Brett Goldstein is a pioneering innovator recognized for dismantling bureaucratic barriers and driving cross-industry transformation, from the Department of Defense to Silicon Valley. Goldstein has advised Cabinet Secretaries, C-suite executives, and start-ups on national security, finance, cybersecurity, AI, and data analytics. With leadership roles spanning government, the private sector, and academia, he remains committed to enhancing government through data and technology.

 

Goldstein began his technology career at OpenTable, where he helped grow the company from an early-stage startup to a multinational corporation. Following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, he joined the Chicago Police Department where he earned the rank of Commander. He made history as the nation’s first municipal Chief Data Officer in Chicago’s government and later served as the city’s Chief Information Officer.  In these roles, Goldstein was critical in leading successful efforts to use data and technology to improve the lives of Chicago-area residents. To accomplish this, he established one of the premier analytics programs in the country, accelerating Chicago’s growth as a global hub of innovation and technology.

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As Director of the Defense Digital Service, he led a team dedicated to tackling critical technical and national security challenges for the Department of Defense, reporting directly to the Secretary of Defense.  He also served as Special Advisor to the United States Department of the Navy where he provided technical expertise on special projects, including overhauling the Navy’s personnel and manpower systems and infrastructure, developing data analytics and machine learning with Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), and using commercial technology and algorithms to improve force protection for service members in Afghanistan as part of NATO’s Resolute Support Mission.

 

Goldstein co-founded and served as Managing Partner of Ekistic Ventures, a venture capital fund dedicated to cultivating a portfolio of technology start-ups that bring new solutions to critical urban problems. Before his work at Ekistic, he served as the Chief Technology Officer of GCM Grosvenor, a global investment and advisory firm.

 

Academically, he served as a Senior Fellow and Special Advisor for Urban Science at the University of Chicago and as a Senior Advisor to the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts. He also held a fellowship appointment at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He is the Special Advisor to the Chancellor on National Security and Strategic Initiatives and a Research Professor in the School of Engineering at Vanderbilt University.

 

Goldstein earned a master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Chicago and a master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Suffolk University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Government from Connecticut College. He has received numerous recognitions and awards and is a sought-after speaker at national and international forums. He lives in Illinois with his wife, three children, two dogs, and a flourishing hive of bees.