The Renew Democracy Initiative is excited to announce that Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman (ret.) will be joining its board of directors. In taking significant personal and professional risks to do what he believed to be right, LTC Vindman exemplified the courage and integrity we need to defend and renew American democracy. As a member of RDI's board, Lt. Col. Vindman's knowledge and unique insight will be critical to continuing the organization's democracy-promotion work in the months and years to come.

Before departing his post at the White House, Mr. Vindman served as the Director for European Affairs for the United States National Security Council (NSC). While at the NSC, he was involved in developing the U.S. Government's national-level plans for Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Russia. Today, Lt. Col. Vindman is completing a doctoral candidate in International Affairs at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.

Mr. Vindman recently participated in an RDI event with Garry Kasparov and Anne Applebaum discussing How Does Democracy Die. The conversation focused on how to recognize and counter the threats facing American democracy as well as the importance of duty & integrity in preserving it. Mr. Kasparov and Vindman compared their respective experiences of speaking out against those in power. They made the key point that whistleblowers in free countries like the US primarily risk their careers, while dissidents in dictatorships such as Russia risk their lives.

"I look forward to working with the Renew Democracy Initiative team to defend key democratic principles that have recently fallen by the wayside." Mr. Vindman said.

RDI welcomes Alex Vindman to the team and looks forward to the important, though challenging, work ahead.