Prior to joining the Young Foundation in October 2017, Goulden was the executive director at Nesta, leading its innovation lab, supporting and scaling innovation in the arts, civil society, government and education sectors. Previous roles have included developing digital strategies and solutions for global corporate clients. She spent five years consulting in the cabinet office, office of the deputy prime minister and DCLG, developing national innovation programmes for local government and leading R&D projects for interactive TV public services. She is a trustee of the Big Education Trust, a multi-academy trust working towards a more expansive education system.