TheBridge profile: Sarah Logan
Name: Sarah Logan
Current city: Washington, DC
Current job: Chief of Staff, Gates Policy Initiative/Senior Communications Officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Past job: Senior Advisor, Public Affairs, U.S. Treasury
Q. Favorite spot for a coffee meeting? Compass.
Q. Describe how a skill you learned in a previous job helped you in your current job? Time management. At Treasury, we had limited time to get a lot done, and it was incredibly important to prioritize the right things at the right time. I had great bosses and friends that taught me how to work effectively and efficiently.
Q. Job advice in three words? Be succinct.
Q. How are you (or your company, org, nonprofit) currently bridging the gap between politics and tech / innovation and regulation? Philanthropy is an interesting space, where innovation is required, and you can take bigger risks. But we still work super closely with government partners around the world, it’s what my work is focused on in D.C. It’s critical that all sectors better understand each other.
Q. What can innovators learn from policymakers? Rules of the road matter. Systems and organizations have been put in place to protect people and serve the greater interest. That’s super important to everyone.
Q. What can policymakers learn from innovators? It’s important to be flexible and nimble. All industries benefit from being able to react better to the current climate, and that includes government. Tech has also been able to attract a lot of talent, and public service needs to be a place where smart folks want to go work.
Q. Favorite book/podcast/long-form article you recommend? I’ve actually read a biography of every President! Highly recommend American Lion by Jon Meacham on Andrew Jackson. Really challenging history, but critical to understanding how the American presidency evolved into what it is today.
Q: What’s one piece of advice you’re still trying to master? Be patient and enjoy where you are.
Q. Morning routine? Workout, lots of coffee, NPR, and time with my dog, Harper.
Q. Living person you admire? Serena Williams.
Q. Most underrated virtue in an employee? Good writing.