Ed Van Buren

Head of Government AI | Strategic Growth Market Leader | Executive Director, Deloitte AI Institute for Government | Building AI-Ready Agencies (Safe, Governed, Operationalized AI)

Alexandria, Virginia, United States

About

Public sector missions run on trust and follow-through. My focus is what happens after the demo: getting AI to actually work in real operations, not just in pilots. As Strategic Growth Leader for AI at Deloitte's Government and Public Services practice and Executive Director of the Deloitte AI Institute for Government, I work with public sector leaders to turn promising ideas into tools that agencies can run with confidence. Over 27 years across consulting and the public sector, I've worked with clients like the U.S. Postal Service, the IRS, the Office of Performance Management, and all branches of the military, helping them use technology to get their missions done better. In federal AI work, the stakes are different. Security, auditability, and mission continuity aren't checkboxes — they're the starting point. I help agencies build AI governance and controls that keep AI operating safely, and apply it where it moves the needle most, including high-stakes areas like cybersecurity. Before consulting, I served in the Navy as a nuclear-trained submarine officer in the North Atlantic. Stay calm under pressure, run disciplined operations, build systems that have to perform every time. That still guides how I work. I have degrees from the Naval Academy, University of Maryland, and George Washington University. Outside work you'll find me behind a camera, on a bike, playing guitar, or somewhere new in the world.

Experience

  • Deloitte Consulting (21 yrs 6 mos)
    • Government and Public Services: Strategic Growth Leader - Artificial Intelligence
      Nov 2020 - Present · 5 yrs 8 mos

      Ed is the Strategic Growth Leader - Artificial Intelligence for Deloitte’s Government and Public Services Industry. He works with technology companies and other strategic partners to develop solutions harnessing the power of AI/ML for Federal, State, Local and Higher Education clients.

    • Principal
      Jan 2005 - Present · 21 yrs 6 mos

      Strategy and Operations Practice. Working with DoD clients to improve financial management and core business processes.

    • Government & Public Services - Strategy and Analytics Leader
      Jun 2018 - Jan 2021 · 2 yrs 8 mos

      My team provides business and technology strategy, transformation, data, analytics to Federal, State, Local and Higher Education clients.

  • Board Member at Military Child Education Coalition
    Jun 2012 - Present · 14 yrs 1 mo

    MCEC serves as a model of positive leadership and advocacy for ensuring inclusive, quality educational opportunities for all military-connected children, and works to ensure inclusive, quality educational experiences for all military-connected children affected by mobility, family separation, and transition. - See more at: http://www.militarychild.org

  • Lead Client Service Partner - United States Postal Service at Deloitte
    Jan 2014 - Jun 2016 · 2 yrs 6 mos

    Responsible for Deloitte's relationship with the United States Postal Service. Work with USPS leaders to develop solutions to increase revenue and reduce cost.

  • Principal at American Management Systems
    2000 - 2005 · 5 yrs

    IT and Management Consulting

  • United States Navy (7 yrs 1 mo)
    • Junior Officer
      1993 - 2000 · 7 yrs

      Nuclear Submarines (Groton, CT) (USS Augusta SSN 710) GWU ROTC

    • Officer
      1993 - 2000 · 7 yrs