Stephen Richer – Next Generation Initiative Facilitator

Stephen Richer is the CEO of Republic Affairs, a consulting and solutions firm for pro-democracy nonprofits.  He is also a legal fellow at the Cato Institute and a lecturer at the Harvard Kennedy School.  Previously, Stephen was the elected Maricopa County Recorder in Phoenix, Arizona, where his duties included voter registration and early voting administration for that county, the fourth largest county in the United States, and the largest politically competitive county.  Stephen received many awards for his public service, including being named “Arizonan by the Year” by the Arizona Republic in 2021 and “Defender of Democracy” by Time Magazine in 2024.  Stephen has a J.D. and M.A. from The University of Chicago and a B.A. from Tulane University.