Biographies

Richard V. Reeves is a public intellectual, best-selling author, and influential social commentator whose work centers on two vital questions: Where do inequalities persist in society today, and how can we most effectively address them? Richard was named one of America’s top 25 thinkers by Politico for his incisive examination of class dynamics in contemporary America, explored in his book Dream Hoarders. His latest book, Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male is Struggling, Why it Matters, and What to Do About It, was hailed as a “landmark” by The New York Times and was recognized as a book of the year by President Obama, The New Yorker, and The Economist. Richard’s forensic analyses of societal trends — including class, race, gender, health and family life — deliver critical insights that shape policy, inform politics, and influence culture. He is a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, President of the American Institute for Boys and Men, and Chair of the UK Institute for Boys and Men. 

Hahrie Han is the Inaugural Director of the SNF Agora Institute, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Professor of Political Science, and Faculty Director of the P3 Research Lab at Johns Hopkins University. She is an award-winning author of five books and numerous scholarly articles. Her latest book (Knopf 2024), about faith and race in America with a focus on evangelical megachurches, was named to the New York Times list of 100 Notable Books of the Year in 2024, and the New Yorker's list of Recommended Books for 2024. She has also written for scholarly and public outlets ranging from the New York Times and the Washington Post to the American Political Science Review, Nature Human Behavior, and the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). She is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, was named a 2022 Social Innovation Thought Leader of the Year by the World Economic Forum's Schwab Foundation, and delivered the Tanner Lectures at Harvard University in 2024.

Kim Ah-Su

Program Manager | Max Bell Foundation

Kim is the Program Manager at Max Bell Foundation – a Canadian philanthropic foundation that delivers programs and supports Canadian charities with grants for innovative projects that inform public policy change. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2023, Kim worked at the Palix Foundation managing projects related to brain science, trauma informed practice, resilience, early childhood development, addictions and mental health. She has also worked in the areas of environmental and social impact assessments, workplace health and safety due diligence audits, regulatory permitting, and stakeholder consultation. Kim has a Master of Science in International Development from the University of London and a Bachelor of Business Management from McGill University.

Annika Silva-Leander

Head of North America | International IDEA

Dr. Annika Silva-Leander is Head of North America at International IDEA, overseeing the organization’s outreach in the region, engagement with the US government and UN, and coordination of the Global Democracy Coalition. She serves as International IDEA’s Permanent Observer to the UN, advocating for democracy at the UN General Assembly. She leads the offices in Washington, DC, and New York and directed International IDEA’s engagement in the Summits for Democracy from 2021 to 2023. Previously, she led International IDEA’s Democracy Assessment Unit in Stockholm (2018–2021), spearheading the Global State of Democracy report and overseeing democracy indices and the Covid-19 Global Monitor. From 2015 to 2018, she was Senior Adviser to the Secretary-General of International IDEA. Before joining International IDEA, she spent a decade at the World Bank working on civic engagement and poverty reduction across Asia, Latin America, and Africa. During her nine years in Asia, she also worked for UNDP and UNICEF and started her career at the AVINA Foundation.
Silva-Leander is on the Advisory Board for Georgetown University’s MA programs in Government. She holds a PhD from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a Master’s in Public Policy from Oxford University. She is a Swedish-Chilean global citizen who grew up in France.

Stéphane Perrault

Chief Electoral Officer | Élections Canada

Mr. Stéphane Perrault was appointed Chief Electoral Officer of Canada on June 8, 2018. He was previously Acting Chief Electoral Officer at Elections Canada from December 2016 to June 2018. In 2007, Mr. Perrault joined Elections Canada as Senior General Counsel and, in 2014, was appointed Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Regulatory Affairs. His areas of responsibility included Political Financing, Legal Services, the Electoral Integrity Office and Internal Audit, as well as Regulatory Instruments and Systems. After the realignment of the Agency's business lines in 2017, Mr. Perrault also became responsible for Public Affairs. From 2003 to 2005, Mr. Perrault worked at the Privy Council Office in the Legislation and House Planning Secretariat, as well as in the Democratic Reform Secretariat. After serving as a law clerk to the Honourable Justice Claire L'Heureux-Dubé in 1997, Mr. Perrault joined the Department of Justice as Counsel in the Human Rights Law Section. Mr. Perrault was a member of the Quebec Bar from 1990 until his nomination and holds both a Master and Doctor of Laws. He previously lectured at the Université de Montréal and McGill University, where he was a Boulton fellow from 1995 to 1996.

Dave Leichtman

Director of Corporate Civic Responsibility | Microsoft

Dave Leichtman is the Director of Corporate Civic Responsibility at Microsoft. As part of the company’s Democracy Forward program, he leads nonpartisan civic engagement efforts and works with election officials and those upholding democracy worldwide to address tech, security, and AI needs. Dave also leads the company's internal US and international election strategy.

Dave has held this and similar roles for 10 years at Microsoft. Prior to that, he held leadership roles at several US political technology firms. He also served as state leadership for a major US political party for over a decade.

Dave holds a B.S. in Physics and Computer Science from William & Mary and an M.S. in Particle Physics from University of Washington. He lives in Arlington, Virginia.

Jean-Francois Blanchet

Directeur Général des Élections | Élections Québec

Jean-François Blanchet travaille à Élections Québec depuis plus de 35 ans. Il est directeur général des élections et président de la Commission de la représentation électorale depuis le 16 janvier 2023. Au cours de sa carrière, il a acquis une connaissance approfondie des technologies de l’information et des opérations électorales.

De 2015 à 2022, M. Blanchet a été directeur des opérations électorales et adjoint au directeur général des élections. À la tête de l’unité administrative ayant pour vocation principale d’organiser les élections provinciales, il avait comme mandat d’assurer la modernisation des processus électoraux et de faciliter l’exercice du droit de vote des électrices et des électeurs, notamment en proposant des modifications aux législations électorales et référendaires. Il était aussi responsable des directrices et directeurs du scrutin des 125 circonscriptions électorales du Québec.

Auparavant, il a travaillé pendant 25 ans dans le domaine des technologies de l’information liées aux élections. Il a occupé des postes de direction pendant 10 ans dans ce domaine.

Au cours de sa carrière, M. Blanchet a participé à une dizaine de missions internationales d’observation électorale et d’échange de bonnes pratiques.

Aengus Bridgman

Director of the Media Ecosystem Observatory | Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University

Aengus Bridgman is the Director of the Media Ecosystem Observatory and an Assistant Professor (Research) at the Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University. He is one of Canada’s leading experts on misinformation, digital activism, and the politics of digital media.

His work has been published in The Journal of Politics, The Journal of Experimental Political Science, Party Politics, The Misinformation Review, Frontiers in Political Science, and The Canadian Journal of Political Science and featured in The New York Times, CBC, the Washington Post, the Post Millennial, Vox, La Presse, Radio-Canada, Le Devoir, and many others.

Stewart McDonough

Advisor, Municipal Engagement | Association of Municipalities of Ontario

Stewart has two decades of experience in civic engagement, communications, and strategic planning with non-profits, municipal governments, and now with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO). At AMO, Stewart leads the organization’s Healthy Democracy Project, which is working to increase diversity on municipal councils, improve the tone and tenor of local political discourse, and test innovative solutions to improve civic engagement and education. During eight years at the City of Guelph he managed strategic communications for the City’s CAO, led innovation files, and developed and revised Guelph’s Community Plan. Stewart is a community builder in his spare time and is the Board co-chair for the Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition and, perhaps most proudly, he’s the Head Hoser once removed and Chief Crokicurler for the Summy Acres neighbourhood rink.

France Bélisle

Former Mayor | City of Gatineau

Première femme élue mairesse de Gatineau, passionnée par le service public, elle est l’auteure du livre "L’heureuse élue” qui vient d’être publié aux Éditions de l’homme. Cet ouvrage aborde son combat de valeurs qui l’a fait quitter la politique. Détentrice d'une maîtrise de l'Université Carleton, à Ottawa, son mémoire porte sur l'éthique et la déontologie journalistique. Elle possède une certification en habiletés de direction et stratégie de l’Institut de leadership en leadership. France a passé 18 ans à Radio-Canada comme journaliste, réalisatrice et productrice d’émissions d'information radio et télé avant d’atterrir au bureau du président de CBC/Radio-Canada où elle a occupé les fonctions de directrice des relations publiques et de la mobilisation publique. Mouton noir, elle a aussi travaillé à TQS Montréal. Durant six ans, elle a été PDG de Tourisme Outaouais, un OBNL privé qui représente plus de 500 entreprises membres. Femme de tête et de coeur France Bélisle a un talent inné pour entrer en relation avec les gens. Reconnue pour sa compréhension des subtilités entourant les communications publiques et sa capacité à vulgariser les sujets complexes, elle sait développer les bons messages pour les bons publics. Sa vie journalistique et politique l’ont amené à maîtriser l’art de communiquer en temps de crise. Elle est actuellement coprésidente et fondatrice de Posture Inc.

Anton Boegman

Chief Electoral Officer | Elections BC

Anton Boegman was appointed as the Chief Electoral Officer of British Columbia on June 1, 2018, and served as an Electoral Boundaries Commissioner from October 2021 to April 2023. A planning expert and acknowledged as innovative and passionate about elections, Boegman’s focus has been improving accessibility to voting and enhancing electoral services. He played a senior leadership role in the past five provincial general elections, four referenda and 12 provincial by-elections. Prior to joining Elections BC, Boegman served seven years as an officer with the Royal Canadian Navy. He was also part of the initial start-up administration at Royal Roads University and worked as a technology project manager and privately as a management consultant. He graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada in 1988 with a Bachelor of Arts and obtained a Master of Business Administration from Athabasca University in 2001. He is also a certified project management professional.

Chris Erl

Postdoctoral Research Fellow | Toronto Metropolitan University

Chris Erl (he/him) is a born-and-raised Hamiltonian who still calls the city home. He received a B.A. (Hon) and M.A. from McMaster University, an M.Pl. from Toronto Metropolitan University, and a Ph.D. from McGill University. His academic work focuses on municipal politics, populism, and democratic engagement. He also does work on queer issues, housing policy, and local history. You can find updates about his work at chriserl.com

Greg Essensa

Chief Electoral Officer | Elections Ontario

Greg Essensa was appointed Ontario’s Chief Electoral Officer with the unanimous consent of the Legislature in June 2008. He is the seventh person to hold the position. Mr. Essensa has over 40 years of municipal, provincial and international election experience. He began his career as a student worker in the former City of Toronto’s election warehouse. Over the years, he took on positions of increasing scope and responsibility and prior to his appointment he served as the Director of Elections and Registry Services for the City of Toronto. A dedicated election official, governments of all levels, associations and not-for-profit organizations have sought his election administration expertise. He has advised on municipal elections in British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec and New Brunswick and primary elections in Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas. Born and raised in Toronto, Mr. Essensa studied economics at McGill University.

General Walter Natynczyk

General (Retired) Walter Natynczyk, OC, CMM, MSC, CD | Canadian Armed Forces

General (Ret’d) Walter John Natynczyk, born 29 October 1957, is a retired Canadian Army General and senior public servant. He served as Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) of the Canadian Armed Forces from 2008 to 2012, President of the Canadian Space Agency from 2013 to 2014, and Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs from 2014 to 2021. He joined the Canadian Forces in 1975 and graduated from Royal Roads Military College and Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean in 1979 with a degree in Business Administration. Early service included NATO duty in West Germany with The Royal Canadian Dragoons and later as Squadron Commander at the Royal Military College in Kingston. From 1986, he served in Petawawa, including six months of UN peacekeeping in Cyprus. In 1994, Natynczyk deployed to Bosnia and Herzegovina with HQ 7 (UK) Armoured Brigade, and later served in UNPROFOR HQ in Zagreb, Croatia. He held several senior roles at National Defence HQ, commanded The Royal Canadian Dragoons during the 1998 ice storm, and returned to Bosnia as Canadian Contingent Commander. He then served as J3 Plans and Operations during deployments to Kosovo, Bosnia, East Timor, and Eritrea. After graduating from the U.S. Army War College, he was appointed Deputy Commanding General, III Corps and Fort Hood. In 2004, he deployed to Iraq as Deputy Director of Strategy, Policy and Plans, then Deputy Commanding General of the Multi-National Corps — Iraq, leading 35,000 soldiers across 10 brigades. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Cross for his combat leadership during this period. Upon returning to Canada, he commanded the Land Force Doctrine and Training System and was later appointed Chief of Transformation. In 2006, he became Vice Chief of Defence Staff and, in 2008, was promoted to CDS, serving until his military retirement in 2012. In 2013, he was appointed President of the Canadian Space Agency and then served as Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs from 2014 to 2021. Following his retirement from the Public Service, he became Colonel Commandant of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps (2021–2024). He currently serves on the Board of the Veteran Centre of Excellence for Chronic Pain, advises the Homes for Heroes Foundation, and is Honorary President of the Last Post Fund. His honours include the Commander of the Order of Military Merit (Canada), Meritorious Service Cross (Canada), Commander of the Legion of Merit (U.S.), Légion d’honneur (France), Order of Merit (Poland), and the Medal of Merit in Gold (Netherlands). In 2024, he received the Vimy Award for outstanding contributions to Canadian defence and democratic values, and was named to the Order of Canada.

Alex Paterson

Civics Lead | YouTube

As Strategic Partner Development Manager and Civics Lead for Canada, Alex works with government, politics and civic creators, driving product adoption while ensuring a responsible platform for all users. Alex comes to YouTube from Google Canada where he led Canada's Brand & Reputation marketing practice. Before his time at Alphabet, Alex served as Executive Director of Canada 2020, an Ottawa-based think-tank and policy convener, as well as co-founding Training for Progress, a campaigns and elections training program. He began his career in broadcast news at the CBC, and later in advocacy with Greenpeace Canada. He holds degrees from Western University and Carleton University, and lives in Ottawa, Canada with his wife and two children.

Manon Paquet

Director, Protecting Democracy Unit | Democratic Institutions Secretariat (Privy Council Office)

Manon joined the Democratic Institutions Secretariat (Privy Council Office) as the Director of the Protecting Democracy Unit in September 2022. Previously, Manon was part of the Secretariat from 2016 to 2020 where she led different initiatives related to our democratic and electoral processes, including with respect to the Canada Elections Act, Senate appointments, and the Leaders’ Debate Commission. In particular, she played an instrumental role in the development and parliamentary consideration of the 2018 Elections Modernization Act. Her experience in the federal government has included the position of Chief of Staff to the Deputy Minister of Canadian Heritage, as well as work in various policy areas such as human rights, reconciliation, and multiculturalism, through positions at Canadian Heritage, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, and Public Safety Canada. Manon was recruited in the government in 2001 following the completion of a BA in political science from Université de Sherbrooke.  She also completed a Master in European Studies at Carleton University in 2011.

Hugues Perreault

National Representative Political Action and Mobilization | Unifor

Hugues Perreault est un activiste syndical engagé et un communicateur chevronné, reconnu pour son implication au sein du syndicat Unifor Québec, qui représente près de 55 000 membres à travers la province. À titre de représentant national à l’action politique et à la mobilisation, il défend activement les droits des travailleuses et travailleurs tout en contribuant à leur mobilisation sur des enjeux sociaux et politiques d'importance.

Spécialisé dans l'élaboration de stratégies de mobilisation efficaces et percutantes, il met à profit plus de 20 ans d’expérience dans le monde syndical pour renforcer la solidarité syndicale et sensibiliser les membres à l’action politique. Son approche créative et innovante, combinée à son expertise en médias numériques, lui permet de réaliser des campagnes dynamiques qui interpellent efficacement les travailleuses et travailleurs ainsi que les décideurs politiques.

Hugues est fréquemment impliqué dans l'organisation de manifestations, de rassemblements et de campagnes visant à promouvoir la défense des droits ouvriers, la justice sociale, l'équité et l’amélioration des services publics.

C'est toutefois lorsqu'il anime et dynamise ces événements que sa véritable passion et son talent naturel se révèlent pleinement.

Sam Reusch

Executive Director | Apathy is Boring

Sam is the Executive Director of Apathy is Boring. Since 2017, she has served on the leadership team at Apathy is Boring, contributing to the strategic development of programs, content, and activities through her work as the head of Impact and Development before transitioning to Executive Director in August 2020.

A passionate advocate for democracy and civic engagement, Sam is a respected commentator and educator who believes that the energy, insight, and innovative spirit of young people are critical to building a stronger and more equitable society for us all. Sam has worked with countless partners across Canada to support the development of positive engagement practices and provide insight into new understandings that young people bring to change-making, inclusion, and movement-building. She is the co-author of Together We Rise, a report which advocates for the adoption of youth-led democratic innovation as a model for expanding our current conception of democratic engagement towards a more holistic understanding of how change happens.

Sam is a proud Montrealer and alum of Concordia University, where she studied Anthropology, specializing in the intersection of identity, politics, and community.

Meaghan Thumath

Clinician Scientist and Clinical Assistant Professor | University of British Columbia

Dr. Meaghan Thumath is a clinician scientist and Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia. For over a decade, Meaghan has been responding to health emergencies in over 21 countries including DRC, South Sudan and Haiti with WHO, the World Bank and UNICEF. In Canada, she has served as an Executive Director of Public Health and a Ministerial Chief of Staff for provincial governments. She is a practicing registered nurse with a PhD from the University of Oxford and a Master of Science in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). In her spare time she enjoys volunteering as a policy and communications director on various progressive municipal, provincial and federal campaigns.

Jared Wesley

Associate Dean, Graduate Studies & Professor, Political Science | University of Alberta

Jared Wesley is Associate Dean (Graduate Studies), a professor of political science and member of the Black Faculty Collective at the University of Alberta. Jared specializes in the comparative analysis of provincial politics, with a particular focus on political culture and public opinion.  He leads the Common Ground initiative -- a long-term research project aimed at examining the gap between who Western Canadians are and who they see themselves to be.  His team uses Viewpoint Alberta surveys to analyze public opinion, and focus groups to compare those individual attitudes to the norms and values that underpin politics in the region.  Jared has co-authored two practical accounts of Canadian politics: Inside Canadian Politics (published by Oxford University Press) and The Public Servant’s Guide to Government in Canada (University of Toronto Press).  These top-selling books blend practitioner and academic perspectives, offering students and the general public an accessible view of Canadian democracy and government.  Jared is founding Director of the Café Pracademique initiative, a national event series geared toward improving the design, delivery, and study of public policy (SSHRC Connections). The Café model has been adapted for use in other research projects, including “Building a Resilient Housing Sector in Canada” (SSHRC Partnership Development) and “The Charter at 40” (SSHRC Connections). From 2011 to 2015, Jared was principal investigator of the of the SSHRC-funded Comparative Provincial Elections Project – at the time, the largest subnational study of its kind in Canadian history and a catalyst for the Consortium of Electoral Democracy (CDem). Over the last five years, Jared has delivered over 80 presentations as a panelist, roundtable presenter, and keynote speaker on topics related to his research, academic and public sector career and professional development, negotiation, policy-development, and academic-public sector collaboration. Jared has served in various academic and non-partisan public service roles throughout his career. Most recently, he served as director of intergovernmental relations, senior manager of cabinet coordination, and director of learning and development with the Government of Alberta. Jared has extensive experience in graduate student mentorship and training. This includes serving as founding director of the Alberta Policy Internship Program, the IPAC Public Sector Graduate Internship Program, and the University of Alberta Political Science Graduate Student Mentorship Program. To date, he has supervised over three dozen graduate students to completion of their thesis projects, research assistantships, or internships. He has also supervised over a dozen high school students as part of the Black Youth Mentorship Program. Born and raised in Minnedosa, Manitoba, Jared lives in Edmonton, Alberta, with his wife and two children.

John Beebe

Founder | Democratic Engagement Exchange

John founded the Democratic Engagement Exchange in 2017. John’s passion for democratic engagement started while biking across North America when strangers from all walks of life took pity on a sweaty teenage kid and opened up their homes, shared a cold drink, provided him a hot shower and shared a little of their lives.

Since then, John has had the opportunity to work for the US Congress, exhibit photos at the United Nations, and lead national engagement efforts for organizations like the Samara Centre for Democracy and Pathways to Education.

Through these professional and personal experiences, John continues to be reminded of the wisdom that resides in our communities when we take the opportunity to engage and listen.

Catherine Corriveau

Senior Manager, Policy and Strategic Initiatives | Democratic Engagement Exchange

Catherine Corriveau has worked extensively in the public policy, stakeholder engagement, and community development spheres. Catherine's dynamic background and passion for democracy make her a valuable asset in fostering inclusive and participatory governance. With experience in the public and non-profit sectors, Catherine’s experience ranges from developing creative outreach campaigns for minority linguistic groups in Ontario, to supporting experiential learning opportunities for marginalized youth across Canada, to connecting and convening with Canada’s top policymakers, leaders and deciders on pressing policy issues.

She holds an Honours BSocSc in Conflict Studies and Human Rights and a Master of Arts in Political Science from the University of Ottawa, specializing in national security and democracy. Her academic and professional pursuits have provided her with a deep understanding of political engagement, policy advocacy, and strategic engagement and planning.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Catherine is an active volunteer in Toronto and a dedicated member of her local running community.

Katie Feenan

Vice President, Communications & Public Affairs | Hill & Knowlton

Katie Feenan is Vice-President Communications and Public Affairs in Hill & Knowlton’s Ottawa office, where she works with a range of clients, delivering strategic communication advice for impact. Katie joined H&K in early 2024 after five years at the Public Policy Forum. As a policy generalist at PPF, Katie led research projects and convenings on a wide range of important topics from the energy transition to immigration. In 2022 and 2023, Katie was responsible for delivering PPF's largest policy-driven signature event, the Canada Growth Summit.

Through her 20-year career, Katie has held roles roles blending communications, politics, public policy, administration and research. ​Her career began in Canadian federal politics where she held roles in the office of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Official Opposition and the Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre. Following her start in Ottawa, Katie moved to Toronto to work for a large public opinion research firm before heading west to Vancouver where she advocated for small business, got involved in municipal politics and worked in communications for a management consultancy. ​

Katie’s international experience includes roles in Ghana, Northern Ireland, Ukraine, Algeria and Georgia. Most recently, as a consultant with the National Democratic Institute, she observed and analyzed elections and provided training to campaign workers, candidates and elected officials. She holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Victoria, and an MA from Queen’s University Belfast.

Allison Harell

Professor & Co-Director | Université du Québec à Montréal & Consortium on Electoral Democracy

Allison Harell is a Professor of Political Science at the Université du Québec à Montréal and the co-director of the Consortium on Electoral Democracy (C-Dem). She is a principal investigator on the 2019, 2021 and upcoming Canadian Election Study (CES) and has published broadly on questions of electoral behavior and public opinion. She is broadly implicated within the social science community in Canada, serving as a fellow at the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), an associate director of the Centre for the Study of Democratic Citizenship (CSDC) and co-founder of the Laboratoire d’analyse en communication politique et d’opinion publique (LACPOP). She was a elected as a member of the College of the Royal Society of Canada in 2018 and is currently serving a three-year elected term on the governing council of the International Society of Political Psychology.

Andrea Lawlor

Associate Professor, Department of Political Science and the Public Policy (Digital Society) | McMaster University

Dr. Andrea Lawlor is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and the Public Policy (Digital Society) program at McMaster University. She specializes in the study of Canadian public policy, public opinion, as well as administrative and election law, including third party regulation in Canadian federal elections. Her work has appeared in the Canadian Journal of Political Science, Canadian Journal of Law and Society, and the Journal of Social Policy, among other venues. Dr. Lawlor holds a PhD from McGill University in Political Science and a PhD in Law from Western University.

Jonathan Montpetit

Senior Investigative Journalist | CBC News

Jonathan Montpetit is a senior investigative journalist with CBC News, where he covers social movements and democracy. He holds graduate degrees in political science from the London School of Economics and McGill University. In 2021, he was a Southam Journalism Fellow at Massey College.

David Salvo

Senior Fellow and Managing Director | Alliance for Securing Democracy (ASD) at the German Marshall Fund

David Salvo is a senior fellow and managing director of the Alliance for Securing Democracy (ASD) at the German Marshall Fund. An expert in Russian affairs, Salvo has been analyzing the Kremlin’s authoritarian toolkit to undermine democracy at home and abroad throughout his career. He is the principal author of The ASD Policy Blueprint for Countering Authoritarian Interference in Democracies and makes regular media appearances, including on NPR, CNN, Fox, MSNBC, and ABC News, to discuss U.S.-Russian relations, Russian foreign policy toward its near abroad, and Russian interference tactics and objectives.

Prior to joining GMF, Salvo was a foreign service officer in the US Department of State, serving most recently as the deputy secretary of state’s policy advisor for Europe, Eurasia, and international security issues. He also advised senior-level State Department negotiators on the protracted conflicts in the South Caucasus, worked on U.S. policy toward NATO and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and served overseas in Russia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Salvo speaks Russian and Serbo-Croatian and has a basic knowledge of French. He received his master’s degree from Georgetown University’s Center for Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies and a bachelor’s degree in government and Russian from Georgetown.