Supporting Emerging Democracies

On July 10, 2014, the Slade Gorton Policy Center hosted a roundtable discussion on what the United States is, and can be, doing to support new and emerging democracies with Kent Patton and Johanna Kao. The roundtable was moderated by former U.S. Senator Slade Gorton.

Kent Patton served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs in the U.S. State Department. His duties included managing the G-8’s Broader Middle East and North Africa initiative for the U.S. Government. Prior to joining the State Department, Kent was Resident Country Director in Kabul, Afghanistan, and West Bank/Gaza for the International Republican Institute.

Johanna Kao is Senior Advisor, Asia at the International Republican Institute. She is currently based in Hong Kong where she assists countries throughout Asia that have undergone transitions to democracy, as well as those taking steps toward democracy, by encouraging transparency, pluralism, open elections and democratic governance.

This program was planned and developed by the students of the Gorton Center Global Leaders Program.