Richard Goldberg

Strategic advisory services for investors, founders, startups, corporations and non-profits, with a focus on government affairs, strategic communications, media training, public affairs, campaign management and crisis communications.

The Foundation for Defense Democracies (FDD) is a non-profit, non-partisan research institute and think tank focusing on foreign policy and national security topics. Goldberg contributes to FDD's Center on Economic and Financial Power, Center on Military and Political Power, Iran Program, International Organizations Program, China Program, Israel Program and Nonproliferation Program.

Served as an Intelligence Officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve, including assignments as a Navy Watch Officer in the Pentagon’s command center (with Joint Staff Qualification), Chief of Counterintelligence Threats for a reserve unit supporting U.S. European Command, and Senior Intelligence Officer for an electronic attack squadron deployed to Afghanistan. Honorary First Cavalry Division "First Team" for his service as Jewish Lay Leader for Bagram Airfield in 2011.

The White House National Security Council (NSC) is the President’s principal forum for addressing national security and foreign policy matters in collaboration with national security advisors and cabinet officials. As the Director for Countering Iranian Weapons of Mass Destruction, Goldberg coordinated the President’s maximum pressure campaign against Iran, including diplomatic and economic efforts, aimed at denying Iran all pathways to nuclear weapons. During his tenure, Iranian oil exports were decreased by more than 1 million barrels per day and revenue to Iran decreased by $200 billion.

Bruce Rauner is an American businessman, philanthropist, and politician who served as the 42nd governor of Illinois, from 2015 to 2019. As Chief of Staff, Goldberg provided vision and leadership for an office of 100, which included overseeing government operations crises, policy decisions, legislative affairs, communications matters, intergovernmental affairs, federal affairs, and budget matters. Goldberg frequently met with cabinet officials, senior staff, and lawmakers to manage government and negotiate legislative initiatives on the Governor’s behalf. Goldberg was also responsible for the daily oversight of a 50,000-person state workforce during a historic budget impasse that resulted in significant funding-related crises. During his tenure, Goldberg secured numerous successes for the Office of the Governor, including the arrangement of a temporary budget agreement to keep schools open during continued budget negotiations. Goldberg also played an instrumental role in negotiating pension reform legislation, historic school choice legislation reform, a range of red-tape-cutting pro-business initiatives, and keeping nuclear energy in Illinois. Prior to serving as Chief of Staff, Goldberg supported Bruce Rauner and the Office of the Governor in the capacity of Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative Affairs.

Mark Kirk is an American politician who served as the junior US Senator from Illinois from 2010 to 2017. Prior to his Senate term, Kirk was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Illinois’s 10th congressional district. As Deputy Chief of Staff for U.S. Senator Mark Kirk, Goldberg managed the Senator’s communications and policy, with a focus on national security. As a trusted leader, Goldberg managed the Senator’s foreign policy legislative agenda, coordinated legislative press strategies, and facilitated committee hearing preparations. Goldberg was also responsible for fielding meetings with foreign governments, lobbyists, non-profits, advocates, and other congressional staff on the Senator’s behalf. During this time, Goldberg oversaw legislative efforts in the Appropriations Subcommittee on State-Foreign Operations and served as the lead GOP staff negotiator for Iran sanctions. After the Senator had a major stroke, Goldberg coordinated crisis communications and acted as the family’s spokesperson until Kirk returned to the Senate.

During Mark Kirk's time in the House of Representatives, Goldberg served from 2004-2010 as a senior appropriations associate and foreign policy advisor. He helped found the House U.S.-China Working Group and served as its GOP staff director. Goldberg was also GOP staff lead for the House Iran Working Group, the Congressional Task Force on Anti-Semitism, the Congressional Armenia Caucus, the Albanian Issues Caucus, and the Commission on Korean Divided Families. In addition to helping secure funding for Iron Dome and Arrow-3, in 2008, he helped secure the deployment of an X-Band missile defense radar to Israel that fundamentally changed the trajectory of U.S.-Israel missile defense cooperation.

Medill is a leader in education and research in both journalism and integrated marketing communications.

Northwestern’s MPPA curriculum offers a unique and comprehensive opportunity to delve into both the administrative and analytical sides of policy. This holistic approach is grounded in the perspective that policy challenges are fluid, interconnected, and global. This perspective gives graduates the tools needed to rise in the field and drive change at the local, national, and international levels.

Course Certificates Completed: Financial Accounting: Foundations, Financial Accounting: Advanced Topics, Investments I: Fundamentals of Performance Evaluation, Investments II: Lessons and Applications for Investors, Corporate Finance I: Measuring and Promoting Value Creation, Corporate Finance II: Financing Investments and Managing Risk, Financial Management Capstone