Our Leadership

John serves as a strategic advisor and investor, leveraging cross-sector experience in government, philanthropy, and the private sector to drive solutions in AI, technology, workforce development, climate technology, and behavioral health.

In addition to being a Heartland Forward fellow, he currently serves as a fellow at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. He has supported a range of investors and philanthropies with designing their strategies, launching initiatives, and developing policy agendas.

Previously, John served as a domestic policy advisor in the White House where he coordinated the Bush Administration’s efforts during the credit crisis to stabilize $200 billion in student loans and served as a negotiator for the reauthorization of the Trade Adjustment Assistance program. He also co-founded the strategic advisory firm Whiteboard Advisors and served as a senior program officer at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Earlier in his career, John served as the nation’s second Director of Educational Technology at the U.S. Department of Education, where he co-chaired the interagency Advanced Education Technology Initiative.

John currently serves on the board of directors for Zearn Math, the Federation of American Scientists, U.S. Digital Response, the Just Trust, and American Policy Ventures. He also serves on advisory boards for Trustible.ai, the XPRIZE, the FPF Center for Artificial Intelligence, and the Tech Talent Project. In addition, John is a Pahara-Aspen Institute Fellow and a moderator and member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. He is also an alumnus of the American Council on Germany Young Leaders Program. In 2022, 2023, and 2024 the Washingtonian named him as one of Washington’s Most Influential People in policy.