SAMAD QURAISHI

Executive Director, CVIA

Samad Keder QURAISHI, Founder & Executive Director of the Centre for Voters Initiative & Action

Samad Quraishi is the Founder and Executive Director at the Centre for Voters Initiative & Action, and also coordinates all international and national programmes for the Centre.

In his role as Director, Samad's area of focus is expanding the global reach of the group to connect with youth. He firmly believes that the pursuit of stability and security is a relentless task that each generation must take into their own hands, and hopes education today allows for empowerment tomorrow.

As the founding Director, Samad gathered five of his close friends to establish what is now the Centre today. As head of the board, he brought on 39 full-time student volunteers and expanded a national advocacy team to over 750 secondary and collegiate students. Samad's commitment to inclusion and engagement has transformed the Centre into an inclusive space for youth leaders to gather and convey dialogue between themselves and leaders in policy.

Samad has led the U.S. legislative initiative for the High School Voter Empowerment Act, pitching the bill himself to government leaders nationwide, establishing the first policy initiative for the Centre. He also has worked on expanding the global reach by establishing connections with U.N. human right mechanisms in New York, Geneva, and Mogadishu to ensure civic education is addressed globally.

Samad is a member of the Centre's Global Advisory Board and the Board of Directors. He led the Centre's efforts to increase international recognition of thematic issues surrounding participation in the public affairs process, the U.S. Congress in his efforts for youth-centred legislation, and built strong connections with global advocates. Samad has received the Ronald Reagan Leadership Award, and has been recognised as a NATO Youth Changemaker at their 2024 summit in Miami, Florida.

Before establishing the Centre, Samad was with the High School Democrats of America as the Virginia Chair. He also served on the State Steering Committee for the Virginia Democratic Party. Prior to that he was a policy director at Voters of Tomorrow, Virginia, advocating for youth empowerment in state politics.