Robert "Biko" Baker

Although he received his Ph.D in History (UCLA 2013), Robert Baker III has spent the last two decades working at the intersection of tech, culture and public health. In the early 2000s, Baker was a regular contributor for hip-hop’s biggest rap magazines and blogs, including the Source and Vibe. As a graduate student he started numerous online and content publications with the West Coast’s biggest influencers before becoming fully immersed in public health and civic projects. Between 2008-2014, he was the national executive director for the League of Young Voters which saw him engaging big names such as Ryan Coogler, Wiz Khalifa and India Arie in cutting edge online activations and campaigns. In 2013, Baker teamed up with Snoop Dogg and angel investor Ron Conway to launch a national anti-guns effort called No Guns Allowed.

Baker has also served as a board member and advisor for numerous tech and research organizations including The Belafonte Legacy Initiative: Sankofa.org and CIRCLE (housed at Tufts). He was also a founding board member of the New Organizing Institute which helped catalyze the Obama administration’s data revolution. In 2012, Baker was one of the National NAACP’s 40 under 40.  Baker is a proud alumnus of UWM (2000).