Marek Gootman

Director of Strategic Partnerships and Global Engagements
Brookings Institution
Washington, DC

Marek Gootman is a Fellow and Director of Strategic Partnerships & Global Initiatives at the Brookings Institution, where he helps to bridge “think tank” perspective with “real world” action to strengthen the vitality of cities and metropolitan areas. He works with cross-sector coalitions of regional business, government, and civic leaders, as well as state and national interests, to undertake joint problem-solving and test application of Brookings ideas. Topics center on drivers of economic growth and inclusive development, such as traded sectors, workforce, innovation, infrastructure, and governance. Activities include applied research, demonstration projects, peer learning networks, and strategic planning processes. This portfolio also includes managing the Global Cities Initiative, a project launched in 2011 to help metros enhance their international economic connections and competitiveness, engaging more than 45 city-regions in 20 states and 10 countries.

Previously, Gootman was a partner at Patton Boggs LLP, where he primarily counseled local governments and public agencies on policy and advocacy, including seven of the ten largest US cities. Among other prior positions, he served in federal agencies and with a bi-state metropolitan planning organization, working on economic development, urban revitalization, public-private partnerships, and program delivery reforms. His international experience involved related work in the UK, Europe, and New Zealand, including the UK Atlantic Fellowship in Public Policy.

Gootman earned a law degree at Georgetown University; Master of Government Administration at the Fels Institute, University of Pennsylvania; and business degree from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.