Aaron Azelton is the director of citizen participation programs at the National Democratic Institute. He is an organizing and advocacy specialist who has helped to manage, design, and implement civil society programs at NDI since 1992. In his current position, Mr. Azelton supports NDI initiatives by providing best practices and guidance on all aspects of civic organizing, advocacy, government monitoring, and nonprofit organizational development.
He frequently serves as a grassroots facilitator for civil society programs throughout the world. In this capacity, he has helped local organizations develop strategic outlooks, plan political actions, structure partnerships, and carry out internal reforms in more than 20 countries. Mr. Azelton helped design NDI’s Civic Forum program, a unique approach to promoting civic action in developing societies. Civic Forum provides a foundation for informed citizen involvement in the public policymaking process through the organization of moderated discussions in conjunction with local civil society organizations. From 1997 to 1998, Mr. Azelton directed NDI’s Civic Forum program in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He also developed and implemented the first NDI Civic Forum program in West Bank/Gaza in 1996. Additionally, he has provided technical leadership to USAID through research and written reports, and has taken part in numerous roundtables and work groups on civic education and civil society development topics.
Mr. Azelton is married with two children and enjoys outdoor activities and training pointing dogs.
