Around the globe, once-stable democracies are facing rising political tension, polarization and stagnation amid the sixteenth year of what Freedom House, a DC-based nonprofit, has termed a global autocratic expansion. Adam Fivenson’s work focuses on the impact of disinformation narratives on democracies around the globe, studying its use by autocratic actors to corrode healthy information ecosystems, and elevating the work of civil society organizations and journalists working to counter it. Prior to joining the National Endowment for Democracy, Adam worked for 12 years in the international development sector advising governments and international NGOs on the application of new technologies and design methods that respond to challenges of democratic governance. Join for a conversation tracking Adam’s path from Michigan’s Residential College to a career that has spanned 5 continents and 40 countries.

About Adam:
Adam Fivenson is an advocate for democracy and human rights in an increasingly digital world. He has led the design of an award winning citizen engagement app for governments in Guatemala; trained small businesses and civil society organizations in data science for policy advocacy in Cambodia, Tanzania, and Rwanda; and researched the impact of new technologies on information ecosystems across Central America, East Africa, and Southeast Asia. He currently researches and convenes around resolving the disinformation challenge for the National Endowment for Democracy. Adam is a periodic Adjunct Professor at Georgetown's School of Foreign Service, co-host of the Technology for Democracy Happy Hour, and the author of Disinformation Toolkit 2.0 and Lean HCD. His work has been featured on This is HCD and ICTWorks. He has a master’s degree in foreign service from Georgetown University, and a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Michigan. Adam lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife and two children.


You should attend this session if you are:
-An undergraduate U-M LSA student
-Interested in pursuing a career in global affairs and communications
-Interested in democracy, human rights, and international NGOs


What you’ll gain by attending:
-Make a valuable connection with a successful LSA alum ready to help you
-Get ideas for how to enter a career in political advocacy
-Gain tips for taking your career international


RSVP NOW to be part of the conversation. The link to join this Alum Connection will be emailed to you after you RSVP.

The LSA Opportunity Hub aims to deliver inclusive and accessible experiences and welcomes all LSA students to participate. This event will be hosted on Zoom (learn more about Zoom accessibility) and can be accessed by phone or computer. Presentation materials may be shared in advance if requested, and live captioning will be provided. To request other accommodations please contact Sairah Husain at sairah@umich.edu or 734-763-4674 so we can make arrangements.