States United Democracy Center Announces Four New Members of Bipartisan Advisory Board
The States United Democracy Center is pleased to announce that Karen Brinson Bell, Vanita Gupta, Chief Tom Manger, and Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor have joined its Bipartisan Advisory Board. The four new members bring extensive experience in election administration, civil rights, law enforcement, and the rule of law Together, they add deep expertise and diverse perspectives to States United’s work to uphold democracy, protect the rule of law, safeguard elections, and support state and local leaders.
Karen Brinson Bell, a longtime election administrator and former executive director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, brings extensive experience overseeing elections and strengthening election security. As North Carolina’s chief state elections official from 2019 to 2025, she led the administration of elections across the state’s 100 counties, including during periods of severe weather and states of emergency. She also served in national election security and election administration leadership roles, including on the Election Infrastructure Subsector Government Coordinating Council.
Vanita Gupta runs the Center for Law and Public Trust at NYU Law, where she also teaches. The center works to build trust in public institutions by making them more effective, responsive, and accountable. As former U.S. Associate Attorney General and former head of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, she brings decades of experience protecting civil and voting rights in government and nonprofit organizations. As Associate Attorney General from 2021 to 2024, she oversaw the Department’s civil litigating divisions and several major components focused on justice and public safety. Previously, she led the Civil Rights Division from 2014 to 2017, overseeing enforcement efforts involving voting rights, constitutional policing, and other civil rights protections. She also previously served as president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and held leadership positions at the American Civil Liberties Union and NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
Chief Tom Manger, former chief of the United States Capitol Police and former police chief of Montgomery County, Maryland, and Fairfax County, Virginia, brings more than four decades of law enforcement experience. Manger served as chief of the U.S. Capitol Police from 2021 to 2025 after more than two decades leading two of the largest police departments in the National Capital Region. His career has included extensive work on public safety, regional law enforcement coordination, community policing, and protecting public institutions.
Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor, retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio, brings four decades of experience in public service and the judiciary. The first woman to lead Ohio’s judicial branch, O’Connor served on the Ohio Supreme Court from 2003 through 2022, including as chief justice from 2011 to 2022. Throughout her career, she has emphasized the importance of an independent judiciary, public trust in the courts, and the rule of law. As chief justice, she led efforts to strengthen Ohio’s judicial system, expand access to justice, and improve public confidence in the courts.
The Bipartisan Advisory Board is comprised of former state and federal officials, issue experts, and law enforcement leaders who are committed to protecting the will of the people, upholding the rule of law, and ensuring that states have the tools and support they need to protect democracy.
The full Bipartisan Advisory Board is listed here.
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About the States United Democracy Center
States United is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the rule of law and free, fair, secure elections. We provide direct support to state officials and law enforcement leaders as they uphold the law and our system of checks and balances, protect public safety, defend elections, and preserve our democracy. For more information, visit statesunited.org.