David Dettman is the Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Division for the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI). He brings nearly 30 years of democracy, rights, and governance (DRG) development experience to the role.  Most recently, Dettman served as the Director for Communications for the ABA’s Center for Global Programs. Dettman spent nearly 20 years executing DRG programs as a chief of party in Ukraine, Bangladesh, and the MENA region. His experience includes more than a decade in the field as a chief of party for the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and Democracy International (DI). He held HQ leadership positions at DI, including as the Rule of Law IQC manager and director of communications and Congressional relations.

In 2004, the New Yorker magazine and George Packer’s book, “The Assassin’s Gate: America in Iraq,” featured Dettman’s work in Iraq. In 2005, the government of Ukraine awarded Dettman a Heroic Order medal for his work supporting the development of democracy there. In 2007, his work in the months leading up to the Ukrainian Orange Revolution was featured in the book “The New Cold War,” by Mark MacKinnon.

In addition to his international development work, Dettman worked for the US Democratic Party, the NAACP, and organized labor in various capacities including managing political campaigns, organizing, and serving as a political appointee in state government. Dettman’s management of a Senate campaign was chronicled in the book Cupcakes and Courage, by Ohio Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Brunner. A native of Cleveland, Dettman grew up in a union household, where he learned that the power of organizing can overcome even the most entrenched obstacles. As a fan of Cleveland sports teams, he learned the importance of allowing hope to triumph over experience.