Aleksi Toiviainen is the Public Affairs Assistant at the Samara Centre for Democracy, where he develops and executes public affairs strategies to advance democratic renewal in Canada. His work focuses on youth civic engagement, with a track record of leading successful advocacy campaigns at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels. Prior to joining the Samara Centre, Aleksi was the Co-Founder and General Coordinator of Vote16 Canada, a national campaign to extend voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds. He previously worked at Crestview Strategy, one of Canada’s largest public affairs firms, and served as an advisor and parliamentary research assistant to a Canadian senator. Aleksi holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy, English, and Philosophy from the University of Toronto.