Brooke Stone is the Head of Technology Operations at Bridgewater Associates, where she translates strategy into execution, leading talent and business operations across Enterprise Technology, Software Development, Critical Infrastructure, and AIA Labs. Now, as an Aspen Institute First Movers Fellow, she’s expanding her leadership lens. The Fellowship convenes accomplished intrapreneurs who are driving change within their companies and industries. We caught up with Brooke after her first seminar at the historic Aspen Meadows campus to hear how the experience is shaping her leadership journey.
Q: Aspen First Movers Fellowship seeks to build a community of leaders who can lead positive change within their organizations and, over time, redefine how business is done and how success is measured. After this first seminar—what does this mean to you?
After this first seminar, I’m walking away with a deeper sense of responsibility and ownership. Leading real change means digging deep and thinking broadly about the systems we participate in, the values we reinforce, and the long-term impact of our decisions.
This isn’t a skill set you switch on and off, rather it’s a 24/7 commitment, a way of seeing and showing up that cuts across roles, settings, and decisions.
The cross-industry perspectives challenged me to think beyond function or title and lean more into leadership as a practice and a mindset.
Q: Can you share a moment during the first seminar that caused you to change your perspective?
Of the many gifts this Fellowship brings, among the biggest thus far is my cohort, an extraordinary group of people from a wide range of industries, backgrounds, and experiences.
The moment that most shifted my perspective didn’t happen in a seminar room, though there were many important moments there too, but over dinner, in conversation with this new group of peers. One of my cohort mates shared a concept inspired by Stoic philosophy: the idea that whatever is happening to you right now is not just something to accept, but something to trust as necessary and purposeful, perhaps even the best possible thing that could happen to you in this moment.
As someone wired to solve problems and keep things moving forward, this idea challenged me. It made me realize how easy it is to resist the moment instead of working with it, and how many opportunities may be lost in that reaction. That conversation reminded me that leadership isn’t just about setting direction and driving momentum. It’s also about presence, acceptance, and the courage to trust what’s unfolding.
Q: A core theme of the Fellowship is reflection, providing fellows an opportunity to step back from their day-to-day to consider their core purpose and values. What are the takeaways you’re bringing back to Bridgewater after this trip?
I’m struck by the powerful reminder of how deeply personal leadership is and how personal it must be if you want to do it well. We all know that the ways we build trust, make decisions, and show up, especially in moments of chaos, conflict, or uncertainty, are rooted in our values. And yet, even with that awareness, it’s incredibly easy to lose the thread in the day-to-day pace of work.
One of the hardest but most important things leaders can do is find ways to interweave values inextricably into our work. Not just in the big, visible moments, but in the habits, conversations, and tradeoffs that define our day-to-day.
This experience reminded me that knowing your values isn’t enough. Leadership habits must be designed such that it’s impossible to lose track of those values, even when things move fast and get messy. It also takes courage to stay open, to be curious about your own values as they evolve, and to make space for others to bring different perspectives, priorities, and beliefs.
Q: Your perspective on leadership is shaped by a nontraditional path. Can you share a bit about your journey and what’s drawn you to your work?
I started my professional life in the arts, performing in musical theater, a world built on discipline, adaptability, and connection. It’s where I learned what it means to show up fully, work relentlessly toward big goals, and deliver under pressure.
That commitment to craft and service carried into the next chapter of my career, when I founded and built GYST, a New York City–based company providing high-level personal assistant services to high-net-worth individuals. It taught me how to design systems that work, lead teams through complexity, and create value by solving real problems. It was also where I began to find my footing as a leader, learning how to balance high standards with empathy and to keep people, on both sides of the equation, at the center of the work.
This is the foundation I'm building upon here at Bridgewater. I’m motivated by the challenge of building things that don’t just work once but work consistently, sustainably, and in service of something greater than myself.