Before that he held several positions in the U.S. federal government and with philanthropic organizations, including being President and Chief Executive Officer of the ONE Campaign.

][6] Lane worked as a legislative assistant focusing in the area of foreign policy in the United States Congress for Senator Gary Hart.

[7] These included being Chief of Staff to the United States Secretary of Commerce, William M. Daley, and Executive Director of the National Economic Council.

[6][8] In 2001, Lane was hired by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, as part of expanding its presence in Washington, D.C., and maturing as a philanthropic organization.

[10] He emphasized the organization's purpose in fighting global extreme poverty and disease and urged leading countries to continue their commitment to bettering Africa, even during the 2007–2008 financial crisis.

[13] Upon accepting the Annenberg position in September 2016, Lane said, "Sunnylands seems to me, especially at a time when our system so desperately needs a reset, to have the potential to bring people together across ideological boundaries.