WASHINGTON, DC – Democracy International (DI) announced today that Thomas O. Melia will join the organization as Executive Director in March 2015. A globally recognized expert in foreign policy and international development with more than three decades of experience promoting democratic governance and fundamental freedoms, Mr. Melia will focus on expanding DI’s rapidly growing technical leadership, outreach, and programming around the world.

Since August 2010, Tom Melia has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL). Working with Secretaries of State John F. Kerry and Hillary Rodham Clinton, he has overseen DRL’s work in three of the State Department’s six regions: Europe, including Russia; South and Central Asia, including Afghanistan and Pakistan; and the Middle East, including Egypt. He has led or participated in inter-agency U.S. delegations in bilateral engagements with countries in each of these regions, engaging with senior government officials, including heads of state and government, as well as with human rights defenders and civil society leaders. Secretary Melia has also led U.S. delegations to numerous meetings of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). On behalf of the Administration of President Barack Obama, Mr. Melia has been interviewed by American and international media, spoken at major international conferences, and testified before committees of the U.S. Congress.

“Tom’s broad experience inside and outside of government—together with his unparalleled knowledge of democracy and development—will expand our depth of expertise and enhance our ability to support and strengthen emerging democracies in every region of the world,” said DI President Eric Bjornlund. “We look forward to engaging his experience as we continue to pursue important initiatives in conflict-affected environments, pilot new approaches and technologies, and seek to improve the ability of development assistance to contribute to meaningful political change.”

As Executive Director of Democracy International, Mr. Melia will work to elevate and project the considerable insights gained by DI’s international development work over the past 12 years. He will enhance DI’s close relationships with academic and professional institutions and provide technical leadership and guidance as DI continues to grow in the coming years. “I have long admired Democracy International’s founders and have closely followed DI’s significant growth these past 12 years,” said Mr. Melia. “I have seen from inside the government how influential and important DI’s work has been, and I look forward to joining this dynamic and growing organization.” Commented DI CEO Glenn Cowan, “I am delighted Tom will be joining Democracy International, and I look forward to having him as a key member of our team.”

Before joining the State Department, Mr. Melia served as Deputy Executive Director of Freedom House, where he oversaw research and analytical work and civil-society capacity-building programs around the world. Previously, he served as Vice President for Programs at the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI). Early in his career, he worked as a Legislative Assistant to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-NY). Mr. Melia has taught in graduate programs at Georgetown University and Johns Hopkins University, and his commentaries and reviews on U.S. foreign policy and American politics have appeared in books, journals, and newspapers in the U.S. and abroad. He is co-editor of Today’s American: How Free?– an in-depth assessment of the state of civil liberties and human rights in the United States. Mr. Melia holds an M.A. from the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University and a B.A. from Johns Hopkins University.

Democracy International provides analytical services, technical assistance, and project implementation to support democracy, human rights, governance, and conflict-mitigation programs worldwide. Since its founding in 2003, DI has worked in more than 70 countries.