Tom is the Program Director for the Informed Participation Program at the Democracy Fund, a private foundation which fosters the highest ideals of the American republic – government of, by, and for the people. He supports the fund’s mission to invest in efforts to ensure that the U.S. political system is responsive to the priorities of the American public and has the capacity to rise to meet the challenges facing the country. Previously he was an investment principal at Omidyar Network for two years where he supported the development of the Democracy Fund.
Tom invests in organizations working to inform the American public and reduce deceptive practices with a focus on public engagement as well as journalism at the local level. Tom’s current portfolio includes the Institute for Nonprofit News, the American Press Institute and the Engaging News Project.
Tom brings to the Democracy Fund a background in media research and policy, as well as social media advocacy consulting. He led the Media Policy Initiative at the New America Foundation’s Open Technology Institute where he sought to track and influence media efforts at the local, community, and national levels. During his time at New America, Tom’s efforts centered on policies that support the open Internet and innovation in media, strengthening independent reporting on issues of public interest, and helping citizens access and engage with high-quality information. Prior to this, he was a consultant and analyst focused on leveraging online platforms for knowledge management and building and sustaining advocacy networks. Tom also brings more than 14 years of international experience in information technology implementation and organizational change to the Democracy Fund.
Tom received his bachelor of engineering and economics from the University of Birmingham, England. He also holds a master’s of international affairs from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University as well as a master’s of philosophy from Columbia University where he is pursuing a PhD in communications at the Graduate School of Journalism. He serves as board secretary for the Outward Bound Center for Peacebuilding.
