DEMOCRACY DIALOGUES

Season 6: Trust & Participation

Kicking off Season 6 of the Democracy Dialogues, and right on the heels of the U.S. election, we’re diving into one of the most pressing issues of our time: election interference and its impact on trust and participation. Led by series host Victoria Kuketz, this season launch brings together leading voices on democratic security.

We’re honored to feature David Salvo, Managing Director of the Alliance for Securing Democracy and Malign Autocratic Influence at the German Marshall Fund—a global thought leader on disinformation and election protection. Joining him is Catherine Corriveau, our National Manager of Engagement and Strategic Initiatives and co-author of a pivotal report on foreign interference’s cross-jurisdictional effects on Canada’s electoral integrity.

We’re also thrilled to welcome Adam Barnes, Elections BC’s Director, Investigations, who will share insights from B.C.’s recent election and discuss their innovative approach to countering election interference. He’ll shed light on how false statement provisions in the B.C. Election Act are being used to help protect public trust.

Together, they’ll decode the latest tactics of interference, reveal the stakes of the 2024 elections in Canada, the U.S., and beyond, and discuss how resilient communities can counter these threats through a “whole of society” approach. Don’t miss this essential conversation on defending democracy—one community at a time.

Speakers

David Salvo is a senior fellow and managing director of the Alliance for Securing Democracy (ASD) at the German Marshall Fund. An expert in Russian affairs, Salvo has been analyzing the Kremlin’s authoritarian toolkit to undermine democracy at home and abroad throughout his career. He is the principal author of The ASD Policy Blueprint for Countering Authoritarian Interference in Democracies and makes regular media appearances, including on NPR, CNN, Fox, MSNBC, and ABC News, to discuss US-Russian relations, Russian foreign policy toward its near abroad, and Russian tactics and objectives to undermine democracy in the United States and Europe.

Prior to joining GMF, Salvo was a foreign service officer in the US Department of State, serving most recently as the deputy secretary of state’s policy advisor for Europe, Eurasia, and international security issues. He also advised senior-level State Department negotiators on the protracted conflicts in the South Caucasus, worked on US policy toward NATO and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and served overseas in Russia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. He speaks Russian and Serbo-Croatian and has a basic knowledge of French. David received his master’s degree from Georgetown University’s Center for Eurasian, Russian, and East

Catherine is the National Manager of Engagement & Strategic Initiatives at the Democratic Engagement Exchange, where she has spearheaded several key initiatives, including the organization’s flagship event, the Canadian Vote Summit, expanding its reach and influence. Under her leadership, The Exchange has become the leading non-partisan voice on electoral democracy in Canada, advancing advocacy on critical issues such as electoral integrity, governance, and security.

Catherine operates at the nexus of policy, strategic communications, and stakeholder engagement, building strong coalitions across party lines. With a proven track record in public policy advocacy, campaigning, and business development, she works to enhance Canada's democratic vibrancy and competitiveness.

Catherine holds an Honours Bachelor of Social Sciences in Conflict Studies and Human Rights, and a Master of Arts in Political Science from the University of Ottawa, specializing in national security and democracy. Her research delved into issues of violent extremism and radicalization in the Canadian context.

Adam Barnes has been the head of investigations at Elections BC for 7 years. He has 22 years of experience in the BC public service, and 17 years combined experience as an investigator for the BC Ombudsperson’s Office, the BC Information and Privacy Commissioner’s Office, the Victoria Police Service, and Elections BC.