Dr. Tomicah Tillemann is the Executive Director of the Digital Impact and Governance Initiative (DIGI) at New America. In collaboration with the Rockefeller Foundation and other partners, DIGI is developing and deploying a new generation of open source technology platforms to transform the way governments deliver value for citizens.
He also oversees the work of the Blockchain Trust Accelerator (BTA) and the Responsible Asset Allocator Initiative (RAAI). The BTA works with organizations to deploy decentralized technology solutions that address governance and social impact challenges worldwide. The RAAI index ranks sovereign wealth and pension funds with combined assets of $20 trillion based on their strategies for managing social, governance, and environmental risks.
He previously served at the State Department as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State, leading a team of experts that brought together technology, talent, resources, and partners to build 20 major initiatives in 55 countries. Tillemann led the State Department’s Global Philanthropy Working Group and its federal advisory committee on engagement with non-state actors. Tillemann joined the State Department in 2009 as Secretary Clinton’s speechwriter and collaborated with her on over 200 speeches.
Previously, he spent four years on the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee working with Joe Biden, John Kerry and Barack Obama. His other professional experience includes work with the White House, five U.S. Senate and Congressional campaigns, Reuters New Media, and the World Bank.
He is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Council for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the United Nations World Food Program Innovation Advisory Council, and the Lantos Foundation Board of Trustees. He is a board member and founding chairman of the GBBC, and grew the organization from its Davos launch in 2017 to a global body with a presence in over 50 countries.
Tillemann is a co-holder of four patents. He received his B.A. magna cum laude from Yale University and holds a Ph.D. with distinction from the School for Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. He has lectured at Yale, Princeton, and Stanford, testified repeatedly before Congress, and delivered over 100 keynote addresses.