Brad Whitehead

Managing Director, Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund

Education: Bachelor’s degree in economics, Harvard College; master’s degree in public administration, Kennedy School of Government

How I Approach My Day: It all begins with a homemade chocolate chip cookie — every day should start with a touch of sweetness.

What Motivates Me Right Now: The 3,500 acres of brownfields in the city poised for their next chapter, thousands of residents who just want a shot at opportunity, funders and investors who have placed their trust in the Site Readiness Fund and a mayor who told us that “Cleveland can’t wait”

If I Could Trade Places With Anyone: My 30-year-old self. I would have so many fewer aches and pains.

What Would Surprise Someone to Learn About Me: I lived with a band of Mbuti pygmies in Africa and almost became an anthropologist.

An Important Lesson I Learned: Everybody, no matter how senior or accomplished, is dealing with something — a fear, a loss, an illness, a disappointment, an insecurity. That explains a lot of who they are and why they do what they do. 

A Cleveland Spot I Recommend: The Cleveland Ballet