Founders of the Democracy in America Project

Joseph McCormick, co-founder of the Democracy in America Project, seeks to bridge political divisions by helping to re-connect us -- in our civic practice -- to the unifying principles accepted by all Americans. From his experience of over a decade in Republican politics and through dozens of interviews with experts and average people about the state of democracy in America, he recognizes the most destructive force in our country today is Americans taking sides against Americans. He has chosen to become politically un-affiliated and is now committed to respecting all points of views as having a vital contribution to the whole. He is a former officer in the U.S. Army Rangers, a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute and has a degree in Public and Private Management from Yale University.  My story...

Pat Spino has made community-building a core focus of her life. Becoming a mother of three led her to look deeply into fundamental questions of life – family, health and education. She has found that healthy community - and by extension, healthy society - is made of individuals who take responsibility for themselves and have learned to trust and respect the interdependent nature of life. She spent 25 years as a midwife, is the co-founder of the Democracy in America Project, and has worked in numerous small, family and community centered businesses.