Nick Roberts’s career has been defined by decades of military service and an unwavering commitment to making a positive impact. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Nick served in the U.S. Navy as a member of the elite Navy SEALs for 20 years. He was deployed eight times in support of global contingency operations, successfully leading a range of special operations forces — from small tactical combat elements to a 350-person joint task force.
After graduating from Stanford GSB as a U.S. Navy Fleet Scholar in 2021, Nick became the deputy director of the Combat Development Directorate at the Naval Special Warfare Development Group. In this role, he supervised over 100 personnel and managed an annual budget exceeding $200 million dedicated to research and cutting-edge technologies. “Through his leadership and successful oversight of several ambitious and innovative projects, Nick has contributed directly to increased safety for service members and higher mission success rates,” praises Belinda Niu, MA Edu/MBA ’21. In recognition of his performance, Nick was recently promoted to be the director of the Combat Development Directorate.
In a Medium article, Nick reflected on how his experience at the GSB — which coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic — paralleled his military service in some ways, explaining that the mutual hardship of that time created a unique “boot camp-like” experience that fostered deeper relationships among classmates. “After almost 20 years of military experience, I can tell you that military cohesion is built on the principle of shared adversity,” Nick noted. “Nobody likes boot camp, but it is unquestionably effective at building strong bonds and a common understanding.” Nick’s work and life are guided by a powerful personal mission statement: “Live with faith, humility, ownership, and teamwork to make the world a better place.” Nick has continuously exemplified that philosophy not only as a military leader, but also as a widely respected and influential member of the GSB alumni community, committed to making a positive impact and inspiring those around him to strive for excellence and compassion.
