roles with the House Energy & Commerce Committee and in the offices of former Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-IL) and to former US Representative Bill Luther (D-MN).
Christian, alongside other members of the ML Strategies team, contributes to a recurring thought leadership series, AI: The Washington Report, which offers insights and analysis on federal policy developments, legislative trends, and regulatory actions related to artificial intelligence.
Education
- George Washington School of Law (JD)
- Oberlin College (BA)
Recognition & Awards
JD Supra Readers’ Choice Award, Top Author – Artificial Intelligence, 2025
Recent Insights
Viewpoints
The AI Action Plan and Its Key Implementations - AI: The Washington Report
July 29, 2025|Article
News & Press
Vice President of ML Strategies Christian Fjeld provided insights for a feature article published by The National Law Review examining the privacy implications of Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen’s testimony before a Congressional Subcommittee regarding harms perpetuated by the tech giant.
Vice President of ML Strategies Christian Fjeld was quoted in an article published by Bloomberg Law on how the Internet of Things Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2020 may impact the industry due to the government’s purchasing power.
In Thomson Reuters’ Westlaw, Vice President of ML Strategies Christian Fjeld was quoted on the Internet of Things (IoT) Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2020, which establishes security standards for IoT devices owned or controlled by the federal government and was recently signed into law by President Trump, and its potential “spillover effects” into the private sector.
Events
Christian Fjeld will be speaking at "FTC Commissioner Noah Phillips on the Outlook for Privacy and Digital Ads" hosted by the NAI.
Christian Fjeld is a speaker on a Mintz-sponsored ACC San Diego webinar titled "The Future of In-house Legal Teams & Regulatory Environment." The program will consider the vision for what's on the horizon in Washington, as the new administration and Democratic lead Congress set their agenda on key regulatory and policy issues.
Join Mintz and ML Strategies for a webinar that explores the issues surrounding federal privacy legislation. Cynthia Larose and Christian Fjeld will moderate this webinar with Jared Bomberg, Senior Counsel to US Senator Maria Cantwell, US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and David LeDuc, Vice President of Public Policy, Network Advertising Initiative.
Viewpoints
The AI Action Plan and Its Key Implementations - AI: The Washington Report
July 29, 2025| Article
President Trump Signs Law with Over $1 Billion of AI Funding, and US Rescinds Chip Export Restrictions to China — AI: The Washington Report
July 11, 2025| Article
Read about the administration’s latest actions on AI funding and export policy and what they signal for US competitiveness and national security in the latest edition of AI: The Washington Report, a joint undertaking of Mintz and ML Strategies covering potential federal legislative, executive, and regulatory activities related to AI.
Senate Strikes 10-Year State Law Moratorium from Budget Reconciliation Bill and Trump Plans to Sign AI Growth Executive Order — AI: The Washington Report
July 2, 2025| Article
Read about the Senate’s removal of the AI moratorium and the administration’s energy and infrastructure push to support AI expansion, in the latest edition of AI: The Washington Report, a joint undertaking of Mintz and ML Strategies covering potential federal legislative, executive, and regulatory activities related to AI.
Senate Parliamentarian Approves Ted Cruz’s Rewritten 10-Year State AI Law Moratorium, and Senate Introduces Bipartisan Preventing Deep Fake Scams Act — AI: The Washington Report
June 26, 2025| Article
Read about the Senate’s proposed bipartisan Preventing Deep Fake Scams Act and the implications of the reconciliation package’s energy provisions in the latest edition of AI: The Washington Report, a joint undertaking of Mintz and ML Strategies covering potential federal legislative, executive, and regulatory activities related to AI.
AI.gov Inadvertent Disclosure Reveals President’s Plan as AI Czar Delivers First Public Comments — AI: The Washington Report
June 18, 2025| Article
In this week’s edition of AI: The Washington Report, we analyze the significance of the government’s AI Action Plan, and how Sacks plans to work with the US private sector to further advance the country’s position on AI.
Trump Signs EO on AI Cybersecurity and Senate Floats New Approach to State AI Moratorium - AI: The Washington Report
June 13, 2025| Article
Read about the implications of the new Executive Order on AI and cybersecurity and the Senate’s tactical revisions to the state-level moratorium in the latest edition of AI: The Washington Report, a joint undertaking of Mintz and ML Strategies covering potential federal legislative, executive, and regulatory activities related to AI.
AI Law Moratorium Faces Senate Hurdles, and Federal Judge Limits Chatbots Free Speech — AI: The Washington Report
June 5, 2025| Article
Read about the proposed federal moratorium on state AI laws and the legal implications of the court decision on AI and free speech in the latest edition of AI: The Washington Report, a joint undertaking of Mintz and ML Strategies covering potential federal legislative, executive, and regulatory activities related to AI.
FTC Chair Ferguson Tells Congress Agency Needs Extra Resources to Enforce AI Deepfake Act, and Trump Signs Nuclear Energy EO — AI: The Washington Report
May 29, 2025| Article
Read about the FTC’s resource needs to enforce the TAKE IT DOWN Act, the Trump administration’s AI infrastructure plans through advanced nuclear power, and the implications of the developments for future AI policy in the latest edition of AI: The Washington Report, a joint undertaking of Mintz and ML Strategies covering potential federal legislative, executive, and regulatory activities related to AI.
News & Press
Privacy Implications of the Facebook Whistleblower Testimony
October 19, 2021 | The National Law Review
Vice President of ML Strategies Christian Fjeld provided insights for a feature article published by The National Law Review examining the privacy implications of Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen’s testimony before a Congressional Subcommittee regarding harms perpetuated by the tech giant.
Cyber Standards for Connected Devices Leverage Federal Purchases
January 5, 2021 | Bloomberg Law
Vice President of ML Strategies Christian Fjeld was quoted in an article published by Bloomberg Law on how the Internet of Things Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2020 may impact the industry due to the government’s purchasing power.
Internet of Things Law Uses Procurement Process to Boost Cybersecurity
December 8, 2020 | Westlaw
In Thomson Reuters’ Westlaw, Vice President of ML Strategies Christian Fjeld was quoted on the Internet of Things (IoT) Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2020, which establishes security standards for IoT devices owned or controlled by the federal government and was recently signed into law by President Trump, and its potential “spillover effects” into the private sector.
How The Election Could Reshape The Telecom Industry
November 2, 2020 | Law360
In an article published by Law360, Vice President of ML Strategies Christian Fjeld was quoted on how the 2020 election could reshape the communications industry, specifically with regards to leadership on relevant congressional committees and the possibility of reform of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
Myriad Section 230 Bills Show Agreement Still Out Of Reach
October 19, 2020 | Law360
In an article published by Law360, Vice President of ML Strategies Christian Fjeld was quoted on lawmaker efforts to amend Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
Special Report: The Mask Middlemen - How Pop-Up Brokers Seek Big Paydays in a Frenzied Market
April 1, 2020 | Reuters
Vice President of ML Strategies Christian Fjeld was quoted in an article published by Reuters discussing the increase of price gouging due to COVID-19 and its legality.
Reading the Tea Leaves in NHSTA’s First Approval of Fully Autonomous Vehicles
February 13, 2020 | Legaltech News
Vice President of ML Strategies Christian Fjeld was quoted in an article published by Legaltech News on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s approval of robotics company Nuro’s request for three exemptions to deploy its fully autonomous car fleet in the United States.
The Impact of AI: Bay Area Experts Discuss the Meaning of Artificial Intelligence and How it Will Affect the Economy and Society
January 24, 2020 | San Francisco Business Times
On December 9, 2019, Vice President of ML Strategies Christian T. Fjeld participated in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Business Table of Experts discussion hosted by the San Francisco Business Times. During the forum, panelists addressed how businesses can leverage AI to drive innovation, the impact AI will have on the economy and on society, and the meaning of artificial intelligence itself.
Former Senate Staffer Reveals How Congress Can Pass an Autonomous Vehicle Bill
November 19, 2019 | Legaltech News
In this Q&A published by Legaltech News, Vice President of ML Strategies Christian Fjeld—former lead Democratic Senate staffer tasked with shepherding the American Vision for Safer Transportation through Advancement of Revolutionary Technologies Act (AV START Act) through the Senate—discussed why Congress failed to pass the AV START Act, how autonomous vehicles’ complexity isn’t lawmakers’ largest hurdle, and why the data privacy debate may factor into the next autonomous vehicle bill.
Events
Panelist
Dec
8
2021
Speaker
May
25
2021
Moderator
Apr
6
2021
Panelist
Nov
5
2020
Moderator
Jul
9
2020
Panelist
Jun
19
2019