Marjan H. Ehsassi is a strategic advisor, practitioner, movement builder, and a fierce believer in the potential of citizen engagement, inclusiveness, and impactful government-led democratic innovations that reclaim the voice of citizens. She has worked to enhance space for civil society in some of the most complex environments including Cuba, Iran, and North Korea and recently completed a Doctorate in International Affairs (DIA) at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) with a concentration in democratic innovations, deliberation, comparative government-led citizens’ assemblies and design integrity. A former COO and Executive Director, she has led large governance teams and significant portfolios of over $50 million in development funds at the National Democratic Institute, Global Communities, and the American Bar Association. She also worked with the Gender Equality Group at the World Bank where she contributed to the publication of The Environment for Women’s Entrepreneurship in the Middle East and North Africa. Marjan began her legal career at Blake Cassels & Graydon in Toronto, Canada and was a corporate litigator with the New York offices of Shearman & Sterling. She earned her bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the University of Toronto and received an LL.B. from McGill University’s Faculty of Law in Montreal. Originally from Iran, Marjan was born in Geneva and speaks English, French and Farsi with native fluency. She serves on several boards including the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), IPEC (AFSC’s International Programs Executive Council), and is an active member of Democracy R&D and the OECD’s Innovative Citizen Participation Network. Read her October 2022 Toronto Star op-ed on citizen engagement in policy reform here, and an interview on the subject here.