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NICD Staff

Executive Director

Keith Allred

Keith Allred is the Executive Director of the National Institute for Civil Discourse (NICD), an organization that works to build our nation’s capacity to engage differences constructively. His work has been featured in the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, The Hill, and Congressional Quarterly.

He was recruited to lead NICD because he had recently launched CommonSense American, a new organization that brings Republicans, Democrats, and Independents together from across the country to identify solutions with broad grassroots support and then champion them in Congress. CommonSense American’s more than 50,000 members are three-for-three. They played meaningful roles in helping Congress pass bipartisan legislation ending surprise medical billing in 2020, investing in America’s physical infrastructure in 2021, and updating the Electoral Count Act in 2022.

Keith piloted CommonSense American at the state level in Idaho from 2005 – 2009. Its major legislative achievements led the Idaho Democratic Party to make the unusual move of asking him, as an independent, to be their nominee for Governor in 2010.

Prior to returning home to pilot the citizens’ group, Keith was the first professor of conflict resolution at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He started his academic career as a professor at Columbia University.

Keith has also served in a variety of business leadership roles. Most recently, he was a senior partner at the Cicero Group, ranked the 12th best boutique management consulting firm in the world by Vault.com. He was also a member of the Board of Directors for Perpetua Resources, which trades on NASDAQ (PPTA), where he chaired the Compensation Committee and served on the Governance and Audit Committees.

Keith earned a PhD in Organizational Behavior from UCLA and BA in American History from Stanford.

A fifth-generation Idahoan who grew up working summers on the family cattle ranch, Keith finished eighth in the world standings of the National Cutting Horse Association in 2017 after competing in the World Finals in Fort Worth.

He and Christine are the proud parents of Anna, Dan, and Cate.

Cheryl Graeve
Director of National Programs, Engaging Differences, and Golden Rule 2020

Cheryl Graeve

Cheryl Graeve currently serves as the Director of National Programs for NICD, including the Engaging Differences and Golden Rule 2020 programs. She works with communities and partner organizations to foster civil discourse capacity and help bridge political divides through online and in person NICD programs.

Prior to joining NICD, she served as the Senior Director of Field Support for the League of Women Voters of the United States. There she worked with national, state and local leadership on internal governance programs and civic capacity building through development of a nationwide training system and volunteer coaching structure to increase organizational outreach and effectiveness. Prior to that she served as Executive Director of AFL-CIO’s national youth group, where she developed an international anti-child labor campaign called the Toycott (a boycott of toys made in China). Cheryl also served as Legislative Director for the Minnesota Public Interest Research Group (MPIRG) and helped pass a state “motor voter” law designed to increase voter registration among under represented populations through public agencies. She also worked as a district Field Representative for Minnesota Congressman Gerry Sikorski when he served in Congress.

She and her husband Alain Fournier enjoy spending time in nature and observing birds through experiences in our country’s state and national parks.

Next Generation Program Director

Beth Harwell

Beth Harwell served as State Representative for Nashville. First elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1988, Harwell served as a Minority Whip and Commerce Committee Chair before being elected to the Speakership in 2011. She was the first woman to serve as Tennessee's Speaker of the House. Beth has won numerous awards, including the Tennessee Press Association’s Open Government Award, the Champion for Children Award, the Conservation Legislator Award, and the 2015 Legislator Award from Mental Health America. Presently, Beth is a Consultant for G2Lytics and 86Boarders, as well as a distinguished visiting professor at Middle Tennessee State University.

Beth received her Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University, her M.S. Degree from George Peabody College, and her B.A. Degree from David Lipscomb College. Beth has been married to Sam for over 25 years and they have three children – Allie, Sam, and Tucker. Beth enjoys spending time with her family, likes the outdoors, and is an avid reader.

Next Generation Legislative Liaison

Thom Little

Thom Little currently serves as the Legislative Liaison for Next Generation at NICD. He also serves as the Director of Leadership Curriculum and Research at the State Legislative Leaders Foundation (SLLF).

Tom has been studying, working and teaching state legislative leaders for more than thirty years since he served as a 20 year old legislative intern in the 1985 North Carolina General Assembly. After earning his Ph.D. in Political Science with a focus on legislative politics from The Ohio State University, Tom taught for ten years at American University and the University of Texas at Arlington before starting to work with the State Legislative Leaders Foundation. For more than twenty years, Thom has served as SLLF’s Director of Curriculum Development and Research where he has coordinated programs on everything from biotechnology to crisis management. He has also written case studies on state legislative leadership in states from Alabama to Ohio.

Timothy J. Shaffer
Director of Civic Engagement and Deliberative Democracy

Timothy J. Shaffer

Timothy J. Shaffer, PhD, is the Director of Civic Engagement and Deliberative Democracy for the National Institute for Civil Discourse. He is also an Associate Professor in Communication Studies and Director of the Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy at Kansas State University. He supports the interdisciplinary research network exploring issues of political incivility and political dysfunction, NICD initiatives connected to higher education such as the National Civility Network, and is part of team managing communication efforts.

He has edited four books, published dozens of scholarly articles and chapters, and offers trainings and workshops for those interested in learning about how to engage differences constructively in a variety of settings. He received his PhD from Cornell University.

Robert Boatright
Director of Research

Robert G. Boatright

Robert G. Boatright is Professor and Chair of the Department of Political Science at Clark University and the Director of Research for the National Institute for Civil Discourse at the University of Arizona. His research focuses on the effects of campaign and election laws on the behavior of politicians and interest groups, with a particular emphasis on primary elections and campaign finance laws and practices.

He is the author or editor of nine books, including "The Deregulatory Moment? A Comparative Perspective on Changing Campaign Finance Laws" (2016); "Getting Primaried: The Causes and Consequences of Congressional Primary Challenges" (2013); and "Interest Groups and Campaign Finance Reform in the United States and Canada" (2011). He is currently completing a book manuscript on how American politicians discuss political corruption.

He received a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and a B.A. from Carleton College.

Bonnie LePard
Principal Advisor

Bonnie LePard

Bonnie LePard is the Deputy Director of the National Institute for Civil Discourse. She has spent her career working to find common ground and solutions to serve the common good. Before joining NICD, Bonnie has been the executive director of four nonprofit organizations. She saved the land that is now owned by the Tregaron Conservancy, an organization that she founded in 2006. Most recently, Bonnie ran a 400-acre National Trust for Historic Preservation site in northern Virginia and later was the executive director of The Cultural Landscape Foundation.

Bonnie earned her B.A in English from Wesleyan University and her J.D. from New York University School of Law (with an emphasis in environmental law). She clerked for two federal judges and served in the Honors Program at the U.S. Department of Justice as a trial attorney in the Environmental Crimes Section. Bonnie prosecuted over 20 federal trials and worked on the Exxon Valdez case.

Bonnie and her husband Bruce Reed have raised a daughter Julia Reed and a son Nelson Reed who have also worked in education, law, and government. Bonnie is the President of the Cleveland Park Historical Society. She serves on the board of the Australian American Leadership Dialogue. Bonnie is also a Bridge Building Co-Chair of the Partnership for American Democracy.

She enjoys her women’s book groups, exercise, cooking, and sporting events – especially baseball and Gonzaga basketball. Bonnie and Bruce live in a very old house and have a young golden retriever, Wrigley. You can find them hiking around the District of Columbia.

Senior Fellow

Holli Woodings

Holli Woodings is a Senior Fellow at the National Institute for Civil Discourse. Her focus is on representing over 65,000 CommonSense American members and presenting their responses to the 2023 Career Connected Learning issue brief on Capitol Hill, both directly and in cooperation with the Regional and State Ambassadors in the Far West Region.

Prior to relocating to Washington, DC, she served as President of Boise City Council and was integral to the creation and adoption of Boise’s comprehensive and progressive modern zoning ordinance. She worked to bolster local businesses, support working families, and to pass and implement Boise’s goals of 100% clean energy by 2035 and carbon neutrality by 2050. Holli has also served as a State Representative in the Idaho Legislature and in 2014 ran for Idaho Secretary of State. She’s a proud graduate of Boise State University with a BA in English and Executive MBA.

Prior to entering public service, she worked in the renewable energy industry helping to develop and finance wind farms in Idaho and Minnesota before founding Woodings Group, a consultancy specializing in startup energy companies. She has been honored as one of Idaho Business Review’s Women of the Year and Accomplished Under 40, as a Women’s and Children’s Alliance TWIN awardee, a recipient of the Girl Scouts of the USA Thanks Badge and a Boise State University Alumni of Distinction.

Holli has served on many nonprofit boards including the Boise State Foundation, Idaho Women in Leadership, and as Chair of the Girl Scouts of Silver Sage and the North End Neighborhood Association. She has volunteered for the Washington Urban Debate League, Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital, YMCA, NEW Leadership Idaho, and the Yes! For Boise Schools campaign.

Holli lives in NW Washington with her husband Ryan and their two children. They love to explore their new city (especially the restaurants!) by foot, bike, bus and Metro.

Ambassador Program Director

Mary Tanner

Mary Tanner is the Director for CommonSense American’s Ambassador Program and oversees the design and implementation of ambassador training programs and recruitment. She has a background in education, training, and Participatory Learning and Action (PLA). Mary is passionate about building trust, resolving conflict, and helping others find common ground.

In addition to her role at NICD, she lectures international college students on Conflict Resolution, Volunteerism, Diversity in the U.S., Cultural Awareness, and U.S. Government and Politics. She has lived in Israel, England and most recently Denmark.

Mary earned her bachelor’s degree in International Law and Diplomacy with a minor in Middle Eastern Studies from Brigham Young University, and her Masters of Science in Education and Training with an emphasis in empowering women through adult education programs in rural villages of developing countries from the University of Reading in the UK.

She currently resides in Northern Virginia where she loves spending time in nature with her husband, five children and two dogs

Steele Parkerson
Fellow

Steele Parkerson

Steele Parkerson is a Fellow at NICD.

She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Summa Cum Laude with a double major in Diplomatic history and International Relations. Her honors thesis in International Relations, The Paradox of International Aid: A Case for Democratic Aid Theory focused on strengthening democracy through coordination between nations. While in university, Steele served her class as the Vice President of External Affairs, President of Alpha Phi, President of Best Buddies and studied abroad at the University of Oxford.

Steele’s work experience includes being an AmeriCorps Member in Ketchikan, Alaska; Center of High Impact Philanthropy in Philadelphia; Crossroads Foundation in Hong Kong; and the African Community Learning Program in Philadelphia.

When Steele’s not working, she enjoys running, reading, pilates, and loves exploring art museums and painting abstracts.

Ariana Rojas
Fellow

Ariana Rojas

Ariana Rojas is a Fellow at NICD.

She recently graduated from The George Washington University with a Master of Arts in Political Science. She completed her undergraduate studies May 2022 at GW where she double majored in Political Science and Criminal Justice.

Prior to joining NICD, Ariana worked at Branch Politics as an Elections Reviewer, where she focused on educating voters on potential candidates for the November election. Before that, she was a Research and Communications Intern at Issue One, focusing on government transparency. She helped research 11 states and their respective county clerks and predecessors to identify the clerk turnover rate following the 2020 election.

Ariana aspires to play a role in promoting democracy in the United States and/or Latin America.

Outside of work, you can find Ariana reading at a park.

Fellow

Jack Thomas

Jack Thomas is one of the NICD fellows.

Jack attended William & Mary, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s of Economics and Public Policy, and received his Master’s of Public Policy in May of 2023. His research and professional experiences center around congressional reform and legislative procedure. Jack spent the summer of 2022 working in the House of Representatives with the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress, where he conducted research to support the committee’s mission to create a more transparent, efficient, and effective congress. Jack has also worked on the legislative team of former Virginia Delegate Michael Mullin. Jack’s previous non-policy roles include bartending at fine dining restaurants and directing waterfronts at a summer camp on Lake Michigan.

Outside of the NICD, Jack enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, taking his puppy out on walks, supporting Michigan football, and playing board games with friends.

Chief Technology Officer

Jason Honn

Jason Honn is the Chief Technology Officer for the National Institute for Civil Discourse. He has created and helps manage NICDs websites including: NICD.Arizona.edu, CommonSenseAmerican.org, NxtGenUSA.org, EngagingDifferences.org, GoldenRule2020.org, and NICDResearch.org. He also assists with video production and graphic design.

Jason brings over 20 years of experience in development and design. He has a wide range of familiarity with different web platforms and technologies. He has worked with varying businesses and organizations in both the private, nonprofit and public sectors. Jason has created and managed over a 100 sites that range in both scale and function. He aligns tightly with NICDs purpose and objectives, and is passionate about helping this organization successfully make a difference.

Jason graduated with a degree from BYU Idaho. Jason and his wife Sheri have 5 children ranging in age from 21 to 5 (Talia, Braden, Cooper, Finley, and Gracie). They are active in their church and enjoy supporting and coaching their kids in sports, music, and life.

Chief Marketing Officer

Justin Kistner

Justin is the Chief Marketing Officer for the National Institute for Civil Discourse and the CommonSense American program.

For the last 20 years Justin Kistner has been at the forefront of digital marketing and software product management. Most recently, he served on the executive team during two exits for digital marketing software companies. Justin has been able to see how digital ad technology and strategies work at the highest levels. This unique access has come from working for top 10 ad software partners for Google, Facebook, and Twitter. Justin has developed strategies and led the execution of over $10M in Facebook advertising for top brands, such as Nike, Invisalign, and Xfinity. Also notable, he holds a patent for a social engagement scoring algorithm. And, his work has been featured in the American Museum of Advertising. Justin has contributed to top-tier tech publications such as Mashable, VentureBeat and ReadWriteWeb. As a speaker or keynote, he has been an invited presenter at conferences such as ad:tech, OMMA Global, Web 2.0 Expo, Blogworld, eMetrics and Social Fresh.

Outside of work, Justin is a passionate vegetable gardener and Oregon Ducks football fan. He lives in Seattle with his wife and son.

Christina R
Finance and Budget Manager

Christina Rocha

Christina Rocha is a Research Administrator and has worked at the University of Arizona for over 20 years. Christina started her career at the UArizona in the Bursar’s Office. She has also worked in the CatCard Office and the Office of the Registrar. Christina started her Accounting position in the Arizona State Museum, in 2012, which quickly transformed into a Museum's Business Center serving the campus museums.

In 2016, the RII Business Center was created to serve RII Museums, Centers and Institutes. Christina is currently serving as the Account Manager for the Arizona State Museum, The National Institute for Civil Discourse, the Gem & Mineral Museum, and the Mining and Mineral Museum. She also serves as PCard Liaison for all RIIBC Units. Christina has over 35 years of customer service experience and works with her customers to make sure they get the advice and/or assistance that they require for their success.

Christina is an active member of various UArizona Shared Governance Groups.
In her free time, Christina spends time with her family, and friends. She enjoys cooking, and watching TV.

Former NICD Leadership

Former Director Carolyn Lukensmeyer
Executive Director Emeritus

Carolyn J. Lukensmeyer

Dr. Carolyn J. Lukensmeyer was the first Executive Director of the National Institute for Civil Discourse, an organization that works to reduce political dysfunction and incivility in our political system. As a leader in the field of deliberative democracy, she works to restore our democracy to reflect the intended vision of our founding fathers.

Dr. Lukensmeyer previously served as Founder and President of AmericaSpeaks, an award-winning nonprofit organization that promoted nonpartisan initiatives to engage citizens and leaders through the development of innovative public policy tools and strategies. During her tenure, AmericaSpeaks engaged more than 200,000 people and hosted events across all 50 states and throughout the world. Dr. Lukensmeyer formerly served as Consultant to the White House Chief of Staff from 1993-94 and on the National Performance Review where she steered internal management and oversaw government-wide reforms. She was the Chief of Staff to Ohio Governor Richard F. Celeste from 1986-91, becoming the first woman to serve in this capacity. She earned her PhD in Organizational Behavior from Case Western Reserve University and has completed postgraduate training at the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland.