# Khari Austin-Rawls

> Khari Austin-Rawls is Chief of Staff to the CEO at Goldcast, a Boston-based B2B video and events software company backed by roughly $40M in venture funding. He built his early career in streaming media at Disney, where he rose to Senior Manager on ESPN+ acquisition and engagement, then earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in 2025 before moving into a startup leadership seat. A University of Pennsylvania graduate who studied East Asian Languages and International Relations, he is known for candid reflections on being the only Black person in the room and for a personal creed about not squandering time.

- **Role:** Chief of Staff to the CEO at Goldcast
- **Organizations:** Goldcast, The Walt Disney Company, ESPN+, Harvard Business School, University of Pennsylvania
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** BA, East Asian Languages & Civilizations and International Relations, University of Pennsylvania, MBA, Harvard Business School
- **Known for:** Rose to Senior Manager on ESPN+ acquisition and engagement at Disney Streaming., Earned an MBA from Harvard Business School (Class of 2025)., Selected for the Harvard Business School Portrait Project, a two-decade tradition photographed by Tony Deifell.

## Career timeline

- **2016** — Graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a double major in East Asian Languages & Civilizations and International Relations.
- **2019-2022** — Worked in streaming media at The Walt Disney Company, rising to Senior Manager of ESPN+ acquisition and engagement / platform acquisition and revenue.
- **2021** — Spoke to Oakland high school students during a Disney career day organized by the Black Disney Streamers employee group.
- **2022-2023** — Returned to the University of Pennsylvania as a College Alumni Mentoring Series (CAMS) volunteer, advising undergraduates on careers in media and entertainment.
- **2025** — Earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and was featured in the school's long-running Portrait Project.
- **2025** — Became Chief of Staff to the CEO at Goldcast, a B2B video and events software startup based in Boston.

## Achievements

- Rose to Senior Manager on ESPN+ acquisition and engagement at Disney Streaming.
- Earned an MBA from Harvard Business School (Class of 2025).
- Selected for the Harvard Business School Portrait Project, a two-decade tradition photographed by Tony Deifell.
- Named a College Alumni Mentoring Series volunteer at the University of Pennsylvania.
- Became Chief of Staff to the CEO at a venture-backed startup that has raised roughly $40M.

## Latest updates

- **2025-06** — Featured in the Harvard Business School Portrait Project as a member of the MBA Class of 2025.
- **2025** — Serving as Chief of Staff to the CEO at Goldcast.

## Links

- Website: https://goldcast.io
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khari-austin-rawls

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/khari-austin-rawls
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-15