Mari Faines

Manager of External Affairs and Coalitions

Mari Faines is the Manager of External Affairs and Coalitions at Democracy Forward.

Mari joins Democracy forward after serving as an Advisor for Strategy and Communications at the U.S. Department of State. Where she worked in the Office of the AUKUS senior Advisor on strategic communications, diverse stakeholder engagement, and congressional strategy.

Prior to joining the State Department she served as Partner for Mobilization at Global Zero; and Director of Communications and Outreach at Physicians for Social Responsibility. In both roles, she focused on the intersection of nuclear non-proliferation policy and social justice impacts. Prior to these roles, Mari served for five years at TransPerfect, a global solutions firm, where she held Project Manager; Team Lead positions in New York and London respectively.

Mari has written for multiple publications and is a former podcast host. She maintains her foundation in nuclear non-proliferation, conflict resolution, social and transitional justice, and intersectionality through volunteering for multiple advocacy organizations.

She has received honors for her work including being named to the 2022 CSIS/Diversity in National Security Network U.S. National Security & Foreign Affairs Leadership List.

She holds a Master of Science (MSc) in the Politics of Conflict, Rights, and Justice from SOAS University of London, and Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Peace and Conflict Studies & English from Colgate University.