SEPTEMBER 1, 2022

HAVA AT 20

#HAVA20
WELCOME

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), in partnership with Pepperdine University’s School of Public Policy, is honored to host 

a series of panels on confidence in elections, security and technology in elections, current issues in election administration, and the future 

of elections. 

“Confidence in Elections” will discuss some of the data identifying trends for the increase in mis- and dis-information, and ways to 

address the challenges that stem from it. 

“Security and Technology in Elections” will discuss the role of election officials as IT managers, which requires a unique set of attitudes, 

knowledge, and skills to plan, direct, and control contemporary election administration. 

“Current Issues in Election Administration (Clearinghouse/HAVA Grants)” will discuss election funding through HAVA and the impact 

those grants have on supporting elections during critical moments over the last 20 years. 

“Future of Elections - HAVA 20 Years From Now” will discuss how HAVA is still relevant, how elections will evolve in the future, and 

what can be done to maintain confidence in our elections. 

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) was 

established by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 

(HAVA). It is an independent, bipartisan commission 

charged with ensuring secure, accurate, and accessible 

elections by developing guidance to meet HAVA 

requirements, adopting voluntary voting system 

guidelines, and serving as a national clearinghouse of 

information on election administration. EAC 

also accredits testing laboratories and certifies voting 

systems, as well as administers the use of HAVA funds. 

For more information, visit www.eac.gov. 

2022 marks the 25th year of the Pepperdine School 

of Public Policy (SPP). The school was founded in 1997 

following the launch of the Davenport Institute in 1996. 

SPP is built on a distinctive philosophy of preparing 

public leaders to use tools of analysis combined with 

their moral sense to affect successful implementation 

and real change. Through a curriculum grounded in 

understanding policy’s inherent philosophical and 

historical dimensions, SPP prepares cross-sector leaders 

for careers that strengthen the institutions of the 

private, nonprofit, and government sectors.

2 HAVA AT 20: BUILDING TRUST IN ELECTIONS #HAVA20
SCHEDULE

WELCOME AND 

LUNCH KEYNOTE

11:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.

PANEL 1

CONFIDENCE 

IN ELECTIONS 

12:15 P.M . - 1:30 P.M . 

PA N E L 2 

SECURITY AND 

TECHNOLOGY IN 

ELECTIONS

1:30 P.M. - 2:45 P.M.

PANEL 4

FUTURE OF 

ELECTIONS - HAVA 20 

YEARS FROM NOW

4:15 P.M. - 5:30 P.M.

PANEL 3 

CURRENT ISSUES 

IN ELECTION 

ADMINISTRATION 

(CLEARINGHOUSE/

HAVA GRANTS) 

3:00 P.M. - 4:15 P.M.

B R E A K 2:45 P.M. - 3:00 P.M.

B R E A K 5:30 P.M . - 6:30 P.M . 

E V E N I N G R E C E P T I O N 6:30 P.M. - 8:30 P.M.

• Chairman Thomas Hicks, U.S. Election Assistance Commission 

• Pete Peterson, Dean, Pepperdine University School of Public Policy 

Moderator: Chairman Thomas Hicks, U.S. Election Assistance Commission 

• Mitchell Brown, PH.D., Professor, Political Science, Auburn University

• Andrew Sinclair, Assistant Professor of Government, Claremont McKenna College

• Charles Stewart III, Founding Director, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Election 

Data and Science Lab

Moderator: Vice Chair Christy McCormick, U.S. Election Assistance Commission 

• Mona Harrington, Acting Assistant Director for National Risk Management Center 

(NRMC), DHS CISA

• Dan Wallach, Professor, Rice University and Rice Scholar at Baker Institute

• Traci Mapps, Vice President, SLI Compliance

Moderator: Commissioner Donald Palmer, U.S. Election Assistance Commission 

• Doug Lewis, Former Executive Director, The Election Center

• Dean Logan, Clerk/Recorder & Registrar of Voters, Los Angeles County, California 

• Deak Kersey, General Counsel, Deputy Secretary of State, West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office

• Mindy Romero, Ph.D., Founder and Director, Center for Inclusive Democracy (CID) at the USC 

Sol Price School of Public Policy

Moderator: Commissioner Ben Hovland, U.S. Election Assistance Commission

• Joel Watson, Louisiana Deputy Secretary of State for Outreach Services 

• Susan Lapsley, California Deputy Secretary of State, HAVA Director and Counsel

• Matthew Weil, Executive Director of the Democracy Program, Bipartisan Policy Center

PAGE 7

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3 HAVA AT 20: BUILDING TRUST IN ELECTIONS #HAVA20
Thomas Hicks was nominated by President Barack H. Obama and confirmed by unanimous consent of the United States Senate 

on December 16, 2014 to serve on the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC). Prior to his appointment with EAC, 

Commissioner Hicks served as a Senior Elections Counsel and Minority Elections Counsel on the U.S. House of Representatives 

Committee on House Administration, a position he held from 2003 to 2014. In this role Mr. Hicks was responsible for issues 

relating to campaign finance, election reform, contested elections and oversight of both the Election Assistance Commission 

and Federal Election Commission. His primary responsibility was advising and providing guidance to the committee members 

and caucus on election issues. Mr. Hicks has talked with Americans in every state about their voting experiences. In addition, 

he has worked with state and local election officials across America to address critical election concerns. Prior to joining the 

U.S. House of Representatives, Mr. Hicks served as a Senior Lobbyist and Policy Analyst from 2001 to 2003 for Common 

Cause, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that empowers citizens to make their voices heard in the political process and 

to hold their elected leaders accountable to the public interest. Mr. Hicks has enjoyed working with state and local election 

officials, civil rights organizations and all other stakeholders to improve the voting process. Mr. Hicks served from 1993 to 2001 

in the Clinton Administration as a Special Assistant and Legislative Assistant in the Office of Congressional Relations for the 

Office of Personnel Management. He served as agency liaison to the United State Congress and the President’s Administration 

on matters regarding Federal personnel policies and regulations. Mr. Hicks received his J.D. from the Catholic University of 

America, Columbus School of Law and his B.A. in Government from Clark University (Worcester, MA). He also studied at the 

University of London (London, England) and law at the University of Adelaide (Adelaide, Australia).

Chairman Thomas Hicks U.S. Election Assistance Commission

EAC AND PEPPERDINE LEADERSHIP

4 HAVA AT 20: BUILDING TRUST IN ELECTIONS #HAVA20
Vice Chair Christy McCormick U.S. Election Assistance Commission

Christy McCormick was nominated by President Barack H. Obama and confirmed by unanimous consent of the United 

States Senate on December 16, 2014 to serve on the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC). She was quickly elected 

by her fellow Commissioners as Chairwoman of the reconstituted Commission for the 2015-2016 term. As the agency’s first 

chairperson in four years, she re-established the operation of the Commission itself, as well as the Commission’s three advisory 

boards: the EAC Standards Board, Board of Advisors, and Technical Guidelines Development Committee (TGDC). Chairwoman 

McCormick executed a new management policy, secured a long-overdue update to the Voluntary Voting Systems Guidelines 

(VVSG), obtained the accreditation of a new Voting System Testing Laboratory (VSTL), oversaw the hiring of the Executive 

Director and General Counsel, and led the reaffirmation of accessibility in voting as a top priority for the Commission. She 

instituted the EAC’s first Language Accessibility Summit, first Election Data Summit, and established a working relationship 

with the United States Postal Service (USPS) to address postal issues in elections. As Chairwoman, Ms. McCormick also 

launched a continuing effort with the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) and the Council of State Governments 

(CSG) to improve the Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS), and diligently and successfully worked to restore 

the Commission’s standing with Members of Congress, the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), the National 

Association of State Election Directors (NASED), local election officials, and other stakeholders in the election community. She 

currently serves as the Designated Federal Officer (DFO) for the EAC’s Local Leadership Council. Prior to her appointment 

with the EAC, Commissioner McCormick served as a Senior Trial Attorney in the Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division 

at the Department of Justice, a position she held from 2006 until joining the Commission. In that role, Ms. McCormick was 

responsible for investigating and prosecuting violations of federal voting statutes, including the Voting Rights Act, the National 

Voter Registration Act, the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) and the Military and Overseas 

Voter Empowerment Act (MOVE). Additionally, Ms. McCormick worked with election officials to monitor compliance with 

federal voting statutes, especially the Voting Rights Act and its minority language requirements, and fair administration of 

elections. She has observed numerous elections and worked with election officials all across America. Ms. McCormick was 

detailed by the Deputy Attorney General to be Senior Attorney Advisor and Acting Deputy Rule of Law Coordinator in the 

Office of the Rule of Law Coordinator at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq from 2009 to 2010, where she worked as the 

U.S. elections expert overseeing the Iraq national elections (including an extensive election re-count), as well as on numerous 

U.S. and coalition Rule of Law efforts. She was the Rule of Law liaison to the Kurdish Regional Government as well as liaison to 

rule of law advisors at the Provincial Reconstruction Teams. Prior to joining the Department of Justice, Ms. McCormick served 

as a Judicial Clerk to the Honorable Elizabeth A. McClanahan in the Court of Appeals of Virginia from 2003 to 2006. Ms. 

McCormick was an Assistant Attorney General and Assistant to the Solicitor General in the Office of the Attorney General 

of Virginia from 2001 to 2003. She was a member of the U.S. Supreme Court legal teams for Black v. Virginia (defending the 

Commonwealth’s criminal statute against cross-burning) and Hicks v. Virginia (defending a 1st amendment challenge to a state 

trespassing policy), as well as in cases on appeal to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. She was a Judicial Law Clerk in Virginia’s 

Seventh Judicial Circuit Court from 1999 to 2001. Ms. McCormick received her B.A. from the University of Buffalo, a J.D. with 

honors from the George Mason University School of Law (now Antonin Scalia Law School), and also attended the William & 

Mary School of Law.

EAC AND PEPPERDINE LEADERSHIP

5 HAVA AT 20: BUILDING TRUST IN ELECTIONS #HAVA20
Pete Peterson is the dean of Pepperdine’s School of public policy, and a leading national speaker and writer on issues related to civic 

participation, and the use of technology to make government more responsive and transparent. He was the first executive director of 

the Davenport Institute for Public Engagement at the School. In 2008, he developed the organization’s annual Public Engagement 

Grant Program, which has provided over $400,000.00 in grants over the last several years to dozens of municipal governments 

across California. Peterson has also consulted on several of these projects with local governments and has directly facilitated public 

meetings. Peterson has co-created and currently co-facilitates the training seminar, “Public Engagement: The Vital Leadership Skill 

in Difficult Times” a program that has been attended by over 1,000 municipal officials, and he also co-created and co-facilitates 

the seminar, “Gov 2.0: What Public Officials Need to Know.” Pete has been a public affairs fellow at The Hoover Institution, and he 

serves on the Leadership Councils of the Public Policy Institute of California and California Forward, and on the steering committee 

at the Institute for Local Government. Peterson was the Republican candidate for California Secretary of State in 2014.

Pete Peterson Dean, Pepperdine University School of Public Polic

Commissioner Donald Palmer U.S. Election Assistance Commission

Donald Palmer was nominated by President Donald J. Trump and confirmed by unanimous consent of the United States Senate on 

January 2, 2019 to serve as a United States Election Assistance Commission (EAC) Commissioner. Mr. Palmer currently serves 

as the Designated Federal Officer (DFO) of the EAC’s Standards Board. Mr. Palmer is a former Bipartisan Policy Center Fellow 

where he advanced the recommendations of the Presidential Commission on Election Administration. Mr. Palmer is a former 

Secretary of the Virginia State Board of Elections and served as the Commonwealth’s Chief Election Official from 2011 to 2014. 

During his tenure, he implemented an online voter registration system and program to review the security and usability of voting 

systems and electronic poll books. He also served as Florida’s Director of Elections where he successfully transitioned the state 

from electronic voting machines to paper-based digital voting machines prior to the 2008 presidential election and expanded the 

Florida voting system state certification program. Prior to his work in election administration, he served as a trial attorney with the 

Voting Section in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, where he enforced the nation’s federal voting laws. Palmer 

is a military veteran, retiring from the U.S. Navy after two decades as an intelligence officer and judge advocate general. Mr. Palmer 

earned his J.D. at the Stetson University College of Law and his master’s degree at George Washington University.

Commissioner Ben Hovland U.S. Election Assistance Commission

Benjamin Hovland was confirmed by unanimous consent of the United States Senate on January 2, 2019 to serve on the U.S. 

Election Assistance Commission. Mr. Hovland currently serves as the Designated Federal Officer (DFO) for the Board of Advisors. 

In 2020, Commissioner Hovland served as EAC Chairman and helped lead the agency during an election year with unprecedented 

challenges. Under his leadership, the EAC administered nearly $825 million in federal grant money to help election officials 

respond to the pandemic and enhance election security. In addition to distributing critical funding, the EAC strategically pivoted 

resources to help election officials as they confronted obstacles and made difficult decisions of how to best run their elections. As 

EAC Chairman, Mr. Hovland also served as Co-Chair of Election Infrastructure Subsector’s Government Coordinating Council 

and Chair of the Joint Subsector COVID-19 Working Group to coordinate pandemic response amongst state and local election 

officials, federal partners, and the private sector. Other innovations under his leadership included the first-ever National Poll Worker 

Recruitment Day, which led national recruitment efforts to alleviate concerns about a significant shortage in poll workers due to 

the pandemic. During Commissioner Hovland’s tenure as Chairman, the EAC also adopted a new version of the Voluntary Voting 

System Guidelines (VVSG). Known as VVSG 2.0, this represents the first major overhaul of the standards in 15 years and a major 

leap forward for future election systems. Mr. Hovland’s career in elections spans over 20 years and includes service as Acting Chief 

Counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, where he was a driving force behind Congress appropriating 

$380 million in Help America Vote Act (HAVA) funds to enhance election security to the states in 2018. While at the Senate, he 

focused on the federal government’s role in election administration and campaign finance regulation. He organized several hearings 

on election security preparations and improving election administration. He was integral to pushing for the restoration of a quorum 

at the EAC in 2015. Earlier in his career, as the Deputy General Counsel for the Missouri Secretary of State’s office, he focused on 

legal issues related to the administration of state and federal elections, including recounts, poll worker training, voter registration list 

maintenance, statewide database matching, voter education resources and ballot initiative litigation.

EAC AND PEPPERDINE LEADERSHIP

6
 11:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. Welcome and Lunch Keynote 

ABOUT THE PANELS

Chairman Thomas Hicks U.S. Election Assistance Commission

Pete Peterson Dean, Pepperdine University School of Public Policy

An increase in mis- and disinformation, as well as unfounded allegations of election irregularities, has increased public distrust in election 

administration. This panel will discuss some of the data identifying trends for this issue and ways to address these challenges and 

improve confidence.

PANEL 1 | 12:15 P.M. - 1:30 P.M. Confidence In Elections

MODERATOR

Chairman Thomas Hicks U.S. Election Assistance Commission

J. Andrew Sinclair is an Assistant Professor of Government at Claremont McKenna College, where he earned his undergraduate 

degree in Mathematics and Government. After completing his Ph.D. at Caltech, he taught at the NYU Wagner Graduate School 

of Public Service before returning to CMC, where he currently teaches and serves as a Faculty Advisor for the Rose Institute of 

State and Local Government. His research focuses on political reforms in electoral institutions and public administration. 

Andrew Sinclair Assistant Professor of Government, Claremont McKenna College

7 HAVA AT 20: BUILDING TRUST IN ELECTIONS #HAVA20
ABOUT THE PANELS

PANEL 1 | 12:15 P.M. - 1:30 P.M. Confidence In Elections

Charles Stewart III is the Kenan Sahin Distinguished Professor of Political Science at MIT, where he has taught since 1985, and a 

Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His research and teaching areas include congressional politics, elections, 

and American political development.

Since 2001, Professor Stewart has been a member of the Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project, a leading research effort that 

applies scientific analysis to questions about election technology, election administration, and election reform. He is currently the 

MIT director of the project. Professor Stewart is an established leader in the analysis of the performance of election systems and the 

quantitative assessment of election performance. Working with the Pew Charitable Trusts, he helped with the development of Pew’s 

Elections Performance Index. Professor Stewart also provided advice to the Presidential Commission on Election Administration. 

His research on measuring the performance of elections and polling place operations is funded by Pew, the Democracy Fund, 

and the Hewlett Foundation. He recently published The Measure of American Elections (2014, with Barry C. Burden).

His current research about Congress touches on the historical development of committees, origins of partisan polarization, and 

Senate elections. His recent books of congressional research include Electing the Senate (2014, with Wendy J. Schiller), 

Fighting for the Speakership (2012, with Jeffery A. Jenkins), and Analyzing Congress (2nd ed., 2011).

With the support of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Democracy Fund, and the Joyce Foundation, in 2017 Professor 

Stewart established the MIT Election Data and Science Lab, which applies scientific principles to how elections are studied and 

administered. In 2020, he partnered with Professor Nate Persily of the Stanford Law School to establish the Stanford-MIT 

Healthy Elections Project.

Professor Stewart has been recognized at MIT for his undergraduate teaching, being named to the second class of MacVicar Fellows 

in 1994, awarded the Baker Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, and the recipient of the Class of 1960 Fellowship. 

From 1992 to 2015, he served as Head of House of McCormick Hall, along with his spouse, Kathryn M. Hess.

Mitchell Brown, Ph.D., is the Curtis O. Liles III Professor of Political Science at Auburn University and is a founding editor of the 

Journal of Election Administration Research & Practice. Her work as a researcher, evaluator, trainer and consultant focuses on 

applied projects around the country centering on election administration and community-based problem solving. She serves on the 

board of directors of the National Association of Election Officials (the Election Center) and has also held board and leadership 

positions at the university, in state government, and in non-profit organizations. 

Charles Stewart III Founding Director, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Election Data 

and Science Lab

Mitchell Brown, PH.D. Professor, Political Science, Auburn University

8 HAVA AT 20: BUILDING TRUST IN ELECTIONS #HAVA20
ABOUT THE PANELS

Technology has transformed American elections over the past 20 years. The panel will discuss the role of modern election officials 

as Information Technology (IT) managers, which requires a unique set of attitudes, knowledge, and skills to plan, direct, and control 

contemporary election administration. The panel will also discuss the increased coordination between government and private sector 

partners to keep elections secure and how election officials are handling the physical and cyber threats made to election officials and 

election infrastructure.

MODERATOR

Vice Chair Christy McCormick U.S. Election Assistance Commission

Dan S. Wallach is a Professor in the Departments of Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering and a Rice 

Scholar at the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University. His research considers a variety of topics in computer security, 

including electronic voting systems security, where he served as the director of an NSF-funded multi-institution research center, 

ACCURATE (A Center for Correct, Usable, Reliable, Auditable, and Transparent Elections), from 2005-2011. He has also served 

as a member of the Air Force Science Advisory Board (2011-2015) and the USENIX Association Board of Directors (2011-2013).

Wallach earned his M.A. (1995) and PhD (1999) from Princeton University, advised by Profs. Edward Felten and Andrew Appel. 

He earned his B.S. EE/CS from the University of California, at Berkeley (1993).

Dan Wallach Professor, Rice University and Rice Scholar at Baker Institute

PANEL 2 | 1:30 P.M. - 2:45 P.M. Security And Technology In Elections

Traci Mapps is an experienced executive-level leader of test labs and test operations. Her career encompasses more than 14 years of 

experience in the voting industry managing voting system test teams and over 20 years managing multimillion-dollar test facilities. 

As Vice President of SLI Compliance, a division of GLI LLC, Traci manages all day-to-day operations of the Voting System Test 

Laboratory (VSTL) which is accredited by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) as well as NIST/NVLAP (NVLAP Lab 

Code 200733-0 TESTING: ISO/IEC 17025), and is ISO 9001 certified. Traci also oversees SLI Compliance’s ONC Authorized 

Test Lab (ONC-ATL) and Authorized Certification Body (ONC-ACB), which provide Health IT test and certification services. 

SLI Compliance’s ATL and ACB are authorized by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of the National 

Coordinator (ONC), accredited by NIST/NVLAP to ISO/IEC 17025 (ATL, NVLAP Lab Code 200733-0 TESTING) and by 

ANAB to ISO/IEC 17065 (ACB), as well as ISO 9001 certified.

Traci is respected throughout the election and voting system testing/certification community. She was the primary architect of SLI 

Compliance’s Advanced Voting System Test Protocol, which represents a modernized test approach for election system certification 

testing. For her efforts, Traci was recognized by the EAC as contributing to the advancement of the testing program under EAC 

auspices. She has managed dozens of voting system certification test projects under the EAC Test and Certification Program. In 

addition, she has managed test engagements for international and state governments using technology that ranged from Electronic 

Pollbooks (EPB), to end-to-end voting systems, to Internet-based systems. 

Traci is a Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), Certified Software Quality Engineer (CSQE), and ISTQB Certified Tester, 

Foundation Level (CTFL). 

Traci Mapps Vice President, SLI Compliance 

9 HAVA AT 20: BUILDING TRUST IN ELECTIONS #HAVA20
ABOUT THE PANELS

Mona Harrington serves as the (Acting) Assistant Director for National Risk Management Center (NRMC) at the Cybersecurity 

and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). In this role, she oversees the Center’s efforts to facilitate a strategic, cross-sector 

risk management approach to cyber and physical threats to critical infrastructure. She identifies opportunities for collaboration 

with public-private partners to mitigate cyber and physical risk to National Critical Functions—those functions of the government 

and private sector are so vital to the United States that any disruption, corruption, or dysfunction would have a debilitating effect 

on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination thereof. She also oversees efforts to 

facilitate a strategic, cross-sector risk management approach to cyber and physical threats to critical infrastructure.

Mona Harrington is an accomplished executive with 20 years of experience serving in the federal government in a variety 

of executive roles requiring the direction of multi-million-dollar budgets. Her expertise spans cybersecurity, strategy, risk 

management, securing critical infrastructure, human capital, operations, and the implementation of best practices in critical 

infrastructure environments.

Mona assumed the Acting Executive Director role at the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) in October of 2019. Then in 

June of 2020, she was unanimously appointed to serve as the Executive Director. During this time, Mona strategically reorganized 

the EAC and directed a significant hiring initiative to recruit talent and fill numerous key personnel positions. In addition, she 

directed the distribution of more than $425 million in security grant funds and $400 million in CARES Act funds to the 

states. Mona assembled a new cyber team to assist EAC stakeholders leading up to the 2020 election. She established a new 

clearinghouse team consisting of several election subject matter experts to mitigate risk by providing best practices to election 

officials. Mona directed an immediate response to COVID-19, providing online resources to election officials as they prepared 

to administer elections during the pandemic. Mona can be credited with advancing the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines 2.0 

(VVSG 2.0) to completion in 2021.

Prior to her Acting Executive Director role, Mona also served as the Chief Information and Security Officer at the EAC beginning 

in 2018. While in that role, she was credited with modernizing the network and improving the EAC security posture of IT systems 

and infrastructure, as well as coordinating and leading multiple parallel initiatives to modernize and secure systems.

Prior to the EAC, from 2009 to 2018, she served in senior leadership roles in the judiciary as an Information Security Officer, 

the Director of Information Technology, and as Chief Deputy Clerk II. She was responsible for safeguarding intellectual property 

including, patent and trademark case data. From 2002 to 2009 Mona served in leadership numerous roles including as a Project 

Manager, Supervisor of Computer Specialists, and as Assistant Circuit Executive for Operations.

Mona received a B.S. in Administration of Justice from George Mason University and a Master of Science from the College 

of Applied Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology with a concentration in Cyber and CBRN. She also obtained a Senior 

Managers in Government, Executive Certificate from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Mona Harrington Acting Assistant Director for National Risk Management Center (NRMC), 

DHS CISA Institute

PANEL 2 | 1:30 P.M. - 2:45 P.M. Security And Technology In Elections

10 HAVA AT 20: BUILDING TRUST IN ELECTIONS #HAVA20
ABOUT THE PANELS

HAVA attempted to address the issues of election funding and resources in addition to ways to improve elections for federal office 

through the establishment of federal grant funding and a federal election administration clearinghouse. These remain relevant issues in 

current election administration practice. This panel will discuss election funding through HAVA and the impact of HAVA grants to support 

elections during critical moments of election administration over the last 20 years. The panel will also address the importance of exchanging 

information on election practices and procedures and what additional challenges lie ahead.

MODERATOR

Commissioner Ben Hovland U.S. Election Assistance Commission

Joel Watson Louisiana’s Deputy Secretary of State for Outreach Services

Joel Watson, Jr. is Louisiana’s Deputy Secretary of State for Outreach Services. A native of Houma, Louisiana and a resident of 

Baton Rouge, he has worked for the Department of State under Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin since January, 2019.

Previously, Mr. Watson served as a Regional Field Coordinator for the Leadership Institute in Arlington, Virginia and an Account 

Manager at LR3 Consulting in Baton Rouge. As Deputy Secretary for Outreach, he is tasked with building an awareness of the 

election process, motivating and educating the public about the importance of voting, developing a voter education program, and 

acting as liaison between the Department and Louisiana’s congressional delegation and federal partners.

Mr. Watson currently serves as a youth group leader at the Gonzales Church of Christ in Gonzales, Louisiana.

PANEL 3 | 3:00 P.M. - 4:15 P.M. Current Issues In Election Administration 

 (Clearinghouse/Hava Grants)

11 HAVA AT 20: BUILDING TRUST IN ELECTIONS #HAVA20
ABOUT THE PANELS

Susan Lapsley serves as Deputy Secretary of State, HAVA Director and Counsel for Secretary of State Dr. Shirley N. Weber. 

Ms. Lapsley’s responsibilities include voting technology review, testing, and certification in California, implementation and 

oversight of the statewide voter registration database, coordination of election cybersecurity for the Office of the Secretary 

of State, and implementation of the federal Help America Vote Act, which includes the management of over $400 million in 

federal funds. Ms. Lapsley earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Santa Clara University, School of Law.

Matthew Weil is director of BPC’s Elections Project. Prior to joining BPC in February 2013, he worked at the Department of 

the Treasury on domestic finance issues in the office of public affairs. Previously, he served as a research and policy analyst at 

the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, working on National Voter Registration Act regulations, drafting congressionallymandated reports, and directing the Election Management Guidelines program. He also served as a staff member on the AEIBrookings Election Reform Project. Weil graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a M.S. in government analytics. He 

earned a B.A. in philosophy, politics, and economics from the University of Pennsylvania in 2005.

Susan Lapsley California Deputy Secretary of State, HAVA Director and Counsel 

Matthew Weil Executive Director of the Democracy Program, Bipartisan Policy Center

PANEL 3 | 3:00 P.M. - 4:15 P.M. Current Issues In Election Administration 

 (Clearinghouse/Hava Grants)

12 HAVA AT 20: BUILDING TRUST IN ELECTIONS #HAVA20
ABOUT THE PANELS

HAVA was passed in response to the election crisis of 2000 - five years before the iPhone was invented. Much has changed with 

technology and election administration since then. This panel will address how HAVA is still relevant and how elections will evolve in the 

future and what can be done to continue to inspire confidence in our elections.

PANEL 4 | 4:15 P.M. - 5:30 P.M. Future Of Elections - HAVA 20 Years From Now

MODERATOR

Commissioner Donald Palmer U.S. Election Assistance Commission

Deak Kersey is General Counsel and Deputy Secretary of State for the Office of the West Virginia Secretary of State. Deak 

joined the office in January 2017 and has previously served as Deputy General Counsel and the state’s Elections Director. As the 

Elections Director, Deak oversaw the state’s transition into the modern age of election administration following the Department 

of Homeland Security’s critical infrastructure designation for elections infrastructure in 2017. In addition to upgrades to the state’s 

voter registration and campaign finance reporting systems, Deak oversaw the nation’s first federal implementation and use of 

an accessible electronic absentee ballot marking and return transmission system for UOCAVA voters during the 2018 midterm 

elections. In 2019, Deak successfully shepherded legislation into law that allows voters with physical disabilities to receive, mark, 

and return an absentee ballot securely and independently using technology prescribed by the state. For the 2022 election cycle, 

Deak worked closely with federal cyber security requirements experts to develop electronic ballot delivery technology standards 

and controls. Deak has also served as Chair of the West Virginia Help America Vote Act (HAVA) Grant Board, which is responsible 

for administering federal HAVA grant monies. During his tenure more than $6.5 million was leveraged to 41 of 55 counties for 

upgrading ADA-compliant voting machines and fortifying physical and cyber security for election equipment and systems.

Deak Kersey General Counsel, Deputy Secretary of State, West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office

For more than 20 years (1994-2015) served as Executive Director of The Election Center. After Election 2000, he asked 

Congress to create a separate agency at the Federal level for election administration which resulted in the U.S. Election Assistance 

Commission. Doug appeared on CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC (including Today Show) and was a regular on C-SPAN, representing the 

nation’s elections administrators.

During his elections career, he was referred to as the voice of election administration in America. Washington Post national 

columnist David Broder called him the most knowledgeable person in America for election administration issues. During his service, 

a national professional certification for election and voter registration officials was developed and afterwards a national Code of 

Ethics for the election profession, one of the most unique professional codes in America. The Certified Election Registration 

Administrator (CERA) is the highest professional achievement for the nation’s election administrators. 

He concurrently served as Executive Director of the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED) for many years. 

He served as the first Chairman of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s Advisory Board and served as a member of that 

body until his retirement. He was asked to testify to Congress and state legislatures on a regular basis. He is a national speaker on 

government issues to state and local government groups. He is in the National Elections Hall of Fame and has also received the 

similar award from NASED for their Distinguished Service Award. 

His work on legislative issues for election administration was respected by the leaders of both political parties in Congress. 

He received bipartisan awards from Congressional leaders and U.S. Presidents of both political parties upon retirement.

Doug Lewis Former Executive Director, The Election Center

13 HAVA AT 20: BUILDING TRUST IN ELECTIONS #HAVA20
ABOUT THE PANELS

PANEL 4 | 4:15 P.M. - 5:30 P.M. Future Of Elections - HAVA 20 Years From Now

Dean Logan is the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk for Los Angeles County, California --the nation’s largest, most diverse 

local election jurisdiction serving more than 5.8million registered voters. In addition to election administration, his office records 

real property documents; maintains vital records; performs civil marriage ceremonies; and processes business filings serving an 

estimated 3,500 customers daily. Mr. Logan holds degrees in Organizational Leadership from Azusa Pacific University and a 

Master of Public Administration from the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington. He is a 

past-President and Board Member of the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials (CACEO) and a member of the 

Board of Directors for the National Election Center. Mr. Logan sits on Advisory Boards for the MIT Election Data and Science Lab, 

Auburn University’s Graduate Certificate in Election Administration, University of California Riverside’s Design Thinking Executive 

Program, and the California State University, Northridge Master of Public Administration Program where he teaches courses on 

Organizational Leadership, Public Sector Management, Strategic Management, and Intergovernmental Relations.

Mindy Romero is the founder and director of the Center for Inclusive Democracy (CID), formerly known as the California Civic 

Engagement Project, which is part of the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy and is based in Sacramento, California. Romero 

is a political sociologist and holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of California, Davis. Her research focuses on political 

behavior and race/ethnicity, and seeks to explain patterns of voting and political underrepresentation, particularly among youth and 

communities of color in California and the U.S.

Romero has been invited to speak about civic engagement and political rights in numerous venues, testifying before the National 

Commission on Voting Rights and the California Legislature, among others. Her research has been cited in major news outlets, 

including The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Sacramento Bee, Politico and the Huffington Post. She has 

also been a frequent guest on National Public Radio, Capital Public Radio, and several other NPR-affiliated stations in California. 

She is a regular op-ed contributor to the Sacramento Bee and CalMatters. In 2018, the McClatchy News named Romero a 

“California Influencer”, one of a group of sixty thought leaders in the state.

Romero works with a wide array of policymakers, elected officials, voter education groups and community advocates to strengthen 

political participation and representation. She is currently an adjunct fellow of the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) 

and former member of their Statewide Survey Advisory Committee. Romero is a member of the California Secretary of State’s 

Taskforce on the Voter’s Choice Act. She is the former Chair of Mutual Housing California and former Vice-Chair of the Social 

Services Commission for the City of Davis. 

Dean Logan Clerk/Recorder & Registrar of Voters, Los Angeles County, California 

Mindy Romero, Ph.D. Founder and Director, Center for Inclusive Democracy (CID)

at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy

14 HAVA AT 20: BUILDING TRUST IN ELECTIONS #HAVA20