Our Founder
Who is Dan Doctoroff?
After losing both his father and uncle to ALS, Dan transformed loss into purpose, uniting scientists, advocates, and families under one bold vision: to break down barriers, accelerate discovery, and build a future where everyone lives.
This relentless pursuit led Dan to found Target ALS and begin our movement in 2013. Following his own ALS diagnosis in 2021, Dan intensified his efforts to scale Target ALS by elevating our collaborative reach and launching new efforts to discover effective treatments.
As Mike Bloomberg says, “Dan plays the hand he was dealt. It never slowed him down, it never stopped him. Dan gets a vision — and he fights for it.”
A legacy of service
Dan’s career has been defined by turning ambitious visions into reality. His leadership and innovative thinking have made a mark across a number of roles and areas of impact, from city governance to the private sector.
As Deputy Mayor of Economic Development and Rebuilding for New York City from 2002 to 2008, Dan played a pivotal role in the city’s recovery after 9/11 and spearheaded the creation of PlaNYC, a groundbreaking sustainability initiative. He also paved the way for major projects like Hudson Yards and the High Line. His memoir, Greater Than Ever: New York’s Big Comeback, was named by The Economist as one of the must-reads to understand New York’s transformation.
After serving in city government, Dan served as President and CEO of Bloomberg L.P. from 2008 to 2014, and later led Sidewalk Labs, Alphabet’s urban innovation company.
Dan also founded NYC2012, which aimed to bring the Olympics to New York, and has served on the boards of several Sidewalk Labs ventures, the University of Chicago, and Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Dan attended Harvard University and the University of Chicago Law. He has called New York home for 40 years, where he lives with his wife, Alisa.Their three children and five granddaughters reside close by.
“This is a devastating disease, and there’s been little hope for those diagnosed, including my father and uncle. Thanks to promising research of the past few years, we now have the opportunity to radically change the progression of the disease and improve people’s lives.”
See how Dan’s vision guides our work
Our mission
Our approach
