Sam Novey joined the Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement as a Consulting Community Scholar, and in July 2023 assumed the role of Chief Strategist. Novey brings to this position an extensive track record of convening scholars, philanthropic partners, and community-based organizations at the local and national levels to develop new research and translate that research into useful working knowledge for community-based organizations. 

Novey is a Baltimore-based civic leader who has built diverse and long-lasting coalitions focused on expanding civic engagement at both the local and national levels. He is co-founder of the Students Learn Students Vote Coalition, the national hub and largest non-partisan network in the country dedicated to increasing student voter participation. He is also a co-founder of the Baltimore Votes Coalition, which convenes community based organizations in Baltimore City to promote full participation in elections. Novey has also contributed to the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, Party at the Mailbox, Maryland Civics Education Coalition, Ask Every Student, and the National League of Cities “Cities Vote” initiative.