The Democracy Group Podcast Fellowship

Meet OUR Fellows

Fredrick Okagua

Graduate

New York

Fredrick Okagua is a legal professional, researcher, and advocate with an academic background in law and international legal studies. He has participated in international moot court competitions, including representing Nigeria at the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. His interests span law, democracy, leadership, youth development, and social impact. Through podcasting, Fredrick is excited to explore meaningful conversations, amplify diverse perspectives, and engage audiences on issues that shape society and democratic participation.

Charlie Johnston

High School

Washington

Charlie is a high school junior from Bellevue, WA, who is interested in history and political science and has experience working in local, state and federal government systems, including for the Youth Advisory Council and reelection campaign for Congressman Adam Smith. He is learning more about campaign operations during the 2026 midterm elections through the High School Democrats of America New Wave Fellowship. Charlie is excited to learn from The Democracy Group Podcast Fellowship and sees podcasting as a fun way to engage young people in politics and also to develop a platform to amplify their perspectives. Charlie knows many young people feel especially disconnected from politics, but he wants to empower them to become involved and recognize the importance of their ideas and opinions.

Sara Bettinger

Undergraduate

Massachusetts

Sara Bettinger is majoring in international relations and minoring in political science. She wants to host a podcast where liberal and conservative voices engage in dialogue. She believes that dialogue is important to democracy. She is grateful for the opportunity given to her by the Democracy Group.

Kayla Hill

Undergraduate

Washington D.C.

Kayla Hill is a first-year Public Policy student at Georgetown University studying how technology is reshaping democracy. Her efforts span voting access, civic education, and the growing influence of artificial intelligence on public life. She sees journalism as the bridge between policy and the people it affects, a way to make complex questions about emerging technology understandable and to center perspectives too often left out of the conversation. Her perspective is grounded in a hands-on, grassroots approach: originally from New Jersey, Kayla has worked with local and state governments to advocate for policies that help young people build civic skills, and has led initiatives in support of U.S. foreign aid programs. Through The Democracy Group Podcast Fellowship, Kayla is excited to use audio storytelling to explore how technology is changing the way young people understand, participate in, and ultimately build upon democracy today.

Andrew Sweet

High School

California

Andrew Sweet is a high school senior and broadcast journalist from Pasadena, California. His media involvement started with the creation of a podcast. He is a licensed podcast producer and is pursuing an internship reporting on Pasadena City Council for Colorado Boulevard News. Andrew's passions surround disaster journalism and its reflections on historic segregation as it pertains to his own community. Andrew looks forward to refining his podcast skills and understanding how grabbing a microphone can be the first step to amplifying student voice.

Kenny Backes

Undergraduate

Florida

Kenny Backes is a third-year undergraduate student studying political science at the University of Central Florida. He enjoys reading, singing, playing guitar, and playing video games, particularly Rainbow Six Siege. Academically, he is passionate about politics, law, national security, and international affairs, and he is especially interested in engaging in discussions centered on these subjects. Kenny believes that initiatives such as podcast fellowships play a vital role in fostering non-partisan civil service in the United States. He emphasizes the importance of having committed, skilled experts who are motivated not by partisan ambitions, but by a sense of national loyalty, as a cornerstone of a healthy government. In an era dominated by the attention economy, he recognizes that nuanced perspectives are often overshadowed, even though many of the challenges facing government require open-minded and thoughtful discourse. He notes that this lack of nuance contributes to a decline in civic participation. To help reverse this trend and reinvigorate civic engagement in America, Kenny advocates for adapting modern media strategies to amplify substantive and balanced conversations. He views participation in this fellowship as an important opportunity to contribute to that effort and support a more informed and engaged public.

Darsh Desai

High School

Michigan

Darsh Desai is a high school junior at International Academy East in Michigan who is interested in business, economics, finance, and civic engagement. He enjoys learning about different perspectives and having conversations about topics that affect people and their communities. Through programs like TurnUp, he has become more interested in civic engagement and finding ways for young people to get involved. He is excited to explore podcasting through The Democracy Group Fellowship and learn how to research topics, interview people, and create conversations that others can learn from.

Scarlett Huang

High School

California

Scarlett Huang is a senior from California's Bay Area who is hoping to pursue a career in political journalism. She likes sitting down with classmates, neighbors, and coworkers and talking about their stories, peering into the core of what makes democracy human. Beyond the journalism she works with for school papers and local news, she is an advocate for youth civic engagement and educational reform, working with local educational boards to implement an inclusive curriculum. Through the Democracy Podcasting Fellowship, Scarlett hopes to pick up a perspective of interviewing that allows her to find the global view in every conversation, considering the nation and the world in a way that speaks up for voices that aren't typically heard.

your learning guides

Jenna Spinelle

The Democracy Group | Democracy Works

Founder, Communications Specialist

Brandon Stover

The Democracy Group

Network Manager, Digital Content Specialist

with support from some of the best hosts in the space

Corinna Bellizzi

Care More Be Better

Social & Environmental Activist, Host

Lindsey Cormack

Government That Doesn’t Suck

Educator, Political Scientist, Author, Host

Jamil Simon

Making Peace Visible

Host, Director

David Beckemeyer

Outrage Overload

Host

Dave Martin

Good Government Show

Host and Producer

Ahmed Bouzid

True Representation Movement

Host, Organizer, Writer, Technologist

Alex Lovit

The Context

Host, Senior Program Officer and Historian

Stephanie Gerber Wilson

Freedom Over Fascism

Host, Founder and CEO

Nancy Bynum

New Faces of Democracy

Host

Ryan Coonerty

An Honorable Profession

Host, American Politician

Debbie Cox Bultan

An Honorable Profession

Host, CEO

Liz Joyner

Village SquareCast

Host, Founder

Michael Baranowski

The Politics Guys

Host

Chris Hughes

RCV Clips

Senior Director of Policy and General Counsel

Maren Machles

Bad Watchdog

Host; Investigative Producer

Corey Nathan

Talkin’ Politics & Religion Without Killin’ Each Other

Host; Executive Producer

Simone Leeper

Democracy Decoded

Host; Legal Counsel, Redistricting

Nathaniel Pearlman

The Great Battlefield

Democracy Entrepreneur

Kamy Akhavan

Let's Find Common Ground

Executive Director

Mike Murphy

Let's Find Common Ground

Co-Host; Co-Director

Bob Shrum

Let's Find Common Ground

Co-host, Director, Chair in Practical Politics

Richard Davies

How Do We Fix It?

Host; Solutions journalist

James Wallner

Politics in Question

Resident Senior Fellow, Governance, R Street

Lee Drutman

Politics in Question

Co-Host, Senior Fellow

Mila Atmos

Future Hindsight

Host, Executive Producer

Christopher Beem

Democracy Works

McCourtney Institute For Democracy Managing Director

Michael Berkman

Democracy Works

McCourtney Institute For Democracy Director

and leading organizations in democracy & podcasting

fellowship curriculm

Week 1: How To Save Democracy

Podcasting to Save Democracy

Learn how podcasting and media can help to fix our democracy from experts in the TDG network including journalists, media specialists, indie producers, and academics.

Democracy Dangers

Learning the issues and understanding the problems our democracy faces and what it needs.

Democracy & Systems Thinking

Learn to critically think about the issues, understanding the multiple complex systems that affect them. Learn how to take the perspectives of the stakeholders in these systems, in order to articulate their concerns to the public in your podcasts.

Week 2: Finding Your Niche, Topic & Voice

Finding Your Niche & Understanding Your Audience

Learn how to find your niche and explicit topics you would like to focus your podcast on. Learn the power of serving an audience by giving voice to underrepresented communities and niches. Learn how to research audiences and discover their needs, as well as how to expose your audiences to ideas that challenge them.

Developing Your Voice & Brand

Learn how to be thought leaders, developing your brand through articulating issues in democracy through spoken word. Learn how to present arguments that are informed, engaging, and entertaining for your audience.

Consistent Content Creation

Learn how to curate content ideas in order to keep a consistent publishing schedule.

Week 3: mastering the nuts & bolts of podcasting

Podcast Infrastructure and Recording

Learn how to effectively use your podcasting equipment, set up efficient podcasting systems and workflows with best practices for recording.

Booking World-Class Guests

Learn how to source and reach out to potential guests. Learn how to review a guest’s credibility and understand how the guest’s perspective or expertise can inform the podcast’s audience.

Research 101

Learn how to conduct research in preparation for your guests, how to determine reliable sources, and creating research documents to aid them your interviews.

Interviewing Like a Pro

Gain the skills necessary to structure and conduct engaging interviews. Learn the art of asking questions and creating story arcs to your interviews. You will practice and hone these skills with the leadership of media coaches.

Editing Podcasts

Learn the in’s and outs of the editing process. Learn how to structure and craft engaging podcast episodes in post production.

Week 4: launch, publishing, & marketing

Platforms and Publishing

Discover the podcast platforms and alternative media outlets. Gain an understanding of the media landscape as a whole and its relationship with alternative media.

Creating a Launch Strategy

Create a strategy to get early momentum, marketing, and press for your podcasts. Learn how to create a media event around your launch.

Growth Strategies

Learn growth hacking strategies to get your podcasts out to wider audiences. Learn how to convert those audiences into building your own community.

Community Building

Learn how to foster long lasting relationships among your listeners and bridging the divides that lead to toxic polarization. Learn the importance of getting feedback from your audience, serving their needs, and amplifying their voices on important issues in democracy.

Week 5-6: Podcast Production and Mentoring

Launch Your Podcast!

Create your trailer and first two episodes with the help of a mentor from The Democracy Group and get ready for launch!

Meet OUR PAST Fellows

Shae Himmelberger

Graduate

California

Savannah Patterson-Case

Undergraduate

Florida

Mhambi Musonda

Undergraduate

Washington D.C.

Amelia Callahan

Undergraduate

Florida

Valerie Pastrana

Undergraduate

Florida

Isaac Mederson

Undergraduate

Minnesota

J'Mariana “Dawn” Douglas

Undergraduate

Florida

Joseph Strassman

Graduate

California

Tenzin Jamyang

High School Junior

New York

Aleena Khan

Graduate

Texas

Annalise Huang

High School Junior

California

Dashiell Quinn

High School Junior

New Mexico

Jenny Marquez

High School Junior

California

Claire Baek

High School Junior

Virginia

Sabrina Tomei Gonzalez

High School Senior

Connecticut

Kayla Anderson

Undergraduate

Ohio

Simran Gupta

High School

Georgia

Maggie LeBeau

High School

Illinois

Virginia Jones

Undergraduate

South Carolina

Saanvi Kapu

High School

Michigan

Aprile Kim

Undergraduate

Michigan

Kabod Mauwong

Undergraduate

Pennsylvania

Sean Schrader

Graduate

Florida

Joseph Picarillo

Undergraduate

Pennsylvania

Emma Schulman

Undergraduate

Colorado

Shreya Devaram

High School Senior

New York

Jackson Haugh

Undergraduate

Iowa

Chelsea Nunez-Peralta

Undergraduate

Pennsylvania

Krish Desai

High School Junior

Michigan

Nivea Krishnan

Undergraduate

California

Medhana Kethamreddy

High School Junior

Michigan

David Olshinski

Undergraduate

North Carolina

Jacob Mellander

Undergraduate

North Carolina

Sruthi Pereddy

High School Junior

Michigan

Teya Hisel

Undergraduate

California

featured fellowship articles

January 12, 2026

min read

Episodes from our Fall 2025 Podcast Fellows

We kickstart the year with the exciting release of our fall 2025 fellows' podcasts and their inaugural episodes!

Jessie Nguyen

Read Post

December 2, 2025

min read

Join us at the Fellowship Commencement to celebrate our fall 2025 cohort

You're invited: Celebrate our podcast fellows!

Jessie Nguyen

Read Post

October 20, 2025

min read

Meet our Fall 2025 Podcast Fellows

We're so excited to introduce you to our newest cohort of fellows eager to get to work.

Jessie Nguyen

Read Post

August 11, 2025

min read

📢 Our Fall 2025 Podcast Fellowship application is now open

TDG Podcast Fellowship is back!

Jessie Nguyen

Read Post

January 8, 2025

min read

Episodes from our Fall 2024 Podcast Fellows

Hear Gen Z's perspective on democracy.

Read Post

September 30, 2024

min read

Introducing our Fall 2024 Podcast Fellowship Cohort

We welcome five students from around the country who are all about storytelling, civic engagement, and, most importantly, creating their own podcasts! These Gen Z leaders are ready to get to work!

Read Post

June 10, 2024

min read

The first episodes from our 2024 Podcast Fellows ✨

We are extremely thrilled and proud to announce the release of the fellows' podcasts and their inaugural episodes. Hear their perspectives on criminal justice, international relations, gerrymandering, and more.

Jessie Nguyen

Read Post

March 12, 2024

min read

Meet our spring 2024 podcast fellows

Join us in extending the warmest welcome to the newest cohort of fellows from The Democracy Group Podcast Fellowship!

Jessie Nguyen

Read Post

January 22, 2024

min read

📢 New Podcasts Alert: Episodes from our 2023 Podcast Fellows

A new year means new episodes!

Jessie Nguyen

Read Post

January 17, 2024

min read

Meet our 2023 student podcast fellows

The Democracy Group's podcast fellowship program is in full swing! Here’s a glimpse at what our 2023 fellows were working on during their fellowship.

Jessie Nguyen

Read Post

sTART A PODCAST and become a leading voice in democracy IN 6 WEEKS

FAST FACTS

Application

Eligibility

Timeline

Program

Meet OUR Fellows

Fredrick Okagua

Graduate

New York

Charlie Johnston

High School

Washington

Sara Bettinger

Undergraduate

Massachusetts

Kayla Hill

Undergraduate

Washington D.C.

Andrew Sweet

High School

California

Kenny Backes

Undergraduate

Florida

Darsh Desai

High School

Michigan

Scarlett Huang

High School

California

YOU COULD CREATe PODCASTS JUST LIKE THESE!

what to expect

launch a podcast

DEVELOP YOUR VOICE

GROW AN AUDIENCE OF CHANGEMAKERS

ENGAGE DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES

Here's what you'll get

Specialized training

LIVE WORKSHOPS

Mentor matching

Fellow community

launch support

EQUIPMENT

your learning guides

Jenna Spinelle

The Democracy Group | Democracy Works

Founder, Communications Specialist

Brandon Stover

The Democracy Group

Network Manager, Digital Content Specialist

with support from some of the best hosts in the space

Corinna Bellizzi

Care More Be Better

Social & Environmental Activist, Host

Lindsey Cormack

Government That Doesn’t Suck

Educator, Political Scientist, Author, Host

Jamil Simon

Making Peace Visible

Host, Director

David Beckemeyer

Outrage Overload

Host

Dave Martin

Good Government Show

Host and Producer

Ahmed Bouzid

True Representation Movement

Host, Organizer, Writer, Technologist

Alex Lovit

The Context

Host, Senior Program Officer and Historian

Stephanie Gerber Wilson

Freedom Over Fascism

Host, Founder and CEO

Nancy Bynum

New Faces of Democracy

Host

Ryan Coonerty