The Thomas S. Foley Institute for Public Policy and Public Service has selected Thessalia Merivaki as the institute’s next director.
Merivaki joins Washington State University from her previous position at Georgetown University, where she was an associate professor with joint appointments at the McCourt School of Public Policy and the Massive Data Institute. She is a co-founder of the Digital Trust Lab at the Massive Data Institute and currently a non-resident fellow at the Center for Democracy and Technology, as well as serving on the editorial team of the Disability Policy Foundry.
“I am very excited to contribute to this amazing institute and carry on Speaker Foley’s legacy, which is grounded in community, civility, and commitment to public service,” said Merivaki.
Merivaki’s research expertise covers multiple dimensions of the electoral process, including institutional and administrative frameworks, political communication, voter behavior, and election science.
Since 2020, she has co-directed the Election Officials Communications Tracker, a massive data collection and analysis initiative reviewing all state and local election officials’ communication efforts on social media. Merivaki’s work has received funding from organizations such as MIT’s Election Science and Data Lab, the Bipartisan Policy Center, and Public Agenda, supporting her research on identifying best practices in how local and state election officials combat misinformation and build trust in election integrity.
Her most recent research has centered on developing frameworks to evaluate how artificial intelligence, specifically generative AI, is viewed within election communications, and how it shapes the broader information environment.
“What keeps me excited about my work is that it offers opportunities for relationship-building with voters, election officials, and the broader democracy community,” said Merivaki. “It is my goal to be part of the community that is working hard to safeguard our democracy, not just study it from a distance.”
To read a longer interview with Merivaki, visit the WSU College of Arts and Sciences’ News and Stories page: https://cas.wsu.edu/2026/08/20/merivaki-appointed-director-of-foley-institute-for-public-policy-and-public-service/
