David Simas
Democracy researcher at Emerson Collective and former CEO of the Obama Foundation.
David Simas researches how technology shapes democratic systems. As Managing Director of Research and Impact at Emerson Collective, he digs into data around democracy, education, and climate to guide civic action.
Before turning to research, David spent a decade in political strategy. He served as White House Political Director and later oversaw the Obama Foundation as its CEO. He frequently speaks on civic coding and designing frameworks that protect democratic processes.
The son of Portuguese immigrants, David is based in Los Angeles where he lives with his family.
