Our Kids Will Ask Us What We Did: Skye Perryman explains why she is fighting to save American democracy

EPISODE 1508: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to the CEO and President of Democracy Forward, Skye Perryman, about the existential crisis of American Democracy and what we can do to save it

Skye Perryman is a lawyer, advocate, and leader with a track record of taking on and winning critical fights that advance democratic values, stop abuses of power, and improve the wellbeing of people and communities. She was named President and CEO of Democracy Forward Foundation in June 2021, returning to the organization where she was on the founding litigation team. She most recently served as the Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, where she oversaw its broad portfolio of legal, policy, and public affairs work and led a number of groundbreaking initiatives that enhanced access and equity in health care. Prior to ACOG, Skye was a Senior Counsel at Democracy Forward Foundation where, as one of the organization’s founding litigators, she developed and filed some of the first cases challenging unprecedented and unlawful executive action in the post-2016 era. Skye began her legal career at Covington & Burling LLP and later practiced at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr (WilmerHale). In private practice, she handled complex and high-stakes matters at the intersection of law and policy for clients across industries, while maintaining a robust pro bono practice dedicated to vindicating the civil and constitutional rights of people. Earlier in her career, Skye coordinated programs for underserved youth in Central Texas public schools. She was also part of early efforts to build coalitions between labor and environmental stakeholders supporting investment in renewable energy infrastructure and good jobs. Skye volunteers her time as a mentor and serves on the boards of several organizations, including the First Shift Justice Project, the Atlas Performing Arts Center, and the Interfaith Alliance. She teaches courses at American University and is an active alumna of Baylor University, where she helped to initiate a thousands-strong alumni movement calling on the University to change its restrictive policies regarding LGBTQ+ student organizations. Skye grew up in Texas and is a proud product of its public schools. She holds a Juris Doctor with honors from the Georgetown University Law Center and a Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude from Baylor University where she is a member of the Board of Advocates for the College of Arts and Sciences. She has received numerous accolades, including being named a four-time Washington Rising Star by SuperLawyers, a Top 40 Under 40 Trailblazer by the Leadership Center for Excellence, the Baylor Line Foundation’s Outstanding Young Alumna, a Harry S. Truman Scholar, and a Chuck F. C. Ruff Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year. Her work has been covered in outlets such as The New York Times, National Public Radio, NBC News, The Washington Post, The Houston Chronicle, and Teen Vogue.

Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children.