Amy Schultz directs programs in Azerbaijan as NDI's resident director. Amy joined the Institute in 1998 as NDI's first resident representative in Turkey. She brings to the Institute more than 20 years of extensive political and civic experience.
Before joining NDI, Amy designed and led successful national advocacy campaigns for non-profit organizations working principally on health and scientific research. Among other efforts she helped overturn an attempt to strip all non-profits of their right to lobby/educate Congress. She also designed many national advocacy and legislative/educational campaigns for interest groups in rural communities including physicians, nurses, alcohol/drug treatment providers and counselors. Amy's civic advocacy career was preceded and enhanced by a decade on Capitol Hill as professional staff to the Senate Appropriations Committee, and as a legislative assistant to Senator Quentin Burdick (D-ND) and Rep. William J. Hughes (D-NJ). Earlier she worked as a "rural health expert" for Senator Tom Harkin's (D-IA) first re-election bid, an important post since Harkin faced a tough challenger who had made a name for himself in rural health matters. Harkin became the first Democratic Senator Iowans re-elected that century.
Her first job out of school and her real introduction to both the worlds of civic organizing political activity was at the National Women's Political Caucus where she edited the newspaper, Women's Political Times. Amy is a graduate of Oberlin College.
