Scott Bates has a career in politics and public service that has informed his work on democracy and development projects on five continents.
In the United States, Scott Bates served as Secretary of the Commonwealth of Virginia and Legislative Director for the Governor of Virginia. He was a strategist for nine Members of Congress, five U.S. Senators, three Governors and a candidate for President of the United States.
Bates has worked on Capitol Hill for four Members of Congress and after September 11th, became the first Senior Policy Advisor to the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee. He was the principal author of “Winning the War on Terror” which helped inform the work of the 9/11 Commission.
During challenging times for American democracy, Bates worked to strengthen electoral institutions. As Deputy Secretary of State, Bates helped make Connecticut a national leader in protecting election systems from cyberattack. He has worked with the RAND Corporation and the Center for New American Security on electoral integrity.
Bates has extensive international experience having worked with NDI in twenty-five countries. He has worked with Members of Parliament, Prime Ministers and Presidents as well as activists and civil society groups in support of their efforts to advance democracy. Recently he was a Mission Lead for the global Summit for Democracy.
Bates was a Visiting Professor of International Law and International Human Rights Law at the University of Indiana School of Law, a Lecturer at the University of Tokyo and Visiting Professor at the University of Pristina in Kosovo. Scott taught Homeland Security at the National Defense University and focused on international security issues as President of the Center for National Policy in Washington, DC.
Bates holds a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law, MSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics, and graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Dayton in History and Political Science.
