National Academy of Public Administration National Academy of Public Administration
David A. Bray
Fellow

Dr. David A. Bray

Member Since 2023

Biography

Dr. David A. Bray is both a Distinguished Fellow and Chair of the Accelerator, Loomis Council at the non-partisan Henry L. Stimson Center. He also is a Distinguished Fellow with the Business Executives for National Security and a CEO and transformation leader for different “under the radar” tech and data ventures. He is Principal at LeadDoAdapt Ventures and has served in a variety of leadership roles in turbulent environments, including bioterrorism preparedness and response from 2000-05, Executive Director for a bipartisan National Commission on R&D, non-partisan leadership as a federal agency Senior Executive, as well as improving the organizational adaptability of the U.S. Department of Defense and countering disinformation from 2017-2020 – including personally surviving a disinformation attack that occurred in 2018. He has received both the Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award and the National Intelligence Exceptional Achievement Medal. Dr. Bray served as Executive Director for the People-Centered Internet coalition Chaired by Internet co-originator Vint Cerf and directed another successful bipartisan Commission on the Geopolitical Impacts of New Technologies and Data in 2020-21. Business Insider named him one of the top “24 Americans Who Are Changing the World” under 40, the World Economic Forum named him a Young Global Leader, and for twelve different startups he has served as President, CEO, Chief Strategy Officer, and Strategic Advisor roles.

History of Employment

Position Division Organization Start End
Distinguished Fellow with the Business Executives for National Security; Featured keynoter to both U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force on AI & Trust BENS.org; U.S. Air Force, U.S. Space Force 2022 Present
Representative Member on the International Digital Economy and Telecommunication Advisory Committee U.S. State Department, International Digital Economy and Telecommunication Advisory Committee 2022 Present
Principal & CEO at LeadDoAdapt (LDA) Ventures, Accelerator Chair & Distinguished Fellow at NGOs LDA Ventures, The Stimson Center, Atlantic Council 2021 Present
Speaker to Global Boards Fortune 500s UN SxSW, Leader at World Economic Forum World Economic Forum, Keynotes, Executive Boards 2015 Present
Executive Leader with CMU Harvard MIT GMU IHMC, Marshall & Eisenhower Fellow Carnegie Mellon University, Harvard, MIT, GMU, Institute for Human-Machine Cognition 2014 Present
2x Time Award Winner for the Global Business Transformation 150, 2017-2018 and 2022-2013 Global Business Transformation 150 (BT150) 2017 2023
Asked to serve as distinguished emcee for 2022 Charity Event with the Director of National Intelligence speaking Defense Intelligence Memorial Foundation 2022 2022
Bipartisan Endorsement received from both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House for the recommendations, report hand-delivered to the President Commission on the Geopolitical Impacts of New Technologies and Data, 2021 2021
Executive Dir for PCI Coalition & Founding Director Global GeoTech Commission & Center People-Centered Internet, Atlantic Council 2017 2021
Senior Consultant on Foreign Relations, Strategic Defense, Human Data Rights Council on Foreign Relations, DoD, Human Rights 2013 2020
Invited to Deliver Distinguished Keynote to UN on AI, the Internet, and Future of Data United Nations / UN Charter Day 2019 2019
Global CIO 100 - selected globally for innovative use of technology to deliver genuine business value, received twice in 2015 & 2017 Global CIO 100 2015 2017
Senior Executive, Chief Information Officer (both SES, FCC CIO) & Champion of Positive Change Agents Federal Communications Commission, SECDEF / X-Cell 2013 2017
Named top "24 Americans Who Are Changing the World" by Business Insider Business Insider, World Economic Forum 2016 2016
Outstanding Achievement Award for Civilian Government Armed Forces Communications and Electronic Association 2015 2015
National Intelligence Exceptional Achievement Medal U.S. Intelligence Community 2013 2013
Roger W. Jones Exec Leadership & Arthur Flemming Award, previous winners include Hon. Robert Gates, Hon. Elizabeth Dole Roger W. Jones Executive Leadership Award, Arthur Flemming Award 2013 2013
Senior Executive, Executive Director for National Commission on Research & Development Office of the Director of National Intelligence, ISE, National Commission 2010 2013
Senior Strategist, Expert, and Leadership Coach on Scaling Startups, Artificial Intelligence Harvard Kennedy School, MIT, Sermo / CDC 2005 2011
Visiting Associate & Senior Leader of Practice on Tech, People, and Transformations National Defense University, DOE 2001 2011
Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award and NATO Award for humanitarian and military service in Afghanistan U.S. Department of Defense 2008 2010
Senior Strategist, Expert, & Defense Researcher on Global Security, Disruption, Tech Trends Institute for Defense Analyses 2008 2010
PhD from Emory University; Post-Doctoral Associate at both MIT and Harvard University Emory, MIT, Harvard 2005 2008
Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response IT Chief, Associate Director of Informatics Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2000 2005
Multiple Health and Human Services Secretary’s Awards for response to 9/11, anthrax, and SARS U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2002 2004
Volunteer International Crew Leader, Emergency Medical Technician Habitat for Humanity International 1998 2001
Enterprise Project Manager, Senior Systems Developer for Fortune 500 Companies Microsoft / IntelliNet, Yahoo! WebCorps 1998 2000
System Developer, Project Manager for Global Response Models & Solutions U.S. Department of Energy, USDA, and Walter Reed Army Medical Center 1993 1995
Lead Application Developer, Project Manager for Prototype Satellite Applications Institute for Defense Analyses, NIH, CDC 1995 1998
Simulations Researcher & Environmental Algorithms Developer for Global Models Intel Science and Engineer Fairs 1992 1995

Expertise

Primary Sector

Federal

Primary Functions

Academic Faculty Academic Research Advocacy Budgeting and Finance Change Management Data Analytics Enterprise Risk Management Information Technology Intergovernmental Military Service Nonprofit / NGO leadership Organizational Structure/Design/Development Performance Measurement Procurement and Acquisition Program Evaluation Risk Management Strategic Planning Working Capital Funds

Areas of Expertise

Acquisition Alternative Energy Banking/Financial Regulation Board Governance Broadband Budget and Finance Civic Engagement Civil Rights and Liberties Commerce Consumer Protection Cybersecurity Defense Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Economy Education Energy Environment/Natural Resources Ethics Foreign Policy Green Energy Government Operations/Innovation Health Care Higher Education Homeland Security Infrastructure International Aid and Development Intergovernmental System/Federalism Intergovernmental Affairs and Coordination National Security Nonprofit/Philanthropy Oversight/Regulation Science – Basic/Lab Science – Research and Development Small Business Social Equity Technology – Product Development, Transfer, Commercialization Technology – Telecommunications, Information, Data Security Trade
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From This Fellow

Academy Studies

The Agile Pathway for Policymaking

Feb 28, 2025

Background While many public programs deliver important results, the context within which they operate continues to evolve significantly. The pace...

Sponsored By: Grant/Philanthropy
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