From the Hill to a Home at IDEA: An Employee Spotlight on Adam Duffy

For our latest employee spotlight, we’re sharing the story of Program Manager Adam Duffy, a valuable member of our team whose journey to IDEA was anything but typical. A self-described “escapee” of the D.C. political world, Adam left the high-stakes environment of Capitol Hill for a new sense of purpose here at the Institute. When asked about the motivation for the move, Adam shared, “I wanted a change that brought me closer to working with people and was less politically charged... After reading about the mission and work of IDEA, I was all in and knew I wanted to be a part of this team that was working to bridge the gap between citizens and their representatives.”

A Commitment to Democratic Engagement

For Adam, the work at IDEA is deeply personal. Having spent years on the receiving end of calls from the loudest and most partisan voices in Washington, Adam appreciates how IDEA takes a fundamentally different approach. When asked about this, Adam explained, “IDEA goes a step further to recruit a representative portion of a population to a deliberative town hall. This brings voices that are often overlooked or never heard from to the table with their elected officials.”

That passion for meaningful conversations was on full display during the Global Innovations in Democracy: Parliamentary Exchange, which brought together leaders from around the globe. Adam found it a “unique opportunity to learn about how leaders approach different challenges when engaging with their constituents and the desire from everyone to learn from each other.”

If there were one democratic challenge Adam could fix, Adam said it would be to end partisan gerrymandering. “Both sides of the aisle are guilty of partisan gerrymandering, and it leads to unfair representation, less competitive elections, and undermined trust in the democratic process for citizens,” Adam explained. “I would love to see fair maps where citizens are picking their leaders and not the other way around.”

Leveraging a Collaborative Culture

Beyond the mission, Adam loves the collaborative nature of IDEA’s culture, which is focused on professional development. As a current student in The Ohio State University’s Translational Data Analytics Institute’s Master’s program, Adam has been able to directly apply skills from his studies to the work at IDEA, thanks to the support of the team. This synergy between academic learning and practical application is a core value of our Institute.

Outside of his work, Adam is a passionate moviegoer and an avid baker who finds joy in crafting everything from complex cakes to simple breads and even homemade ice cream.