Hollie Russon Gilman is a political reform fellow at New America, an affiliate fellow at Harvard’s Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, and the lead of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences working group on civic infrastructure.

A political scientist by training, she is a lecturer, advisor, and civic strategist on topics at the intersection of civic engagement, digital technology, and governance. Her work and research are focused on building a more equitable, inclusive, and genuine multi-racial, multi-ethnic democracy. This includes exploring participatory innovation, civic infrastructure, cities, and the opportunities and challenges of digital technologies to enhance governance and generate more equitable public policy.

She served in the Obama White House as the open government and innovation advisor in the Office of Science and Technology Policy. She has served as an advisor and consultant to numerous foundations, companies, and non-profits. She holds a PhD and MA from Harvard’s Department of Government as well as an A.B. from the University of Chicago with highest honors in political science. She is a frequent writer, speaker, and contributor on these topics and has published a book on participatory budgeting in the United States and most recently co-authored another on civic power and rebuilding American democracy in an era of crisis.