Zu Baird

Zoë Baird (born June 20, 1952, in Brooklyn, NY) is an American lawyer, foundation executive, and public-policy leader. She earned a BA in political science and public policy from UC Berkeley in 1974 (Phi Beta Kappa) and a JD from Boalt Hall School of Law in 1977. Early in her career she clerked for U.S. District Judge Albert C. Wollenberg, worked in the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel, and served as Associate Counsel to President Jimmy Carter (1980–1981). She was a partner at O'Melveny & Myers in Washington, DC (1981–1986) before moving into corporate roles as a counselor/staff executive at General Electric (1986–1990) and Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Aetna (1990–1996). In 1993, President Bill Clinton nominated her to be U.S. Attorney General — which would have made her the first woman in the role — but she withdrew after the "Nannygate" disclosure regarding household employees and unpaid Social Security taxes.

Baird served as President and CEO of the John and Mary R. Markle Foundation from 1998 to 2022, one of the longest tenures of any major U.S. foundation head. Under her leadership, Markle focused on using technology and information to address national challenges in health, national security, and economic opportunity. She co-chaired the Markle Task Force on National Security in the Information Age with former Netscape CEO Jim Barksdale; its recommendations influenced the 9/11 Commission Report and shaped the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. She later launched Rework America and Skillful, initiatives aimed at building a skills-based labor market and expanding paths to good jobs for workers without four-year degrees.

In October 2022, Baird stepped down from Markle to join the U.S. Department of Commerce as Senior Counselor for Technology and Economic Growth to Secretary Gina Raimondo, where she led the administration's international work on artificial intelligence and advanced employer-based training programs. She was appointed to the U.S. Department of Commerce's National AI Advisory Committee. She currently serves as CEO of Aperture Group.

Baird has held numerous board and advisory positions, including the boards of Chubb Corporation and Boston Properties, honorary trustee of the Brookings Institution, member and trustee of the Council on Foreign Relations, treasurer of the New York City Ballet board, and roles with the Aspen Institute Homeland Security and Strategy Groups and federal advisory bodies on privacy, cyber, and defense science.

• Invests as an angel / individual investor, typically at seed and early stage, with participation extending into Series A rounds.
• Sector interests align with her professional focus: consumer, enterprise software, and health / well-being technology, plus themes she championed at Markle — the future of work, workforce upskilling, the digital economy, national security, and responsible AI.
• Her career-long emphasis has been on technology deployed for economic opportunity and public benefit — companies addressing skills, jobs, health, and human well-being fit her stated worldview.
• Given her deep policy, legal, and governance background, she brings value in regulated, mission-driven, and government-adjacent markets rather than as a high-volume financial angel.