The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.

Amy Schultz is NDI’s resident director in Kazakhstan, where she oversees all Institute programs from the Almaty office. Previously, she managed NDI initiatives in Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey. Ms. Schultz brings to the Institute more than 20 years of wide-ranging political and civic experience.

Since 1998, Ms. Schultz has worked extensively with NDI’s international and local partners, including senior government and political party officials, and representatives of foreign diplomatic missions, international organizations, aid agencies, research institutions and the media. She has trained political parties and civic organizations on strategic planning, advocacy, outreach, communications, message development, fundraising and capacity building through a series of programs to strengthen political parties, support the development of civic organization and increase women’s political participation. Ms. Schultz has also managed nationwide election monitoring missions, including strategic planning, materials development, press relations, logistical arrangements, and the recruitment, training and deployment of thousands of domestic and international observers.

Before joining the Institute, Ms. Schultz designed and led successful national advocacy campaigns for non-profit organizations working principally on health and scientific research, and for interest groups representing physicians, nurses, alcohol/drug treatment providers and the research community. Among other efforts she helped overturn an attempt to strip all nonprofits of their right to lobby or educate Congress.

Ms. Schultz's civic advocacy experience was preceded and enhanced by a decade spent on Capitol Hill as professional staff to the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, and as a legislative assistant to Sen. Quentin Burdick (D-N.D.) and Rep. William J. Hughes (D-N.J.). She was introduced to the worlds of both civic organizing and political activity at the National Women's Political Caucus, where she edited the newspaper, Women's Political Times.

Ms. Schultz is a graduate of Oberlin College.