Colleen Berger

Colleen Berger is Executive Director of the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy, where she leads strategy, operations, corporate and philanthropic engagement, and the translation of MIT research into real-world impact. She works closely with faculty, researchers, and industry leaders to expand IDE’s global reach, strengthen strategic partnerships, and advance research that helps organizations navigate technological transformation.

Colleen brings more than 25 years of executive leadership experience across academia, technology, and global business. Before joining IDE, she advised leading universities and global organizations on executive education strategy, innovation, and growth as Managing Director of Project 26 LLC. She previously served as Director of Executive Education at MIT Sloan, leading a global portfolio of executive programs and partnering with faculty to bring cutting-edge research to senior leaders worldwide. Earlier in her career, she spent nearly two decades at IBM in senior leadership roles spanning business development, strategic partnerships, and global alliances, leading enterprise initiatives across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific.

Throughout her career, Colleen has built strategic partnerships across academia, industry, and government, launched innovative learning models, and developed organizations and operating models that drive growth and scale. She is committed to expanding the global impact of MIT research by building collaborations that help organizations and policymakers navigate the opportunities and challenges of the rapidly evolving digital economy.

Colleen holds an MBA from the University of San Diego, a bachelor’s degree in management from Daniel Webster College, and an Executive Certificate in Strategic Innovation from MIT Sloan School of Management. She also serves on the Board of NextFlex Learning Programs, supporting workforce development and innovation in advanced manufacturing.