Kyleigh Russ

Director of Democracy Works 250

Kyleigh Russ is the Director of Democracy Works 250 with Democracy Forward. 

Kyleigh joins Democracy Forward from the Federal Office of Personnel Management, where she served as a Senior Advisor to the Acting Director on hiring reform and innovation. Kyleigh Russ brings a wealth of diverse experience in talent innovation at the federal and state levels, talent pipelines cultivation, and collaboration creation across government and nongovernment partners. 

Before joining the federal government, Kyleigh co-founded Govern for America (GFA), a nonprofit created to build the next generation of public servants to establish a more responsive government that better reflects and serves our communities. Her time at GFA and OPM have strengthened in her a core belief: that the strength of our democracy lies in the dedication of those who serve it every day. Civil servants are the backbone of our institutions, and their tireless work is the best way we have to attain a government that keeps its promises and meets the needs of our communities, every day. In joining Democracy Forward, Kyleigh is eager to galvanize the field towards a bold and transformative vision for government and civil service—one that is fully prepared to tackle the challenges of the 21st century and beyond. 

Kyleigh holds an MPA from NYU Wagner and a BA in Government from Harvard University.