The Evens Foundation has appointed Matt Stempeck as Director of Technology & Democracy, a newly created role focused on building digital tools and systems to strengthen democracy across Europe.

Stempeck is the founder of the Civic Tech Field Guide, the definitive reference point for the civic technology field, and has worked across digital participation platforms, civic AI, and disinformation. He has also worked on political campaigns, and held roles across nonprofit advocacy and academia.

In his new role, Stempeck will identify and support promising ideas in the digital democracy space, work with builders and practitioners to bring them to life, and contribute to broader conversations at the intersection of technology and democratic governance. He will focus in particular on artificial intelligence and recommender systems — areas the Foundation regards as increasingly consequential for democratic life.

Matt joins as the Foundation deepens its focus on digital democracy, and as questions around AI, algorithms, and their effects on public life move to the centre of political debate across Europe.