Executive Director

Janet Haven

Janet Haven leads Data & Society, defining our position in the field and ensuring that empirical evidence directly informs the development and governance of new technology.

Janet Haven is the Executive Director of Data & Society. She is also a member of the National Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee, which advises President Biden and the National AI Initiative Office on a range of issues related to artificial intelligence. She has worked at the intersection of technology policy, governance, and accountability for twenty years, both domestically and internationally. Before joining D&S, where she previously served as Director of Programs and Strategy, Janet spent more than a decade at the Open Society Foundations. There, she oversaw funding strategies and grant-making related to technology’s role in strengthening civil society, and played a substantial role in shaping the field of data and technology governance.

Janet started her career in technology start-ups in Central Europe and lived in the region for more than ten years, deepening her understanding of the ways the internet and algorithmic technologies impact communities outside the US. She sits on the board of the Public Lab for Open Technology and Science and advises a range of non-profit organizations. She holds an MA from the University of Virginia, and a BA from Amherst College.