Empowering Citizens

Jeff Lovitt, home in Scotland and the Czech Republic, is a leader in promoting citizen engagement and participatory democracy, working with citizens, civil society, local and national governments to strengthen policy dialogue across Central and Eastern Europe. He has led strategic communications and organisational development of non-profit organisations in roles of senior manager, executive director, and board member, with a strong commitment to strengthening civil society's impact and sustainability.

• Founder and Chair of Prague-based New Diplomacy, an initiative launched to address the policy challenges facing global and regional policymakers in the eastern and southern neighbourhoods of the EU
• Chief of Party, Central Europe Media Program (CEMP), Zinc Network (2022-2025)
• Specialist in participatory policymaking: Conceived and launched Council of Europe’s first Participatory Democracy Academy, and authored Council of Europe studies and guidelines on civil participation in policymaking. Advised local authorities in Ukraine, Georgia, Kosovo, and Armenia on policy dialogue
• Member of International Experts Panel (IEP) of the Open Government Partnership (2016-2021)
• Manager of international civil society networks, leading communications and reputation management as Director of Communications at Transparency International (2000-2005), and running a network of analysts as Executive Director of PASOS (Policy Association for an Open Society) international think-tank network (2005-2015)

• Co-Chair of Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (2002 and 2004), and author of Forum's first strategy
• Risk monitor consultancy (Europe and Central Asia) to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (2016-2020)
• Editor and co-author of The Right Approach to Europe - An Advocacy Handbook for Civil Society: Understanding and Influencing EU Policymaking (2012)
• Co-editor of Democracy's New Champions. European Democracy Assistance after EU Enlargement (2008)
• Member of Advisory Group on Media Freedom in Eastern Partnership, chaired by the Latvian EU Council Presidency (2015) and European Commission (2017)