Our MissionDemocracy 21D21_9f0ee182-c1ca-11e2-ac7d-9d0785685178Democracy 21 is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organizationFred WertheimerFred Wertheimer is the Founder and President of Democracy 21, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works to strengthen our democracy and promotes government integrity, accountability and transparency measures to accomplish its goals. Wertheimer has spent more than four decades working on democracy and governance issues, and is a recognized national leader and spokesman on money in politics issues, including campaign finance, ethics, lobbying and transparency reforms. He has been described by The New York Times as “the country’s leading proponent of campaign finance reform,” and “the dean of campaign finance reformers,” by Washington Post columnist E. J. Dionne as “the eminence grise of the campaign reform movement” and by The Boston Globe as a “legendary open-government activist.” The Washington Post said “Democracy 21 is one of Washington’s foremost watchdog groups.” Wertheimer was named as one of Washington’s 90 greatest lawyers of the last 30 years by Legal Times in 2008 and as one of Washington’s top lobbyists for several years by The Hill, a Capitol Hill newspaper. A graduate of the University of Michigan and Harvard Law School, Wertheimer served from 1981 to 1995 as President of Common Cause, a nonpartisan citizens’ lobby. He served in 1996 as a Fellow at the Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University, and in 1997 as the J. Skelly Wright Fellow and Visiting Lecturer at Yale Law School. Wertheimer also has served as a political analyst and consultant for CBS News, ABC News and ABC’s Nightline.Don SimonDon Simon is Counsel to Democracy 21 and a partner at Sonosky, Chambers, Sachse, Endreson & Perry LLP where he specializes in litigation and administrative law. From 1995 to 2000, Simon served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Common Cause. In that capacity, he directed the legislative and legal programs for the citizens lobbying organization. Simon is an expert on campaign finance law issues, and has testified numerous times before Congress and the Federal Election Commission on campaign finance issues. Over the past three decades, he has been involved in numerous major legislative and litigation campaign finance efforts.Kathryn BeardKathryn Beard is Democracy 21′s Communications and Research Director. She manages the organization’s media and online activities, including social media, and is the webmaster for the organization’s website. Before joining Democracy 21, she was a researcher for CBS’s 60 Minutes, produced blog posts and videos for The Case Foundation, managed the social media for 20/20 Productions, and served as a legislative media intern in a congressional office. Beard is a graduate of the George Washington University, where she studied international affairs, journalism and mass communications. Democracy 21′s Communications and Research Director. She manages the organization’s media and online activities, including social media, and is the webmaster for the organization’s website. Before joining Democracy 21, she was a researcher for CBS’s 60 Minutes, produced blog posts and videos for The Case Foundation, managed the social media for 20/20 Productions, and served as a legislative media intern in a congressional office. Beard is a graduate of the George Washington University, where she studied international affairs, journalism and mass communications.Matt KellerMatt Keller is a consultant to Democracy 21 on policy and legislative issues. He previously served as Legislative Director for Common Cause and played a key role in organizing coalition support and in lobbying for the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, which banned political party soft money. He serves as Vice President of Global Advocacy for One Laptop per Child and is a leader in the field of using the Internet and technology for educational purposes.Nicco MeleNicco Mele is an adviser to Democracy 21 on the Internet, social media and new technologies. Mele teaches new media at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, focusing on the Internet and politics. Mele was named by Esquire magazine as one of America’s “best and brightest” for his groundbreaking work on Internet fundraising for the 2004 presidential campaign of Governor Howard Dean. He is the author of “The End of Big.”Dibby JohnsonDibby Johnson helps Democracy 21 and the Education Fund with its organizational management, administrative and financial activities, and serves as Secretary to the Boards. She also oversees the organization’s human resources and hiring efforts. She is the former Administrative Director at Common Cause and served as the Senior Advisor for Human Resources at People For the American Way.Dominic UcciDominic Ucci helps Democracy 21 with its financial management and administration. He has worked with Democracy 21 since the organization’s founding in 1997 and also serves as Treasurer of the Democracy 21 and Democracy 21 Education Fund boards. Ucci serves as Chief Operating Office for People for the American Way.Jackie HowellJackie Howell has helped Democracy 21 with its media operations, communications and development activities since the organization’s founding in 1997. She has worked with a wide range of national and local nonprofit organizations, helping them create and expand their communications and outreach efforts.Democracy 21 Board of DirectorsSusan ManesChairFred WertheimerPresident, Democracy 21Don SimonPartner, Sonosky, Chambers, Sachse, Endreson & Perry LLP -- Counsel, Democracy 21Nick UcciTreasurer -- Chief Operating Officer, People For the American WayRoger WittenPartner, WilmerHaleDemocracy 21 Education Fund Board of DirectorsSusan ManesChairFred WertheimerPresident, Democracy 21Rebecca AvilaAssistant Dean, Irvine School of Law, University of CaliforniaGeoff CowanProfessor and Annenberg Family Chair in Communication Leadership, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Southern CaliforniaKaren HobertFlynn Senior Vice President for Strategy and Programs, Common CauseMatt KellerVice President, One Laptop per ChildNicco MelePresident, EchoDittoBrad PhillipsPartner, Munger, Tolles & Olson LLPTom TroyerPartner, Caplin & DrysdaleDon SimonPartner, Sonosky, Chambers, Sachse, Endreson & Perry LLP -- Counsel, Democracy 21Nick UcciTreasurer -- Chief Operating Officer, People For the American WayRebecca WebberLawyer, HendlerLawRoger WittenPartner, WilmerHaleDemocracy 21 FundersOur funders include the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Opportunity Fund and a number of committed individual donors.John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur FoundationRockefeller Brothers FundOpportunity Fund_9f0ee39e-c1ca-11e2-ac7d-9d0785685178To make democracy work for all Americans._9f0ee4a2-c1ca-11e2-ac7d-9d0785685178Money in PoliticsEliminate the undue influence of big money in American politics_9f0ee57e-c1ca-11e2-ac7d-9d07856851781Democracy 21, and its education arm, Democracy 21 Education Fund, work to eliminate the undue influence of big money in American politics, prevent government corruption, empower citizens in the political process and ensure the integrity and fairness of government decisions and elections. The organization promotes campaign finance reform and other related political reforms to accomplish these goals._9f0ee682-c1ca-11e2-ac7d-9d0785685178Government CorruptionPrevent government corruption_9f0ee786-c1ca-11e2-ac7d-9d07856851782Integrity ReformsPromote government integrity reform measures, including lobbying, ethics and transparency laws and rules_9f0ee880-c1ca-11e2-ac7d-9d07856851782.1WatchdogServe as a watchdog to hold federal office holders accountable for violating campaign finance laws and ethics rules and for misusing public office for personal gain_c197c3d0-c1cb-11e2-a83a-5f5a856851782.2Citizen EmpowermentEmpower citizens in the political process_9f0ee998-c1ca-11e2-ac7d-9d07856851783Online ContributionsDevelop technology by which the internet and social media can be used to empower tens of millions of citizens to make small contributions online and fundamentally change the way campaigns are financed_9f0eeaa6-c1ca-11e2-ac7d-9d07856851783.1Working to develop technological breakthroughs by which the internet and social media can be used to empower tens of millions of citizens to make small contributions online and fundamentally change the way campaigns are financedGovernment Decisions & ElectionsEnsure the integrity and fairness of government decisions and elections_9f0eebb4-c1ca-11e2-ac7d-9d07856851784_9f0eece0-c1ca-11e2-ac7d-9d0785685178Campaign Finance & Political ReformsPromote campaign finance reform and other related political reforms_9f0eedee-c1ca-11e2-ac7d-9d07856851785Promoting campaign finance reforms, including the creation of a new public financing system for presidential and congressional races to empower citizens by providing multiple public funds to match their small contributions, ending secret money in federal elections by enacting new campaign finance disclosure laws, curbing the role of Super PACs in federal elections and creating a new system to effectively enforce the campaign finance laws.Information & AnalysesProvide the public and media with the latest information and analysis on money and politics and campaign finance reform efforts._9f0eeefc-c1ca-11e2-ac7d-9d07856851785.1MediaLawsuits & BriefsBring lawsuits and file briefs to defend the constitutionality of the nation’s campaign finance laws and to ensure the laws are effectively interpreted and enforced_c197c65a-c1cb-11e2-a83a-5f5a856851785.2Administrative Proceedings & ComplaintsParticipate in administrative proceedings and filing complaints to press administrative agencies and enforcement bodies to properly administer and enforce the laws_c197c77c-c1cb-11e2-a83a-5f5a856851785.32013-05-20OwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net