Lisa Gelobter

Lisa Gelobter is a computer scientist, technologist, and entrepreneur whose career spans more than three decades at the intersection of technology, public service, and social impact. Gelobter earned a Bachelor of Science in computer science with a concentration in artificial intelligence and machine learning from Brown University and a Master of Fine Arts in film from New York University Tisch School of the Arts. Early in her career, Gelobter served as director of program management at Macromedia, where she invented what became Adobe Shockwave, a multimedia platform that contributed to the development of GIFs. She later held executive-level positions at The Feedroom, Comet Systems, Brightcove, Joost Technologies, and NBC Universal, and played a senior management role in the launch of Hulu. Gelobter also served as chief digital officer for BET Networks.

Gelobter joined the U.S. Digital Service during the Obama administration, where she contributed to the redesign of Healthcare.gov, streamlining the application process for the Affordable Care Act. She also led the team that built College Scorecard, an online tool for comparing the cost and value of higher education institutions in the United States, which helped shift the focus of higher education budgets toward access, affordability, and outcomes.

Drawing on her experiences as a Black woman in technology and inspired by the #MeToo movement, Gelobter co-founded tEQuitable, a startup focused on addressing workplace bias, discrimination, and harassment. tEQuitable developed an independent, confidential platform and a third-party, tech-enabled ombuds program to proactively address these issues. Gelobter raised more than $2 million for tEQuitable, becoming one of a small number of Black women to raise $1 million or more in venture capital.

Gelobter has been recognized by Inc. Magazine and Fast Company and serves on boards for the Obama Foundation, Times Up, and The Education Trust. She is a keynote speaker on topics including STEM, computer science, diversity and inclusion, anti-racism, artificial intelligence, and female leadership.

Gelobter was appointed New York City's chief technology officer and commissioner of the Office of Technology and Innovation, overseeing the city's technology infrastructure, cybersecurity, and data management initiatives. In this role, she focuses on expanding access to city services and advancing digital equity across New York City, including leading the launch of the Public Interest Technology Crew (PIT Crew), a new team aimed at transforming New York City's technology and improving digital services for residents. Throughout her career, Gelobter has demonstrated how technology can be used to drive social impact and institutional transformation.