Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century – Panel Discussion at Fairfield University

In this age of rising authoritarianism, economic inequality, political polarization, climate change, and media disruptions, it may seem that American democracy is unable to respond and adapt to the challenges that threaten its very existence. However, a reinvention of our constitutional democracy remains entirely within reach—and urgently needed. Americans across the political spectrum yearn to believe again in the American story and to feel connected to one another.

As part of the Fairfield Museum’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, join us for a timely and vital conversation exploring practical ways we can build a new, collective commitment to democratic citizenship, using the landmark report “Our Common Purpose: Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century” as a starting point. Click here to read the report.

Panelists include: Stephen Heintz, President and CEO of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Global Commission on Democracy; CT Secretary of State and national voting rights advocate Stephanie Thomas; David McCullough III, founder of the American Exchange Project, an innovative program that builds connections between young Americans from different backgrounds; and Fairfield University’s Aaron Weinstein, PhD, a scholar of the intersection of secular and religious thought in American politics.

Co-presented by Fairfield University Center for Arts & Minds.

Reception to follow.

This program is free and open to the public. RSVP is required.

Optional Donation

Your donation will help support the Fairfield Museum’s exhibitions and programs. Please click here to donate.

Event Details

• The program will take place at the Dolan School of Business Event Hall at Fairfield University, 1073 Benson Rd.
• Parking: There is a lot adjacent to the Dolan School of Business building. Additional parking is available at the Quick Center, which is accessible via a pathway between the two buildings.

About the Speakers

Stephen B. Heintz is president and CEO of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, a private family foundation with an endowment of approximately $1.2 billion that advances social change for a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world. Heintz coined the term “acupuncture philanthropy” to describe his philanthropic approach of leveraging modest financial assets to trigger larger systemic change on critical issues. Heintz, who began his professional life in public service for the state of Connecticut, has devoted his career to strengthening democratic culture and institutions to better serve citizens. Before joining the RBF in 2001, Heintz co-founded and served as president of Dēmos, a public policy organization that works to reduce political and economic inequality and to broaden citizen engagement in American democracy. As co-chair of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences national Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship, he co-authored the report Our Common Purpose: Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century (2020). In addition to his work on the international stage, Heintz is a fellow and board member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development, and the Global Commission on Democracy and Multilateralism convened by Club de Madrid in 2025. He chairs the board of the Quincy Institute and serves on the boards of the International Crisis Group and the Rockefeller Archive Center. He is the recipient of the Council on Foundations 2018 Distinguished Service Award.

David McCullough III is the cofounder and CEO of American Exchange Project, the country’s first domestic intercultural exchange program. In the summer of 2016, McCullough drove 7,100 miles across America to research the effects of poverty on education. He spent two months in three towns that were very different from the Boston suburb he grew up in: Cotulla, Texas, the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, and the Slavic Village of Cleveland, Ohio. The road trip was an immersive lesson in experiential civics that inspired him to found the program in 2019 with PBS NewsHour Economic Correspondent Paul Solman and the late Harvard Business School Professor Robert Glauber. Since then, American Exchange Project has sent more than 2,000 students to nearly 50 states with the mission of creating a more connected America. The organization has been featured in more than 125 media outlets, including the CBS Sunday Morning Show, Fox & Friends, the BBC, the New York Post, the Boston Globe, CNN, and Good Morning America. McCullough has a BA in American Studies from Yale and an MPhil in Economic and Social History from the University of Cambridge. In 2022, he was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in Education. He lives in Boston.

Stephanie Thomas was sworn in as Connecticut’s 75th Secretary of the State on January 4, 2023, making history as the first Black person elected to the office. She leads one of Connecticut’s oldest constitutional offices — established in 1639 — and one of its most wide-ranging, where she is responsible for overseeing elections, managing the state’s official business registry, and serving as the official state record keeper. Under her leadership, Connecticut has established an even stronger foundation as a state that runs transparent, bipartisan elections grounded in public trust. Her leadership has also elevated her voice on the national stage. She serves on the Executive Board of the National Association of Secretaries of State and has been a leading voice in national conversations on election administration, cybersecurity, and the role of local election officials in safeguarding the voting process. Known for her collaborative, nonpartisan approach, Secretary Thomas works closely with Connecticut’s 169 municipalities — where bipartisan local officials administer elections — to ensure consistency, security, and accountability across the state. She has emphasized training, real-time support, and strong state-local partnerships as the foundation of a resilient election system, while also championing civic education as essential to sustaining public trust. A defining priority of her tenure as Secretary has been to expand civic engagement beyond Election Day, which has resulted in the launch of innovative initiatives like the Civically Engaged Organization (CEO) business ambassador program, The Power of Civics online learning platform , and NextGen Elections program to train college students as poll workers. Through community conversations, public events, and statewide outreach designed to foster dialogue between the public and government, she has focused on meeting people where they are to build trust, increase understanding, and encourage year-round participation in civic life. Prior to her election as Secretary of the State, Secretary Thomas built a more than 30-year career as a nonprofit advisor, small business owner, and public servant. She holds a B.A. from New York University and an M.S. in Nonprofit Management from The New School.

Dr. Aaron Q. Weinstein is Assistant Professor of Politics at Fairfield University, where his research and teaching interests include American Political Thought, modern political ideologies, and the intersection of religion and politics. He received his Ph.D. in political science from Brown University in 2016, and his B.A. in government and history (magna cum laude, with distinction in all subjects) from Cornell University in 2009. Dr. Weinstein is the Faculty Liaison for Fairfield University’s Center for Arts and Minds.