Brian Stone

Brian W. Stone is the chief of staff of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), a member of the Senior Executive Service and a key member of NSF's executive leadership team. Stone serves as a principal advisor to the NSF director, spearheading policy development, strategic planning and cross-directorate initiatives. His responsibilities include managing the Executive Office of the Director and leading the interagency policy and strategy group, facilitating high-level coordination with the White House and other federal agencies.

Stone brings extensive international diplomatic experience to his role, having represented the United States as a member of official delegations for treaty discussions and science and technology policy cooperation. He is highly skilled in building and nurturing partnerships across diverse organizations, fostering collaboration between federal agencies, international stakeholders, academic institutions and private sector entities to advance scientific research and innovation on a global scale.

Previously, Stone served in the NSF Office of Polar Programs, holding leadership positions to include section head for Antarctic Infrastructure and logistics and research support manager. In these roles, he oversaw operational logistics for the United States Antarctic Program (USAP), managing an annual budget exceeding $260 million. He collaborated with the U.S. Department of Defense, NOAA, NASA and international stakeholders to ensure the success of polar research and operations. Additionally, he directed multiple major contracts, including NSF's largest award for the operation and maintenance of USAP.

Prior to his federal service, Stone accrued a decade of operational and logistics expertise with the U.S. Antarctic prime support contractor. His extensive 25-year career in polar operations and remote-site logistics includes service at all major USAP sites, as well as a three-year tenure as operations manager in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Stone holds dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Biology and Political Science from Duke University and earned a Master of Business Administration from George Washington University.