October has been a month of milestones for the team at Pursuit. Last week, we joined forces with Governor Kathy Hochul to announce the launch of the AI Jobs Institute, which will serve as our new headquarters and a citywide hub to connect New Yorkers too often left out of the tech economy with emerging AI careers. Today, we’re excited to share that Pursuit is adding three leaders from finance and venture capital to our Board of Directors: Michael Ruttledge, Chief Information Officer at Citizens; David Haber, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z); and William Hess, Principal at 645 Ventures. We’re so excited to have them on the team and look forward to introducing them to the Pursuit community over the coming months.
Michael Ruttledge is Chief Information Officer and Head of Enterprise Technology & Security at Citizens. Since joining Citizens in 2019, he has led the bank’s technology transformation and championed efforts to help colleagues build skills in AI, cloud technologies, and modern engineering practices. Before joining Citizens, he served as a group Chief Information Officer at American Express.
“Technology keeps changing, and the skills needed to succeed are changing with it,” said Ruttledge. “Throughout my career, I've seen how access to learning, mentorship, and opportunity can change someone's trajectory. That's what makes Pursuit's work so important. They're helping people build the skills employers need while opening doors to meaningful careers, and I'm excited to support that mission as a board member."
Michael Ruttledge, Chief Information Officer, Citizens
David Haber is a General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, where he invests in B2B software and financial services. He joined a16z in 2021 as the firm’s first full-time General Partner based in New York City. Earlier, he founded and led Bond Street, a small business lending company acquired by Goldman Sachs in 2017, and went on to serve as a senior executive in Firmwide Strategy at Goldman. His appointment builds on a relationship that began in 2023, when Pursuit became a nonprofit partner of a16z’s Cultural Leadership Fund, and a16z’s Chris Lyons now serves on the AI Jobs Institute’s National Advisory Council.
“I’ve spent my career around founders, and it’s become abundantly clear to me that talent is never the scarce resource. Access and opportunity are,” said Haber. “I’ve always admired Pursuit’s approach to building the infrastructure that connects New York’s overlooked talent to the companies that need it. I’m looking forward to playing a deeper role in helping them scale that infrastructure.”
David Haber, General Partner, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z)
William Hess is a Principal on the Investment & Research team at 645 Ventures, a New York-based venture firm, where he invests in deep tech and fintech companies. He previously worked in corporate development at FanDuel and on the investment team at Thrive Capital. A native New Yorker, he holds a B.A. from Harvard College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
“Every startup I work with is looking for people who can build with AI from day one, and Pursuit trains exactly those people,” said Hess. “As a native New Yorker, I’m proud to help more New Yorkers break into the fastest-growing parts of the economy.”
William Hess, Principal, 645 Ventures
Michael, David, and William join a board that already includes leaders from the Siegel Family Endowment, Google, Gutter Capital, and the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation. We’re so grateful to have their experience and expertise on the team and look forward to working with them to continue accelerating Pursuit’s reach and impact.
