William “Bill” Sweeney, IFES President and CEO, brings decades of experience to the organization in election-assistance and democracy support. He was appointed as President in June 2009 by the IFES Board of Directors. Sweeney served on the Board of Directors at IFES from 1993 to 2001, and as Chairman from 1999 to 2000. After the election of President George H. Bush, in accord with the bipartisan tradition of IFES, he became Vice Chairman in 2001.

Sweeney was Vice President for Global Government Affairs for EDS from 2000 to 2009 and managed relations with governments and policy organizations around the world. He joined the company in 1991. He was the founding President of Washington Resources & Strategy, Inc., a public affairs management company, from 1985 until 1991. From 1981 until 1985, Sweeney was Deputy Chairman of the Democratic National Committee. He had served as Executive Director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee from 1977 until 1981.

Sweeney has observed elections in the Philippines (1986), Russia (1994), Nicaragua (1996) and Jamaica (1997) as an official elections observer. And he is a member of the Advisory Committee for International IDEA’s Global Commission on Elections, Democracy and Security. 

He was awarded an honorary Order of the British Empire for his service to the British Embassy in 2009. He also serves on the board of directors of the National Foreign Trade Council Foundation.

Sweeney holds a BA in political science from American University’s School of Government and Public Administration. He was a founder and director of the Campaign Management Institute at American University where he received awards for service and teaching. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies.

• President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf Discusses Democracy in Liberia
• Wednesday, May 26, 2010
• Comparative Perspectives on Election Processes in the OSCE Area
• Friday, October 29, 2010
• 2010 Democracy Awards Breakfast
• Wednesday, July 14, 2010
• Judicial Protection of Electoral Rights
• Thursday, September 03, 2009
• Forum for the Future of Democracy
• Wednesday, October 21, 2009
• The Chairman of the Al Ahram Foundation Visits IFES
• IFES President and CEO On Technology in Elections
• Democratic Rights of Disabled Persons in Indonesia