Repairing America’s Broken Democracy: Bridge Alliance Members Take Action – Doug Linkhart, President, National Civic League

As part of a new series on citybiz, Repairing America’s Broken Democracy: Bridge Alliance Members Take Action, each month David H. Nevins, president & CEO of Nevins & Associates, will interview leaders from different Bridge Alliance member organizations doing work to support and protect our democracy around the country. The Bridge Alliance is a coalition of more than 100 organizations working together as active stewards of our democratic republic. Bridge Alliance member organizations span the ideological spectrum, but are unified to work efficiently, outside arbitrarily defined political lines. The Bridge Alliance supports the democracy ecosystem and advances the healthy self-governance movement. The Bridge Alliance nurtures consistent and open communications between its members, developing a foundation of trust to foster collaboration. For more information, visit www.bridgealliance.us.

Doug Linkhart brings over 40 years of experience in the public policy arena, including 18 years as an elected official, including eight years as a Denver City Councilman and ten years as a Colorado State Representative and Senator. Doug started his career by managing local campaigns, then worked in the federal government as a Presidential Management Intern. He later ran his own consulting business, spending his free time as a newspaper columnist and neighborhood and political activist. He founded a nonprofit organization to serve neighborhood associations and their residents, which he directed for ten years. After running for Mayor of Denver in 2011, he was appointed by the winning candidate as the Executive Director of Denver’s Department of Environmental Health, a 300-person agency which he managed for four years.

The mission of the National Civic League is to advance civic engagement to create equitable, thriving communities. The National Civic League achieves this by inspiring, supporting and recognizing inclusive approaches to community decision-making. Founded in 1894 by a group of civic leaders that included Theodore Roosevelt and Louis Brandeis, the National Civic League is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization. Today, more than ever, the work of the National Civic League is critical to helping create vibrant and healthy communities and a strong democracy.

Interview questions:

Q1: You have an amazing background of more than 40 years of experience in the public policy sector, including 18 years as an elected official holding various offices in Colorado. Tell us a little bit about yourself and what inspired you to join the National Civic League as president.

Q2: The National Civic League works to advance civic engagement to create equitable, thriving communities. Tell our viewers more about the mission of the National Civic League and your everyday work and impact in communities around the country.

Q3: The core of your work focuses on helping people get involved in their cities and communities on a local level to make a difference. Tell us why engaging at the local level is more important today than ever before.

Q4: Some amazing work is being accomplished at the local level and your upcoming All-America City Awards in June will recognize some of the best programs around the country. Tell us about the upcoming annual awards and some of the work being recognized.

Q5: Another important area of focus for the National Civic League is your racial equity work focusing on health, education and policing. Tell us how you are working to apply some of those racial equity principles.

Q6: Youth engagement will also be an important focus moving forward as you help young become engaged and be successful. Talk a little bit about the mission of creating future leaders in our cities.

Q7: Finally, how can individuals or organizations become involved, donate or support the National Civic League.

Connect with Doug on LinkedIn

The Bridge Alliance is a coalition of over 90 organizations dedicated to rejuvenating America. With each organization focusing on a different sector of the movement, our members represent a combined three million supporters in the burgeoning field of civic reform and civil discourse. In addition, more than one billion dollars has been invested towards improving government effectiveness nationwide.

The Bridge Alliance acts as a hub of information and connectivity for over 90 civic action organizations.

We provide the infrastructure for our members to expand individually, collaborate on shared goals, and inform others that are invested in democracy revitalization. This generates a collective impact for greater than any one group could make alone.

David Nevins is president & CEO of Nevins & Associates, a highly regarded strategic communications company and proactive public relations partner. The firm’s regional and national client base is a unique mix of organizations across a variety of industries including: healthcare, professional service firms, finance, not-for-profits, distributors, state agencies, national media companies, technology, political and grassroots campaigns, real estate development, sporting events, and more.

With more than 30 years of experience in marketing, public relations, and community and government relations, David is a talented and seasoned executive. Prior to founding Nevins & Associates in 1983, David served as the Director of Marketing for both Towson University and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. In 2001, he was tapped by the CEO of Comcast to employ his marketing expertise as President of the company’s regional sports network, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic. David is a Past President of the Board of Governors for the Center Club and is a former Chairman of the Board of Regents for the University System of Maryland, a position to which he was appointed by the Governor of Maryland. David has chaired the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission and the Maryland Higher Education Loan Corporation, served as President of both the Jewish National Fund and the Towson Business Association and was a member of the PNC Bank board.

David is highly involved in the business, civic, and political communities, and his many years of active leadership in numerous organizations have built a network of contacts that he regularly puts to use for the firm’s clients. For more information, visit www.nevinspr.com.


Edwin Warfield, CEO of citybiz.co, conducts CEO Interviews.

If you’re interested in a citybiz CEO Interview, please contact
Edwin Warfield – edwin.warfield@citybizlist.com