IFES Congratulates Tamara Wittes on Appointment as President of NDI

The International Foundation for Electoral Systems offers warm congratulations to Dr. Tamara Wittes on her appointment as president of the National Democratic Institute. NDI announced Dr. Wittes as the organization’s next president on January 22. She joins NDI from the State Department, where she served as Director of Foreign Assistance, following a distinguished career in government and policy organizations. 

“The National Democratic Institute plays a critical role in the community of democracy champions,” said Anthony Banbury, President of IFES. “Dr. Wittes’ depth of experience and expertise, and more importantly, her commitment to advancing democratic values, make her an excellent choice to lead the organization at this critical juncture for global democracy. We at IFES look forward to working closely with her in our shared mission of helping democracies around the world build resilience to autocratic threats.”

IFES partners closely with the National Democratic Institute, as well as the International Republican Institute, as core members of the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS). By pooling the expertise and capabilities of these three premier democracy organizations, CEPPS supports democratic societies and electoral integrity around the globe.

Dr. Wittes is the first woman to lead one of the CEPPS institutions, marking an important milestone for the democracy support community.

Dr. Wittes succeeds Derek Mitchell, who led NDI from 2018 to 2023. The full IFES team looks forward to continuing our productive collaboration with NDI under Dr. Wittes’ leadership.