Simone Brody is the Executive Director of What Works Cities, a Bloomberg Philanthropies initiative, working with city leaders around the country to improve their use of data and evidence to inform city decision-making. What Works Cities is currently partnering with 27 cities around the country – providing expert technical assistance to improve city practices, building a peer learning network and advancing a national movement to improve the effectiveness of city governments. Simone previously served as a Senior Executive Director at the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE), leading evaluation and accountability for the city’s 1,800 public schools. Prior to joining NYCDOE, Simone was a Principal at Ascend Ventures, investing and supporting early stage education and technology companies. Simone began her career in investment banking at Goldman Sachs, focusing on mergers, acquisitions and capital raisings for financial institutions. Simone earned a BA, Master of Education and MBA from the University of Pennsylvania.