The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is honored to announce today that Alexander “amac” Macgillivray — a former White House official who also served in top legal capacities at Twitter and Google — has joined EFF’s Board of Directors.
Macgillivray served in the Biden Administration as Deputy Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy U.S. Chief Technology Officer in the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and earlier had held a similar position in the Obama Administration. Macgillivray was one of the co-authors of the Biden Administration’s Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights and oversaw many of the Administration’s AI initiatives, such as organizing its AI CEO convening, leading its working group on federal AI policy, and overseeing the creation of the National AI Research and Development Strategic Plan and National AI Research Resource.
He was Twitter's General Counsel from 2009 to 2013, leading the Corporate Development, Public Policy, Communications, and Trust & Safety teams. Before that he was Deputy General Counsel at Google from 2003 to 2009, where he created the Product Counsel team.
“One of the things I am currently focused on is positively impacting AI development,” Macgillivray said. “The EFF is uniquely situated for that purpose because it combines top-notch legal, technical and advocacy staff with a long history of fighting for people’s rights while encouraging the positive development of technology. I’m thrilled to be joining the board.”
Macgillivray joins a dynamic EFF Board led by Board Chair Gigi Sohn and Vice Chair Brian Behlendorf, and including fellow Board Members Erica Astrella, Anil Dash, Sarah Deutsch, Tadayoshi Kohno, Pamela Samuelson, Bruce Schneier, James Vasile, Tarah Wheeler, and Jonathan Zittrain.
“The EFF Board is thrilled to have Alex join our ranks,” Sohn said. “I’ve worked with Alex for over two decades and have always been impressed not only with his intelligence and grace, but also his ability to think outside the box. His deep experience with non-profit boards will be invaluable as EFF enters a new and exciting chapter.”
Macgillivray currently also serves on the boards of The Trust & Safety Foundation, The Trust & Safety Professional Association and Public Resource. He is an affiliate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University. Macgillivray earned a law degree from Harvard, a bachelor’s degree in Reasoning & Decision Making from Princeton University, and a New Jersey Teaching Certificate.
“The vanguard leadership of EFF Board members to ensure technology supports rights, justice, freedom, and innovation for all people has never been more critical,” EFF Executive Director Nicole Ozer said. “Many of the threats that once seemed hypothetical are now reality and the work of our EFF community is fundamental to the future of our countries, our livelihoods, and literally our lives. I feel fortunate to have amac join as a Board member as I begin my tenure as Executive Director. His diverse expertise will be invaluable to make sure that EFF is stronger than ever to meet this moment.”
Members of the Board of Directors ensure the managerial and financial health of the organization. EFF is the leading nonprofit organization defending civil liberties in the digital world. Learn more about our cutting-edge work on AI issues, and please donate today to help keep us fighting for a brighter digital future.
Facts Only
* Alexander Macgillivray joined the EFF Board of Directors.
* Macgillivray served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy U.S. Chief Technology Officer in the Biden Administration.
* He held a similar position in the Obama Administration.
* Macgillivray co-authored the Biden Administration’s Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights.
* He oversaw AI initiatives including organizing the AI CEO convening and leading the federal AI policy working group.
* Macgillivray was Twitter's General Counsel from 2009 to 2013.
* He was Deputy General Counsel at Google from 2003 to 2009.
* Macgillivray is a Harvard law graduate and a Princeton bachelor’s degree holder.
* He currently serves on the boards of The Trust & Safety Foundation, The Trust & Safety Professional Association, and Public Resource.
Executive Summary
Alexander Macgillivray has joined the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s Board of Directors. Macgillivray served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy U.S. Chief Technology Officer in the Biden Administration, and previously held similar roles in the Obama Administration. He was involved in the creation of the Biden Administration’s Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights and oversaw various federal AI initiatives, including organizing an AI CEO convening and leading working groups on federal AI policy. Prior to his government service, Macgillivray served as Twitter's General Counsel from 2009 to 2013 and held a position as Deputy General Counsel at Google from 2003 to 2009. He stated that joining the EFF aligns with his focus on positively impacting AI development by combining legal, technical, and advocacy efforts.
He joins a board led by Gigi Sohn and Brian Behlendorf, including members such as Erica Astrella, Anil Dash, Sarah Deutsch, Tadayoshi Kohno, Pamela Samuelson, Bruce Schneier, James Vasile, Tarah Wheeler, and Jonathan Zittrain. The Board Chair expressed that Macgillivray's experience with non-profit boards would be valuable for the EFF. Executive Director Nicole Ozer noted that the work of the EFF is fundamental to current societal threats, and Macgillivray's diverse expertise will strengthen the organization as they address contemporary challenges regarding technology and civil liberties.
Full Take
The appointment highlights a confluence between high-level public policy experience, major technology corporate legal roles, and non-profit advocacy focused on digital rights and artificial intelligence. Macgillivray’s background bridges executive government service, specific experience in shaping federal AI policy (like the Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights), and large-scale platform governance at Twitter and Google. This composition suggests a movement toward embedding practical, high-level strategic thinking within the EFF’s mission to defend civil liberties.
The language used emphasizes the critical nature of current technology threats, framing the work as fundamental to individual lives and rights. The juxtaposition of his corporate legal experience with non-profit governance expertise suggests an attempt to operationalize abstract principles into actionable policy and defense strategies. A key pattern emerges in positioning technical and legal leadership as inherently tied to moral responsibility, suggesting that effective technological stewardship requires a specific blend of high-level organizational and ethical awareness.
The implication for cognitive sovereignty lies in recognizing the value embedded in diverse expertise—legal acumen, technical foresight, and advocacy strategy—when addressing complex issues like AI regulation. The narrative functions to legitimize the EFF’s role as necessary in navigating rapidly evolving technological realities by insisting that institutional strength must reflect the immediate, lived reality of digital threats. The question remains whether this infusion of high-level experience guarantees a shift in focus beyond organizational maintenance toward fundamental shifts in technological direction.
Sentinel — Human
The text reads like a standard, well-vetted press release focusing on an organizational leadership change, exhibiting the typical structure and layered context of human organizational communication.