Brett Goldstein
INNOVATOR · STRATEGIST · ACADEMIC
Pioneering innovator recognized for dismantling bureaucratic barriers and driving cross-industry transformation — from the Department of Defense to Silicon Valley
First
Municipal Chief Data Officer in the US
DoD
Director, Defense of Digital Service
Vanderbilt
Special Advisor to the Chancellor
Early Career
Goldstein began his technology career at OpenTable, helping grow the company from an early-stage startup to a multinational corporation. Following September 11, 2001, he joined the Chicago Police Department, earning the rank of Commander and becoming the nation's first municipal Chief Data Officer.
Defense & Government
As Director of the Defense Digital Service he lead 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 other the United States Department of the Navy.
Private Sector
Goldstein co-founded and served as Managing Partner of Ekistic Ventures, a venture capital fund dedicated to cultivating a portfolio of technology startups that bring new solutions to critical urban problems. He has also served as Chief Technology Officer at GCM Grosvenor.
Academia
He has served as Senior Fellow and Special Advisor for Urban Science at the University of Chicago, Senior Advisor to the Pearson Institute, and held a fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He is currently Special Advisor to the Chancellor on National Security at Vanderbilt University.
Education
Research Interests
I focus on addressing the most pressing challenges in national security and preparing the next generation of its leaders.