Josh Lerner (he/him) is Co-Executive Director of People Powered, a global hub for participatory democracy. He has over 20 years of experience supporting equitable bottom-up community development around the world. Since 2009 he has served as a nonprofit executive director, building organizational strategy, communications, fundraising, operations, and programming. He approaches this work using the tools of participatory democracy, creating governance systems that enable community members to make the policy and spending decisions that impact their lives. Josh completed a PhD in Politics at the New School for Social Research and is the author of dozens of articles and books on democracy, civic engagement, game design, and philanthropy. He has been a joyous vegan since 1997, and he loves cooking, devouring, and sharing food from around the world.