People
Bill Gates, Director
Bill Gates serves as the Executive Director of the ASU Mechanics of Democracy Laboratory (“MODL”) and is a Professor of Practice of the ASU Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions. Bill was elected to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors in 2016 and was re-elected in 2020. In 2019, as Chairman of the Board, Bill negotiated a re-organization of the Maricopa County Elections Department with then-Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes. During the November 2022 General Election, Bill participated in 16 press conferences as the eyes of the world were on the Maricopa County Elections Department as numerous statewide races with razor thin margins were counted over a 13-day period. Bill served as the main spokesperson for the Maricopa County Elections Department under the Board of Supervisors during the 2024 election as well.
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Gisselle Ayala, Program Coordinator, Senior
Gisselle Ayala is a Program Coordinator, Sr for the Mechanics of Democracy Laboratory (MODL) at Arizona State University. Gisselle serves as a key operational and programmatic leader, supporting MODL's mission to strengthen democracy through research, convenings, education, and public engagement. In this role, she oversees day-to-day operations, manages student programming, leads event coordination, and supports strategic initiatives engaging students, faculty, election officials, and partners across the country.
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Andrea DiFronzo, Assistant Director, Business Operations
Andrea is an Assistant Director, Business Operations in the Morrison Institute for Public Policy within the Watts School of Public Affairs at Arizona State University. Andrea is a member of the Mechanics of Democracy Laboratory (MODL) team. She has over 20 years of business operations experience in higher education and actively supports MODL’s mission by running MODL’s business operations that help drive the lab’s initiatives forward.
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Allison JoAnn Lester, PhD, Director of Curriculum Development, AI + Elections Clinic
Allison JoAnn Lester, PhD, is an Assistant Teaching Professor in University College at Arizona State University whose work focuses on AI ethics, digital literacy, and civic leadership. As Director of Curriculum Development for MODL’s AI + Elections Clinic, she designs training and learning resources that help election officials responsibly apply AI to strengthen election security, voter communication, and trust. She also hosts the Thinking Through… podcast on AI, human flourishing, and the futures we are shaping together.
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Sara Villalobos, Program Manager
Sara serves as Program Manager for the MODL Elections Administration Undergraduate Fellowship at Arizona State University, where she oversees program operations, coordinates partnerships, and supports the development of future election administration professionals through a nationally recognized, student-centered initiative. With over a decade of experience in higher education and public service programs, she is recognized for building effective systems and fostering collaboration. Sara holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Northern Arizona University, a foundation that informs her creative, solutions-oriented approach to advancing civic and educational initiatives.
TJ Pyche, Senior Fellow
TJ Pyche is a vice president at Ready for Tuesday, where he advises public institutions and civic organizations on trusted communications, operational resilience, and workforce development in high-stakes environments. A former county-level election administrator, TJ brings frontline experience to national conversations about how institutions adapt under pressure. His work focuses on translating emerging risks – from artificial intelligence to operational and workforce resilience – into practical systems, training, and leadership strategies that strengthen public confidence. He designs workshops and strategic initiatives that help leaders move from reactive crisis management to proactive resilience. Known for pairing realism with optimism, TJ emphasizes tools that are actionable, scalable, and grounded in everyday operations. He has presented to thousands of election officials across the country on communications strategy, institutional trust, and operational readiness. He is the creator of several ongoing training series and programs, including Books and Ballots. He holds a Master of Public Administration from Florida State University and a degree in journalism from the University of Florida. Outside of his professional work, he enjoys traveling and spending time with his family.
Prathm Juneja, Senior Fellow
Prathm Juneja is a Rhodes Scholar, Truman Scholar, and PhD Candidate in Social Data Science at the University of Oxford, where he researches the impacts and opportunities of AI on/for democracy. He is a Senior Fellow at MODL, where he works with the team on research, convening, and training efforts. He has trained senior officials and advised governments across more than 40 countries on AI, elections, procurement, and policy, and he regularly advises technology companies, AI labs, and research organizations on AI governance. He authored International IDEA's flagship report on AI for electoral management, which has been translated into three languages and read by thousands of election officials around the world.