Vandinika Shukla is the Deputy Director of Global Programs at the Obama Foundation where she works with young change makers in the US on building common ground, trust in institutions and pluralism to strengthen democratic culture. Previously, she worked on AI, securing democratic processes and global elections with Democracy Forward at Microsoft. Vandinika’s expertise spans the intersection of human rights, diplomacy, tech policy, and democracy. Vandinika has incubated the Practicing Democracy Project at the Harvard Kennedy School where she taught movement building, storytelling, and social change to changemakers in the U.S. and across 16+ countries. She was also a Strategist at MIT Media Lab’s Center for Constructive Communications where she built AI tools to amplify underheard voices in policymaking and journalism, and facilitate dialogue across differences. Prior to her time at Harvard, Vandinika designed gender policies to implement the Sustainable Development Goals, and worked on human rights compliance and women’s political participation at the United Nations (UN Women). Vandinika holds a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School and a Masters in International Relations from London School of Economics and Political Science. Vandinika’s writing on technology and democracy has been featured in Slate Magazine, Tech Policy Press, The Boston Globe, The Conversation, Indian Express and other national dailies. Vandinika is a Reporting Fellow at Tech Policy Press and serves on the Board of Directors for Fora Network for Change – a global organization bringing 2000+ young female leaders to spaces of power.