Nik Marda

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Hi there, I'm Nik! I'm trying to make tech work better for everyone.

I'm currently at Mozilla, where I am the Technical Lead for AI Governance. I focus on making it easier for developers to build AI responsibly, such as by making AI more open, public, and trustworthy. I am also an adjunct lecturer at Northwestern University and a steering committee member at the Tech Talent Project. I've been put on a list of 100 government AI leaders around the world, and I've been quoted in The Washington Post, Bloomberg, TIME Magazine, and a few industry-specific outlets.

Previously, I worked at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Biden-Harris Administration, serving as Chief of Staff of the Tech Division and as a Policy Advisor in the National AI Initiative Office. I led policy planning for a 20-person team, chaired the committee developing the U.S. Government's strategy on AI, and launched federal initiatives on privacy, digital assets, and civic tech. I also co-organized a high-level meeting with AI CEOs, led public engagement on national AI priorities, spoke at key events, and helped write an executive order, federal guidance, and bill of rights on AI.

Before that, I supported the Biden-Harris Transition Team and Data & Society, and interned for Senator Amy Klobuchar and the National Security Commission on AI. I received an M.S. in computer science and a B.A. in political science from Stanford University, where I published research in human-computer interaction and was a Truman Scholar, Gardner Fellow, Coca-Cola Scholar, and Civic Digital Fellow.

I was born and raised in southern Minnesota, and I have the Caribou Coffee mugs to prove it. I'm a big fan of long runs (like everyone else these days), national parks, good coffee, homemade chai, and clever puzzles. And I love meeting new folks — feel free to reach out at nik at mozillafoundation dot org.