Speaker Database

Speaker Database / 1,371 Speakers

The Personal Democracy Forum was a conference that ran for over 15 years and took place in NYC, Europe and Central America.

Patrick Meier

Patrick Meier es el director de Mapas para las Crises en la empresa Ushaidi y también es co-fundador de la Red Internacional de Creadores de Mapas para las Crisis. Ha sido co-director del programa de la Iniciativa Humanitária de la Universidad de Harvard (HHI) para crear sistemas de pre-aviso y mapas para las crises. Patrick ha sido consultor para varias organizaciones internacionales, incluyendo la ONU, OSCE, y OECD, trabajando en proyectos de mapas para crises y conflictos en Africa, Asia e Europa. En estos momentos esta acabando su doctorado (Ph.D.) en la Escuela de Derecho y Diplomacía de la Universidad de Tufts. A la vez es un Fellow en la Universidad de Stanford para el tema de tecnologías de liberación. Patrick tiene un mestrado (MA) en relaciones internacionales de la Universidad de Columbia en Nueva York, y estudió “sistemas complejos” en la Escuela de Verano del Instituto de Santa Fe, Nuevo México (SFI). Escribe para el blog iRevolution.net

Patrick Ruffini

Patrick Ruffini is the president and founder of Engage, a leading digital agency that partners with Fortune 500 companies, technology disruptors, and candidates and causes across the nation and around the globe.

Patrick was one of the first digital organizers in American politics, starting at the Republican National Committee in the 2002 cycle, for President Bush’s victorious 2004 re-election campaign, and returning to lead the RNC’s digital strategy in 2006. He is a veteran of three Presidential election campaigns, and in 2013 oversaw outside web and technology efforts for Australia’s Liberal Party as they achieved their biggest election victory in 107 years.

In these roles, Patrick has led the development of technology to engage millions of supporters that would later become the standard for national campaigns.

Known for his involvement in causes that unite his passion for bare-knuckle politics and technology-driven disruption, Patrick helped shape the strategy behind the come-from-behind defeat of the SOPA and PIPA Internet censorship bills and co-edited Hacking Politics, a book chronicling the fight. He is a fierce believer in the power of the Internet to change political campaigns and government for the better.

Named a “Tech Titan” by Washingtonian magazine in 2011 and 2013, and a Rising Star in American Politics by Campaigns and Elections magazine in 2008, Patrick has written for numerous publications including theWashington Post and National Review, and he has appeared on Fox News, HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, and NPR. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.

[2006] Patrick Ruffini is never far from the place where politics meets technology. Since October 2005, he has been eCampaign Director for the Republican National Committee, where he oversees GOP.com and the integration of the Web into all aspects of strategic communications, grassroots, and fundraising. Before that he was webmaster for the Bush-Cheney ’04 presidential campaign, proudly serving as part of the team that executed the most sophisticated online strategy in political history. At the campaign, Ruffini was responsible for day-to-day website operations, designing creatives to crisply communicate the President’s message, and developing special features surrounding major events like the Conventions and Presidential debates. Ruffini also designed and served as chief writer for the campaign’s official blog, and managed the campaign’s outreach to the blog community.Both before and after his work on the Bush campaign, Ruffini maintained a political blog which launched in July 2001, back when such sites were still known as “me-zines.” Ruffini graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2000, with a B.A. in Diplomatic History and Political Science. He currently lives in Falls Church, Virginia.

Paul Everton

Paul Lenz

Paul Lenz is the Head of International Projects for mySociety. He joined in January 2011 after working in the true commercial sector for 15 years, the last 5 of which were with the BT Group PLC.

Paul’s role in mySociety is overall operational management, with a specific focus on helping partner groups use mySociety’s tools and open-source code base to drive democratic engagement and accountability around the world. This has included managing the re-launch of Mzalendo.com in Kenya and working with Hutspace to launch Odekro.org in Ghana, as well as working with EnoughIsEnough in Nigeria to launch a parliamentary accountability site based upon the Mzalendo code base.

Paul is also focused upon the expansion of the Alaveteli Freedom of Information platform and the wider development of online tools that can be used by groups with little or no technical skills. Paul is also focused upon the expansion of the Alaveteli Freedom of Information platform and the wider development of online tools that can be used by groups with little or no technical skills.

Paul Rieckoff

Paul Westcott

Paul Westcott is L2’s Director of Marketing and Communications. Prior to joining L2 Paul worked for NBC News, Fox News Channel and most recently Clear Channel Media and Entertainment. At Clear Channel Paul started as a Senior Digital Editor creating and managing editorial content on over 850 radio station websites. While in his digital role Paul created and hosted a daily talk show and podcast covering news and politics for the burgeoning iHeartRadio platform. Prior to Clear Channel Paul was an Assignment Editor for NBC News working on the national, international and political desks covering all of the network’s news properties. Paul attended Fordham University and has both a BA and MA in Political Science.

Pauline Miel

A graduate at the prestigious Sorbonne University, Pauline Miel worked in several publishing houses in Hamburg and Paris. She then co-founded the website Raconterlavie.fr, an online community of writers and editors, that supports the work of unpublished authors.

Raconterlavie.fr is simultaneously a collection of books and a participatory website. Its ambition is to create the equivalent of an “Parliament of the invisibles” to counter the ill representation of all the people left behind. All hierarchies of “genres” and “styles” are abolished; raw words are considered as legitimate as writings of professionals.

Raconterlavie.fr wants to be a community for those interested in the lives of others. It calls to people to relate to other people existence and to share a community experience in order to foster a mutual understanding. By making the works of “the invisibles” known and recognized, it restores their dignity.

Paweł Adamowicz

Paweł Adamowicz (November 2, 1965, Gdansk) – the Mayor of Gdansk, a lawyer by education, he graduated from the University of Gdańsk. In May 1988 he was a co-organizer of a sit-down strike at the University of Gdańsk and became a chairman of students’ strike committee. For three years (1990-1993) he held the position of the Vice-Rector for Student Affairs at the University of Gdańsk.

In 1990 he was elected a councilor of Gdańsk. In the subsequent term of office (1994-1998) he chaired the Gdańsk City Council. From 1998 Mr Adamowicz helds the office of the Mayor of Gdańsk (first he was nominated for the post, than on November 2002 he was re-appointed for this position first time in direct elections, both in 2006 and 2010 the residents again entrusted him the mandate of the City Mayor). He represents Polish leading political party – Civic Platform and is an active member of the local Kashubian-Pomeranian Union.

Mr. Adamowicz has been recognized by the Holy Father John Paul II with a top distinction available to a lay person – the Golden Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Cross. He was awarded by the Polish President, Aleksander Kwaśniewski, the Silver Cross of Merit in 2003.

Paweł Kowal

Paweł Kowal is a Polish politician and Member of the European Parliament, historian, journalist, lecturer at the Institute of Political Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences, university lecturer. Former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. One of the founders of the Museum of the Warsaw Uprising. Author of numerous publications in the field of international relations. He is currently Chairman of the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Cooperation Committee in the European Parliament.

Paweł Lickiewicz

Pawel Lickiewicz is an editor, blogger and activists. At his work in Common Europe Foundation, he is striving to create independent media in practice. A co-founder of open platform, gathering more than 150 authors form Europe and beyond, debating the present and future of democracy-less Eastern Europe – Eastbook.eu. Developed it into one of the most important Polish media on Eastern Europe. Graduated form Warsaw University – European Studies. Studied in beautifully sounding Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem in Budapest. Eastern Europe enthusiast. Doesn’t like operating with absolutes.

Paweł Luty

Paweł Luty is a journalist covering tech startups and media. Currently at “Brief” magazine – leading polish magazine for small and medium businesses. He is also a contributor of “iMagazine”, first polish e-magazine for iUsers. A bit of a geek. Occasional blogger writing about one of love of his life – books. Husband and father.

Pedro Fuentes

Pedro Fuentes es el precursor y Presidente de Digitales por Chile, movimiento ciudadano que nace tras el terremoto del pasado 27 de Febrero y que actualmente se está conformando como una Fundación sin fines de lucro con el objetivo de disminuir la brecha entre las TICs y las organizaciones sociales. Participa como Director de la Fundación Ciudadano Inteligente y activamente de iniciativas que fomentan el emprendimiento como Sub35 y Webprendedor.

Pedro Schuster

Pepe Huerta

Director de Neutralidad Si!, organización ciudadana que se ha dedicado desde el año 2007 hasta hoy, a promover y apoyar el proyecto de Neutralidad en la Red en Chile, ley que ha sido recientemente aprobada por el Parlamento chileno. En el área profesional, a pesar de haber estudiado Derecho, me he dedicado profusamente al ámbito de tecnología y telecomunicaciones, mayoritariamente a través de consultorías en Tecnología y Derecho Informático, y en facetas de asesoría en el área política para variados proyectos de ley relacionados con el desarrollo tecnológico en Chile. Conectado de alguna forma desde 1992, he estado presente como espectador, usuario y emprendedor, de alguna u otra, en todas las etapas que ha tenido la Internet en Chile, lo cual me ha llevado a realizar una veintena de proyectos en los últimos 18 años, siendo por lejos el más importante, aquel orientado a proteger las grandes virtudes que entrega Internet a la sociedad civil, no solo como medio de acceso a la información, sino como centro de activísmo, emprendimiento y libertad para los usuarios.

Perry Lowenstein

Perry Rosenstein

Perry Rosenstein is the Chief Evangelist and co-founder of Hustle, the peer-to-peer text messaging tool for organizations serious about organizing. Perry has worn every hat at the company, from software development to product management, business development, customer support, and more. Prior to founding Hustle, Perry worked at Trilogy Interactive as a digital strategist and product developer, and before that as New Media Director in Nevada during then-Senator Barack Obama’s 2008 general election campaign. Perry is based out of San Francisco, California.

Peter Daou

Peter Daou is the founder and editor of Salon’s Daou Report. In 2004, Peter directed online rapid response and blog outreach for the Kerry-Edwards campaign. He currently serves as an online communications consultant to leading political and public policy institutions including the United Nations Foundation, Media Matters, AARP, The Patriot Project, Nuclear Threat Initiative, and Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Foundation. In addition to the Daou Report, Peter guest blogs at the Huffington Post and administers News Unfiltered (in partnership with U.S. Newswire) and UN Dispatch, a blog about the United Nations.

Peter Fein

Peter Fein is an Internet activist, computer programmer and media hacker. Since 2010, he’s been a participatant in a global, post-national adhocracy of Internet-fuelled political movements. He is also the founder and lead developer of the Mirror Party project, a distributed, censorship-resistant social mirror network.

Pete is an agent with Telecomix, an a activist cluster which facilitates free communication around the world. Called “Tech Support for the Arab Spring”, Telecomix helped keep Egypt online during the 2011 revolution, using everything from advanced encryption to dialup modems and fax machines. For the past year, Telecomix has published news and videos from Syria and provided daily communications support to on-the-ground activists. When the cluster discovered US-manufactured censorship hardware being used by Syrian government, Pete explained the evidence to the press, resulting in EU export controls and US sanctions on the technology.

Pete is also a propagandist and strategist with Internet collective Anonymous. He helped plan 2010 protests in support of Wikileaks, which mobilized actions in over 100 cities globally in under two weeks. He was an organizer and media liason during 2011 transit protests in San Francisco, which resisted mobile phone censorship & police brutality. Called OpBART, these protests helped forge collaborations between Internet and street activists that would prove critical to Occupy Wall Street later that year. In 2012, Pete worked behind the scenes to advise and amplify demonstrations against the ACTA copyright treaty, which brought tens of thousands to the streets all over Europe.

Prior to becoming an Internet activist, he rode bikes, cooked food and wrote code. While he mainly tweets from collective accounts, Pete occasionally opines at @petewearspants / wearpants.org. He thanks #telecomix IRC for help writing this bio.

Peter Greenberger

Peter Hamby

Peter Hamby is a national political reporter for CNN, based in the network’s Washington bureau. He reports on campaigns and politics for CNN’s domestic and international television networks as well as for CNN.com. He most recently covered the 2012 presidential race, with a focus on the Republican primary contest and Mitt Romney’s campaign. After the 2012 campaign, POLITICO named Hamby was one of “10 Breakout Reporters of 2012.” He is a fellow at the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, where he recently wrote a study about the impact of Twitter on media behavior and campaign press strategy. Hamby is a graduate of Georgetown University and the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute at New York University.

Peter Hirshberg

Peter Hirshberg has led emerging media and technology companies at the center of disruptive change for more than 20 years. As chairman of Re:imagine Group, he has shaped strategies with Best Buy, Hertz, Unilever, IBM, Nokia, Telefonica, the World Economic Forum and the government of Singapore. He is a strategic adviser to the United Nations Global Pulse research team, an initiative of the Secretary General to use emerging big data techniques to help vulnerable populations in real-time.

A founder of San Francisco’s Grey Area Foundation for the Arts, Peter has led initiatives at the forefront of citizen engagement in smart cities and open data. These include San Francisco’s Summer of Smart 2011 with the SF Department of Technology, Singapore’s 2012 Urban Prototyping Festival with the Singapore Economic Development Board & the World Cities Summit, and “SENSEable Cities: Exploring Urban Futures,” an exhibit created with MIT. ” He is co-author of the forthcoming, “The Citizen, the Cloud and the Smart City.”

During a nine year tenure at Apple Computer, Hirshberg headed Enterprise Marketing. He was founder and CEO of Elemental Software, served as president and CEO of Gloss.com and is former Chairman of Technorati. Peter is a Senior Fellow at the USC Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership and a Henry Crown fellow of the Aspen Institute. Peter Hirshberg earned his bachelor’s degree at Dartmouth College and his MBA at Wharton.

Peter Leyden

Peter McEvoy

Peter Micek

Peter Micek is Global Policy & Legal Counsel at Access Now, a digital rights organizations, and Lecturer at the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs. Peter leads the Access Now policy team’s business and human rights work, advocating for a more rights-respecting telecom and tech sector. Through direct corporate engagement, norm-building at the United Nations, and investor advocacy, Peter helps Access Now to defend and extend the digital rights to privacy and freedom of expression online. As Lecturer at Columbia on internet governance, Peter’s course focuses on the structures and processes that determine public policy in the digital age.

A lawyer by training, Peter completed a JD cum laude at the University of San Francisco School of Law, and in 2010 published “A Genealogy of Home Visits,” critiquing surveillance of at-risk communities. As a law student, Peter defended independent journalists and engaged in Freedom of Information litigation at First Amendment Project. For five years, in his native San Francisco, Peter led youth and ethnic media development at New America Media, and was Web Editor at KALW’s daily radio program Your Call. Peter studied political science and journalism at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. He is licensed by the state bars of California and New York, and has no cats.

Peter Shanley