J. Brian O’Day is Deputy Chief of Party for Democracy International in Bangladesh. He has over 30 years of professional experience in political campaign planning and democracy development in the U.S. and abroad. Most recently, Mr. O’Day served as the resident senior program manager in Afghanistan for the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI). As a trainer he developed and conducted seminars and consulted with political leaders and candidates to strengthen political parties and prepare for elections. Previously, he has worked with candidates and political parties throughout Eurasia, the Middle East, and North Africa and has trained election monitors in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Zambia. Mr. O’Day has served on election observation teams in Russia, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

As a domestic U.S. political consultant, Mr. O’Day has managed campaigns from Georgia to Maine, writing campaign plans, organizing events, and overseeing field programs and “get out the vote” efforts. He has additionally served as the Executive Director of the Maryland Democratic Party. He has written a number of training manuals, including a standard NDI training manual used around the world. Prior to his career in politics and international development, Mr. O’Day served in the U.S. Peace Corps, building a primary school in rural Gabon.

Mr. O’Day holds a degree in political science from St. Mary’s College of Maryland and studied Chinese language and politics at Fudan University in Shanghai, China.