Ambassador (ret.) Norman Eisen is the founder and executive chair of Democracy Defenders Fund. His work in the courts of law is matched by his efforts in the court of public opinion as the co-founder and publisher of The Contrarian. He is also the co-founder and former chair of other major non-profits including Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) and the States United Democracy Center. 

Eisen’s publications include six books and over 300 other published works about rule of law and democracy. He previously served as special counsel to President Barack Obama for ethics and government reform, earning recognition as the White House “Ethics Czar,” and as U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic, where he advanced innovative anti-corruption and transparency strategies. Eisen was credited by director Wes Anderson as an inspiration for the character of the crusading lawyer Deputy Kovacs in the 2014 film “The Grand Budapest Hotel.