Our talented team brings together expertise in data science, digital technology, policy development, and civic innovation to advance NCoC’s mission. Led by experienced professionals committed to strengthening democratic participation, our staff works across sectors to develop research, forge partnerships, and create programs that foster a more engaged citizenry and vibrant civic life.
Cameron Hickey, CEO
Cameron Hickey is the CEO of the National Conference on Citizenship. Hickey is an award winning journalist and technologist who founded the Algorithmic Transparency Institute at NCoC to empower journalists, researchers, and civil society advocates to increase accountability for digital platforms. Prior to NCoC, Hickey led the Information Disorder Lab at the Shorenstein Center for Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School. As a journalist, Hickey covered science and technology for the PBS NewsHour and NOVA where won a News and Documentary Emmy Award and a Newhouse Mirror Award for his reporting.
Lisa Matthews, Chief Grants & Compliance Officer
Lisa maintains the grant tracking system, and ensures compliance of policies and procedures for financial operations and accounting for the National Conference on Citizenship to sustain its mission across all projects.
Before joining NCoC, she was part of Americorps’ Research and Evaluation team, contributing data insights to produce their annual Volunteering and Civic Life in America report She also made research findings digitally accessible so individuals with low or no vision and hearing could access the information online.
Lisa began her career in personnel management, gaining experience in both a non-governmental agency and an accounting firm. She managed employee records, facilitated onboarding, and developed a system to streamline applications from submission to hiring. Later, she joined a national membership organization, where she helped create the first database tracking system to monitor performance trends in long-term care for 16,000 affiliate members.
In her free time, Lisa serves on community boards and committees and is a Commissioner to the Mayor’s Office on Volunteerism and Partnership. A passionate civic leader - Lisa has spearheaded initiatives to raise awareness of employment opportunities, submitted written testimony to the City Council, and worked alongside fellow leaders to recruit top executives for three national organizations.
Amy Howell, Chief Program Officer
Amy Howell serves as the Chief Program Officer at NCoC. Amy’s career has been dedicated to public service and has worked at the intersection of politics, civic engagement and higher education for over two decades. As the Chief Program Officer, Amy works with the executive team to oversee NCoC programming strategic initiatives and the annual conference.
Prior to NCoC, Amy worked at Harvard University where she served as Executive Director of the Institute of Politics and founding director of the institute’s Internships and Career Services Office and alumni program.
Amy graduated from Harvard Graduate School of Education with a MEd in higher education and was a summa cum laude graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, having earned her BA in American studies. She currently serves on the board of directors at the Trinity Hall school, an independent, all-girls high school in Tinton Falls, NJ.
Jeff Coates, Research and Evaluation Director
Jeff has served as the Program Manager for the Civic Health Initiative (CHI) at the National Conference on Citizenship for the past ten years. Prior to this role, he worked as a Strategic Initiative Associate at the Knight Foundation from 2010 to 2013. Before joining Knight, Jeff contributed to the Greater New Orleans Disaster Recovery Partnership, where he collaborated with over 50 nonprofits to develop strategic plans aimed at long-term recovery in the region.
In addition to his professional experience, Jeff co-founded the Recovery Action Learning Laboratory (RALLY) Foundation, a New Orleans-based nonprofit focused on monitoring and evaluating post-disaster programs. His international experience includes serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guyana and working with the Government of Sri Lanka following the 2004 tsunami.
Jeff holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of Oklahoma and a Master of Public Health from Tulane University in New Orleans.
In his free time, he actively supports local nonprofits involved in tornado recovery efforts across Oklahoma.
Cameron Blossom, Communications Director
Cameron manages the media, design, and communications for the National Conference on Citizenship, the Civic Health Initiatives program, and Pathways to Prosperity.
Prior to NCoC, he worked as the Associate Marketing Director for Service Year Alliance – leading the digital strategy for national service recruitment and their nationwide advocacy events. His creative work - like helping to lead the first-ever demonstration by inflatable dinosaurs in front of the U.S. Capitol - led to coverage by Vice News, The Washington Post, USA Today, and The Hill.
His career started as Program Director at the Action Research Center at Illinois Wesleyan University. There he was named McLean County’s 25 Distinguished Community Leaders under the age of 25 for his work to increase business exposure in the low-income community of West Bloomington.
In his time off, Cameron volunteers as the Marketing Lead for WeishFest - Chicago’s premiere concert for a cause - which has raised over $3 million dollars for families battling cancer since 2014.
Kaitlyn Dowling, Senior Research Analyst
Kaitlyn Dowling is the Senior Research Analyst at the Algorithmic Transparency Institute, a project of NCoC. In this role, she leads the project’s work on public data access, content analysis, and understanding the dynamics of civic discourse. This research is undertaken in partnership with a range of stakeholders, including academic researchers, policymakers, and leading civic organizations.
Before coming to NCoC, she served as the Senior Editor in the Information Disorder Lab, a project focused on political mis-/disinformation, at the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. Previously, Kaitlyn consulted on digital strategy and communication for the country’s largest businesses, non-profit organizations, and campaigns, including AARP, the American Cancer Society, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, #GivingTuesday, HSBC, the Malala Foundation, the UN Foundation, and others.
In her spare time, Kaitlyn enjoys spending time outside and volunteering with local trail alliances.
Stacey Meadows, Program Manager
With over a decade of experience in nonprofit development, marketing, and project management, Stacey is a proven leader in executing high-impact initiatives that drive meaningful change. She played a critical role in launching the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund, which raised over $20 million to support more than 43,000 restaurant workers at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the height of the pandemic, she spearheaded a large-scale vaccination campaign, collaborating with over 100 community-based organizations across the U.S. to enhance outreach and accessibility.
Stacey excels in optimizing workflows, integrating project management tools, and fostering cross-functional collaboration to maximize efficiency and impact. She holds a Master of Arts in Communications from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Merchandising from Marymount University.
Beyond her professional work, Stacey is deeply committed to community engagement. She actively volunteers with local food banks, distributes care packages to unhoused citizens, and participates in community development initiatives in Sandy Springs, GA.
Taylor Savell, Program Manager & Senior Policy Analyst
Taylor Savell is the Program Manager and Senior Policy Analyst for the Census Quality Reinforcement Task Force at NCoC. She specializes in decennial census issues such as data quality and the use of census data for redistricting and federal funding. Taylor is also a co-author of NCoC’s Pandemic to Prosperity and Pathways to Prosperity report series, contributing expertise and analysis of state-level measures of effective governance and strong civic institutions, which are essential for a healthy democracy.
Before joining NCoC, Taylor worked at the Beeck Center for Social Impact and Innovation, where she co-authored USApportionment.org—a key resource for census watchers and journalists leading up to the release of the 2020 Census congressional apportionment data. Taylor holds a Bachelor of Science in International Politics from Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service.
Myra Miranda, Partnerships Manager
Myra is the Partnerships Manager for the National Conference on Citizenship, the Algorithmic Transparency Institute program.
She works with civil society groups, researchers, and journalists who use Junkipedia to track and analyze how narratives develop and spread across digital spaces. She also assists with structuring and managing large datasets, ensuring partners have access to organized, actionable insights. In addition to supporting Junkipedia’s membership program, Myra helps organizations integrate ATI’s tools into their research and monitoring efforts.
Before joining NCoC, she worked on elections, census efforts, and public information campaigns, expanding access to critical resources and amplifying underrepresented voices. She has also contributed to federal, state, and local political campaigns since 2016, bringing experience in outreach, digital strategy, and issue advocacy. Myra holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, Riverside.
John Kilcoyne, Administrative Manager
John Kilcoyne is the Administrative Manager at NCoC, and has supported a number of projects including New_ Public, Party at the Mailbox, CQR, ATI, Pandemic to Prosperity, and he co-authored the inaugural Pathways to Prosperity report. John has also served as a Story Director for Written Out Loud and is working on his first novel.
In his free time, John has volunteered at his local public park and at organizations devoted to preventing violence. He graduated from the University of Melbourne with a BA in Philosophy in 2019.
Denice Ross, Senior Fellow
Denice Ross is a Senior Fellow at the National Conference on Citizenship focused on building a more resilient national data infrastructure. Most recently, Denice served as the Deputy U.S. Chief Technology Officer and as the U.S. Chief Data Scientist, where she led the charge to use disaggregated data to drive better outcomes for all Americans.
Denice’s 25-year career in using data to serve the public interest has spanned federal and local government, academia, and the nonprofit sector plus domains ranging from climate to policing. She served as a Presidential Innovation Fellow for the U.S. Department of Energy, and as Director of Enterprise Information for the City of New Orleans. Prior to government, Denice co-directed the non-profit data intermediary Data Center where she collaborated with Brookings to track New Orleans’ recovery from Hurricane Katrina. She brought a data-driven approach to numerous post-Katrina community planning initiatives and co-founded the first new childcare center after the storm.
Denice holds an MS in Energy and Climate Policy from Johns Hopkins University and an undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of Arizona, where she was a Goldwater Scholar. In her time off, Denice and her family are active in Scouting America.