Brendan Roach

About Brendan Roach

I am a technology policy professional with over a decade of experience helping nonprofits, philanthropies, and public agencies navigate the challenges of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. Most recently, I served as a Program Officer at The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), where I led multidisciplinary teams of experts to produce rigorous and relevant studies that informed federal agencies on the adoption and governance of emerging technologies. I negotiated and executed projects with diverse sponsors, ranging from transportation to defense, and delivered impactful recommendations and insights. I have a Master of Public Policy (MPP) from Harvard Kennedy School, where I honed my skills in policy analysis, international relations, and politics. I also have a strong academic background in sociology and anthropology from Georgetown University and Oxford University. I am passionate about exploring the social, ethical, and economic implications of artificial intelligence, automation, and facial recognition technologies, and how they can be used to improve the lives of people and communities. I am always eager to learn from and collaborate with diverse stakeholders and experts in this dynamic and evolving field.

Experience

1. Program Officer

   The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

   Dec 2019 — Present

   Direct multidisciplinary teams of academics and leading experts to develop thorough studies advising federal agencies on issues around the adoption and governance of emerging technologies.Negotiate new projects with potential sponsoring organizations, including identifying topics, scoping work, and creating project budgetCo-directed study on improving quality and diversity of cybersecurity workforce at a major federal transportation agencyCurrently directing major studies on automation and the future of the U.S. workforce and the use and governance of facial recognition technologiesDeveloped and hosted successful workshop on using measurement sciences to improve trustworthiness of artificial intelligence

Education

• Georgetown University

  Bachelor of Science (BS), Sociology and Anthropology

  2006 — 2010

• University of Oxford

  Politics, Philosophy

  2008 — 2009

• Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government

  Master's degree, Public Policy Analysis

  2016 — 2018