Meet Tom Bernthal, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg's Fiancé
The pair recently became engaged.
getty Being a woman in tech is no easy feat. It can be impossible for a woman to "have it all" — a healthy relationship, a stable family, a lot of money, and a thriving career — but somehow, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg found time for love.
And, believe it or not, she has her late husband to thank, in a way, for her new love. Sandberg was set up with Tom Bernthal by her former brother-in-law, Rob Goldberg. The couple made their public debut in July 2019 at a concert in Boise, Idaho.
And, now, not even a year later, the couple are engaged!
Who is Tom Bernthal, Sheryl Sandberg's fiancé? Here are all the details on their relationship and recent engagement.
1. Who is Sheryl Sandberg's fiancé? She met Bernthal through her former brother-in-law.
Apparently, Sheryl Sandberg has enough of a good relationship with her former brother-in-law that she can get introduced to her new boo thanks to him! The Lean In author and Bernthal, 46, were set up by Rob Goldberg, the brother of Sandberg’s late husband, Dave Goldberg, who died while vacationing in 2015.
The Silicon Valley entrepreneur was found lying near a treadmill and was, at first, believed to have suffered head trauma, but later was found to have passed away from heart-related causes. Bernthal is the best friend of Sandberg's former brother-in-law.
2. Sandberg and Bernthal were first spotted at a concert together.
While it's unclear when, precisely, the new power couple met, they were first spotted together at a concert.
"Trisha Yearwood couldn't be happier with her new friend, and the feeling seems mutual. The country music icon had the chance to meet Facebook COO and best-selling author Sheryl Sandberg, while Sandberg and her boyfriend, Tom Bernthal, attended Garth Brooks' stadium show in Idaho, and the two quickly hit it off," reports said, addeding that the duo shared "us-ie" pics to their respective social media accounts.
3. Bernthal is the co-founder of Kelton Global.
According to Bernthal's official bio on the Kelton Global website, he co-founded the firm with his business partner, Gareth Schweitzer. Based in Los Angeles — which means that the couple is doing the "long-distance" thing, for now — he has worked with such major companies including Google, Nike, and Target, to name a few.
"As CEO, Tom’s primary responsibilities are to ensure Kelton continues to evolve and grow, adding design, communications, innovation, and branding functions without losing a fundamental passion for understanding what makes people tick. As with all passionate journalists, Tom is a natural-born listener; it’s his ability to intuitively understand what clients need and how Kelton can help that’s led to the company’s success and growth across the globe," the bio reads.
4. He has three children from a previous relationship.
Bernthal — whose brother is The Walking Dead actor Jon Bernthal — has three children from a previous relationship. Sandberg, herself, has two children from her marriage to David Goldberg.
"Tom is Rob’s best friend, and it is really special that Dave’s brother was the one to connect them,” the source said. “He’s this really nice, down to earth guy. They’re both devoted parents. It’s a nice thing that it has worked out so well.” Though Bernthal is LA-based, “they have been making it work, and traveling a lot, traveling together.”
5. Sheryl Sandberg got flack for dating so soon after her husband's death.
Sandberg's relationship with Bernthal is actually her second serious relationship since her husband's death. Prior to meeting Bernthal, she dated Activation Blizzard CEO, Bobby Kotick. However, she got a lot of flack from people who claimed she was dating "too soon" after her husband's death.
"A source close to Sandberg and Kotick said they broke up as they are 'very different people'. However, they 'remain great friends', according to the source. After Mr. Goldberg's death, Bernthal shared a tribute to him on Facebook saying he was 'truly one of the kindest, most generous, talented, and enjoyable guys ever,' reported an outlet.
6. Sandberg and Bernthal got engaged in February 2020.
Congratulations are in order for the new couple, who are now happily engaged.
Bernthal popped the question on February 1, with a source close to the couple revealing the details of the day. “They took a hike together on their very first date, so they recreated the moment and got engaged at the end of a long hike this past weekend,” they said.
Another source also revealed some insight into the pair's relationship, adding, “They just clicked right away and have been completely committed to each other since they met. The Sandberg/Goldberg and Bernthal families have become very close and are thrilled that both of them have found happiness. Both Tom and Sheryl share a strong commitment to all the same things, especially family and philanthropy.”
Sandberg also took to her Instagram to share the happy news with all of her followers.
Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, and photographer whose work has appeared in People, Teen Vogue, Us Weekly, The Source, XXL, HipHopDX, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, and more.