Tom Cochran
Trusted Advisor to CEOs & Boards
Technology, Growth & Organizational Change
“Credibility is not something you’re given. It’s something you earn by listening first, then leading.”
About
Former presidential appointee — Obama White House and U.S. State Department — and later CTO of The Atlantic, I work today with a small number of C-suite leaders navigating high-stakes moments: growth, transformation, and the decisions that don’t come with a clear answer.
My foundation is technical. I was the first engineer at the digital firm that powered $1.2 billion in grassroots fundraising for two presidential campaigns. Today, I translate that deep technical fluency into executive strategy, helping PE-backed firms, growth-stage ventures, and institutional organizations bridge the gap between complex systems and principled leadership.
My insights on trust, transparency, and decision-making appear in the Harvard Business Review and The Washington Post. I also taught as Adjunct Faculty at American University’s School of Communication. My current work focuses on helping leaders navigate AI adoption — containing the risks and accelerating the innovations that compound.
Who I Work With
I help leaders in technology, media, policy, and mission-driven organizations grow their teams, simplify their systems, and lead with clarity when the stakes are high.
Founders
in Transition
Translate vision into language that moves people.
I help founders close the gap between what they’ve built and how the market understands it. We sharpen positioning, align the narrative across stakeholders, and make the complex thing legible to the people who fund it, buy it, or join it.
Executives
Under Pressure
Contain risk while accelerating what compounds.
I help executives identify which risks to mitigate and which innovations to amplify. Together, we build the decision frameworks that let leadership move quickly without outrunning the organization’s ability to absorb change.
Operators
Facing Complexity
Navigate governance and multi-stakeholder complexity.
I help leaders build alignment across partners, regulators, and internal teams. Together, we clarify governance, simplify decision rights, and build the trust infrastructure that lets technology deliver on its promise.
Where I’ve Worked
From managing a $40 million global diplomacy operation at the State Department to overseeing $20–25 million P&Ls in the private sector, I’ve helped institutions scale responsibly and built global digital platforms to engage millions.
Oversaw WhiteHouse.gov and co-created “We the People,” the petition site that helped millions engage with government.
Led a 140-person team and $40M digital effort to modernize U.S. diplomacy, expand outreach, and build global trust.
Led digital transformation as CTO of The Atlantic and Quartz, reshaping platforms, teams, and audience strategy.
Built the original tech stack enabling $1.2B in donations across major presidential campaigns.
Led a $25M business unit driving digital transformation for federal agencies, nonprofits, and global enterprises.
Oversaw $20M P&L and led integrated marketing ops to modernize client strategy, content, and communications.
Where I’ve Spoken
Over the past decade, I’ve spoken in more than 20 countries at events ranging from private briefings at the New Zealand Parliament to global stages like ad:tech Tokyo, the Dublin Tech Summit, and Estonia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If you’re organizing an event and want to explore these themes, get in touch.
Let’s Start a Conversation
I take on a limited number of advisory and speaking engagements each year. If you’re facing a key decision or preparing for change, feel free to reach out.