Fellowship brings together five preeminent experts on government reform and democracy; Fellows begin a yearlong program of student and public engagement, collaboration with scholars
Welcoming the 2024 CEG Democracy Fellows

CHICAGO, IL — The Center for Effective Government (CEG) at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy announced its fourth cohort of Democracy Fellows, who join the Center for its yearlong fellowship. The five incoming Fellows will leverage their years of experience and expertise in public service, advocacy, policymaking, and civic engagement to grapple with issues of institutional reform and democracy. With the 2024 election cycle marked by polarization, institutional upheaval, and threats to democratic norms, the expertise of the incoming Fellows offers opportunities to discuss the route forward for our democracy.

The 2024 CEG Democracy Fellows are:

  • Brenda Abdelall: Former Assistant Secretary of Partnership and Engagement at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security*; former Chief of Staff in the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties; former Instructor at the University of Michigan Law School.
  • Trevor Potter: President and Founder of Campaign Legal Center (CLC); former Republican Chairman of the Federal Election Commission; general counsel to John McCain’s 2000 and 2008 presidential campaigns.
  • Omar H. Noureldin: Civil rights lawyer, law professor, and media commentator, currently Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice*; former Lecturer in Law at the USC Gould School of Law; former litigator at Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP.
  • Amy Gardner: National Reporter on The Washington Post's Democracy Team; former Deputy National Politics Editor at The Washington Post; member of The Washington Post staff that won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for their ongoing coverage of the events surrounding January 6, 2021.
  • Donald K. Sherman: Executive Director and Chief Counsel for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW); former Chief of Staff and Senior Counsel for Oversight and Investigations in the Office of General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; former Special Assistant to the President for Racial and Economic Justice.

“A core part of our work at CEG is engaging with seasoned practitioners—professionals with firsthand experience of the nuances, challenges, and opportunities for reform in our governing institutions,” said Sadia Sindhu, Executive Director of the Center for Effective Government. “Having engaged with these systems, our Democracy Fellows provide a unique perspective on ways to strengthen our democracy. We are excited for the opportunity to utilize the Democracy Fellows’ expertise and uplift their work this year.”

The Democracy Fellowship, launched in 2021, brings together a diverse set of leaders for in-depth analyses and stewardship of institutional reforms alongside members of the CEG and University community. During their yearlong affiliation with CEG, Fellows take part in robust programming including direct student interaction, convenings of key players in the reform space, and public engagement. Their efforts throughout the year are organized around a unifying theme that draws on each Fellow’s expertise and interests.

Incoming Fellow Brenda Abdelall said, “The strength of American democracy lies in its ability to embrace diverse perspectives and its inclusive decision-making processes. Transparency and engagement with the public makes better government policy, and makes us stronger as a Nation. I am delighted to join the Center for Effective Government's Democracy Fellowship to support the enrichment of our next generation of leaders and to learn from the experts at the University of Chicago.” Brenda is participating in the Democracy Fellowship in her personal capacity.

“Our democracy desperately needs serious, solutions-oriented leaders focused on repairing the bonds of trust between government and the people. Strengthening the civic backbone of our nation requires the kind of thoughtful collaboration and vital dialogue offered by the Center for Effective Government’s Democracy Fellowship,” said Trevor Potter. “As one of the most pivotal political contests in the history of our democracy approaches, I welcome the opportunity to work alongside fellow experts, faculty, practitioners and students in pursuit of a more perfect union.”

“As lawyers and leaders, we have a solemn duty to uphold the rule of law, protect civil rights, and strengthen the institutions of our democracy. In challenging times, we must engage in thoughtful dialogue, build bridges of understanding, and work together in good faith to find common ground,” said Omar H. Noureldin. “The Democracy Fellowship provides a vital forum to share ideas, learn from one another's experiences, and collaborate on potential reforms to make our government more effective and responsive to the needs of the people. I am honored to be part of this fellowship and look forward to exchanging ideas with students, faculty, and others about the work ahead." Omar is participating in the Democracy Fellowship in his personal capacity.

“We are facing a pivotal moment in our democracy, and what we choose to do next will shape the direction of our country for generations yet unborn. After several years of attacks on democracy and election denialism that undermined the public’s trust of our electoral system, we cannot risk inaction any longer,” said Donald K. Sherman. “Fully restoring our democracy will require structural reforms that will ensure that our government works better on behalf of the American people. It’s time we prioritize improving our ethics and transparency laws in order to improve our government institutions and hold government officials truly accountable.”

Amy Gardner said, “Threats to American elections, the cornerstone of our democracy, spiked in 2020 and have not abated. As a journalist I have been on the front lines documenting those threats for The Washington Post’s Democracy Team. I couldn’t do my job without the help of scholars, advocates and elected officials. I’m thrilled and grateful for the chance to explore these issues alongside this year’s cohort of fellows, UChicago students and the expert team at the Center.”

Fellow programming will begin on October 23rd with Amy Gardner’s appearance at “Presidential Elections & The State of Our Democracy,” an election-focused panel event hosted by CEG and Chicago Public Media as part of the Democracy Solutions Project. Register here.

Additional information on the Democracy Fellowship program and complete biographies of the 2024 Fellows can be found here.

*Affiliation for identification purposes only, participating in a personal capacity.

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About the Center for Effective Government

The University of Chicago Center for Effective Government (CEG) is a nonpartisan academic initiative that aims to strengthen democratic institutions and improve the capacity of government to solve public problems. Founded in 2019 at the Harris School of Public Policy, CEG works to solve the problems of government ineffectiveness with a multi-faceted theory of action. The Center builds bridges between its stakeholders—scholars, students, practitioners, leaders, journalists, and advocates—and organizes its work and activities around the key areas of ideas, education, and engagement. 

About the Harris School of Public Policy

For more than three decades, the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy has been steadfastly committed to advancing policy based on evidence, not ideology. Guided by this exacting perspective, our exceptional community of scholars, students, and nearly 4,000 alumni take on the world’s most important problems using the latest tools of social science. As the second-largest professional school at the University of Chicago, Harris Public Policy offers a full range of degree and executive education programs to empower a new generation of data-driven leaders to create a real social impact throughout our global society. This is Harris Public Policy: Social Impact, Down to a Science.