About CSDI

Advancing democracy, human rights, and education

Our Mission

To foster and encourage dialogues, discussions and contributions in public health, democracy, and human rights; and to contribute to youth education in art and music in Los Angeles County

Illuminating paths to progress.

CSDI is dedicated to fostering dialogues and contributing to public health, education, democracy, and human rights. The Center commits itself to supporting public deliberation, promoting understandings of contemporary problems, and supporting the academic and practical explorations of solutions vital to longevity of a healthy democratic society. Through its involvement with scholarly publications, academic gatherings, and support of humanitarian projects, CSDI aims to clarify the fundamental challenges faced by democratic societies around the world and illuminate paths to progress.

CSDI Today

Today, CSDI focuses on empowering organizations that drive progress in public health, education, human rights, and the arts—particularly within the Los Angeles metropolitan area.

Our reach also spans the globe through funding and partnerships with leading institutions like the Brookings Institution, the Atlantic Council, and the International Refugee Assistance Program.

Our People

Chairman of the Board

Robert J. Abernethy

Robert Abernethy is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and civic leader.

His educational career began at Johns Hopkins University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Electrical Engineering in 1962. Following his service in the United States Navy, he attended Harvard Business School, graduating with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in 1968. He later pursued advanced professional training at UCLA, expanding his expertise by earning a certificate in Construction Management in 1973 and a certificate in Real Estate in 1974.

Deeply committed to international affairs, policy development, and national security, he was one of the founders of the Pacific Council on International Policy, and serves as Vice Chairman of the Atlantic Council. He also holds key board or trustee positions at the Brookings Institution, the RAND Center for Global Risk and Security, the New Leaders Council, and the Truman National Security Project. Furthermore, he is an active member of the Council on Foreign Relations Chairman's Forum and the U.S. State Department's Advisory Committee on International Economic Policy. Locally, his prominent civic engagements include the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, and chair of the performing arts center of Los Angeles county.

Board Members

Romano Prodi

Romano Prodi is a renowned European statesman who served as President of the European Commission and Prime Minister of Italy. He has long championed European integration, civic institutions, and democratic discourse.

Zev Yaroslavsky

Zev Yaroslavsky is a longtime Los Angeles civic leader who served on the Los Angeles City Council and County Board of Supervisors. He helped shape the region's health, transportation, and cultural infrastructure while championing good-government reform.

Anne-Marie Slaughter

Anne-Marie Slaughter is an international lawyer, foreign policy expert, and former Director of Policy Planning at the U.S. State Department. She served as both the dean of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public Policy and as president of the New America Foundation. She is currently the dean of the London School of Economics.

Henry Lorenzen

Henry Lorenzen is an experienced lawyer and electrical engineer. He graduated from Harvard Business School and was the president of the Oregon State Board of Higher Education. He is also a member of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council.

Giuseppe Vergottini

Giuseppe Vergottini is Professor Emeritus of Constitutional Law at the University of Bologna, and Honorary President of the International Association of Constitutional Law. He is also the founding partner of Studio Legale de Vergottini, a firm with recognized expertise in constitutional, administrative, EU, and public-law matters.

Jean Poston

Jean Poston is a graduate of the University of North Carolina and a retired analyst at the National Security Agency. She is also a retired grants officer of the North Carolina Council of the Arts.

Steve Huffman

Steve Huffman is a graduate of Williams College and a former officer and director of Huffman manufacturing. He is also a retired business executive from the Sacramento area who led the California Almond Growers Exchange.

Andrei Cherny

Andrei Cherny is an entrepreneur, author, and former speech writer for President Bill Clinton while he attended Harvard College. Cherny also founded the Democracy Journal of Ideas, as well as Aspiration Inc., which was an online banking company. He was also the chair of the Arizona Democratic Party, and ran for the California State Assembly.

Matthew Spence

Spence holds a BA and MA in international policy studies from Stanford University, a JD from Yale Law School, and a DPhil in international relations from the University of Oxford. He served as a Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for International Economic Affairs at the U.S. National Security Council, and as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Policy during the Obama administration.

Board Member Highlight

Romano Prodi

Prodi is a renowned European politician who formerly served as both the President of the European Commission from 1999 to 2004, and as the Prime Minister of Italy from 1996 to 1998, and again from 2006 to 2008. A prominent Italian statesman, he has long championed European integration, civic institutions, and social cohesion. He is a proud supporter of CSDI and its commitment to discourse surrounding the issues of global injustice and democracy promotion.

Board Member Highlight

Zev Yaroslavsky

Zev Yaroslavsky is a longtime civic leader in Los Angeles, having served for nearly two decades on the Los Angeles City Council and two decades on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Over his career, he helped shape the region's health, transportation, and cultural infrastructure while championing fiscal responsibility and good-government reform. He brings deep local expertise and a lifelong commitment to public service to CSDI's work.