Zach Downey believes we should be defined by what we contribute, not by the categories that separate us.

Raised in a working-class family, Zach built a career in politics and public policy. Today, he serves as Director of Parliamentary Affairs to Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.

His career has taken him from managing political campaigns to working at the centre of Canadian public life, where he has helped navigate complex political and policy challenges at home and abroad. Those experiences have given him a front-row seat to how people with very different backgrounds, beliefs, and interests understand one another and work together.

Zach believes working across our differences does more than bring us together; it makes us better at getting things done.