WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 4, 2026) – The McCain Institute at Arizona State University (ASU) is proud to announce the 2026 cohort of its American Democracy and Technology Fellowship.
The McCain Institute has accepted a new cohort of one-year, U.S.-based American Democracy & Technology Fellows to advance thought leadership and policy advocacy. The fellows will engage policymakers, national security leaders, analysts, and others to advance and translate big ideas that will transform democracy and technology in America. A major part of this effort will be interacting with lawmakers and directly driving policy in support of the McCain Institute’s mission and the fellows’ project objectives.
“American democracy is facing a generational technological inflection point,” said McCain Institute Director of American Democracy Programs Paul Fagan. “From artificial intelligence to election infrastructure, these developments present both opportunity and risk. This fellowship is designed to bridge research and practice – connecting experts directly with lawmakers, administrators, and national security leaders to drive policy that meets the realities of today’s technological landscape.”
Over 12 months, each fellow will execute a specific project to apply emerging research and technological innovations to promote democracy and protect rights in the face of technological challenges, AI, challenges to information integrity, and efforts to undermine American democratic norms and institutions, all threats to American national security. The fellows will work with the McCain Institute’s American Democracy team to advance projects in service of the ASU charter and the McCain Institute’s mission to foster democracy, human rights, and character-driven leadership.
The 2026 American Democracy and Technology Fellows include:
Hannah Becker – Vice President of Becker Digital
Bert Brandenburg – Former senior Department of Justice leader, court reform advocate, and nonprofit leader
Madeline Harty – Associate for the Democracy Communications Collaborative
Nina Jankowicz – CEO of the American Sunlight Project
Tess McEnery – Board chair of Vote Smart, nonprofit executive, and former senior U.S. Government official
Candace Moix – CEO of MyCapitol
Michael Moore – Chief Information Security Officer for the Arizona Secretary of State Office
Max Read – Director of Civic Innovation at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue
Vienna Scott – Chief of Staff, Learned Hand
Amanda Van Dort – Adjunct Professor at Johns Hopkins University and George Washington University
Tonya Wichman – Director of Elections, Defiance County, Ohio
This fellowship is supported by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, with additional support from Our Secure Future.
Learn more about the McCain Institute American Democracy and Technology Fellowship here.