Erica Shein

Erica Shein is the Managing Director of the Center for Applied Research and Learning at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and an expert in electoral integrity. She co-authored the 2023 publication Paths to Democratic Resilience in an Era of Backsliding: A Roadmap for the Democracy Support Community. She leads the development and execution of IFES’ Learning Agenda and Knowledge Management Initiative. Erica was the Lead Editor for the IFES COVID-19 Briefing Series and co-creator of the IFES Electoral Integrity Assessment Methodology and the Abuse of State Resources Research and Assessment Framework, which provide unique insights into vulnerabilities in electoral and political processes that can undermine good governance. She co-developed a groundbreaking leadership and ethics training curriculum for senior electoral officials and is the co-author of multiple publications on electoral integrity, including “Risk-Limiting Audits: A Guide for Global Use,”  “Leadership in Crisis: Ensuring Independence, Ethics and Resilience in the Electoral Process” and “Election Audits: Principles and Practices” in the Oxford University Press publication Election Watchdogs: Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity (2017).

Erica holds a master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies with a concentration in international law and a bachelor’s degree in politics from Princeton University.