David Madden (Australia)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

David Madden is an Australian entrepreneur associated with progressive causes. He is a co-founder of GetUp! a web-based political movement, and Avaaz.org, a global advocacy movement.

Madden grew up in Canberra and served as an Army officer before studying Arts and Law at the University of New South Wales in Sydney. Madden served as president of the University of New South Wales Student Guild after defeating the Labor Left candidate in a landslide.

After winning the University Medal in History, Madden was awarded Fulbright and Frank Knox scholarships to study at Harvard University. At Harvard, Madden graduated in Law and completed a Master in Public Policy.

Madden has worked for the World Bank in Timor Leste, and for the United Nations in Indonesia. He is the co-author of Imagining Australia: Ideas for Our Future (Allen & Unwin, 2004).

In 2004, Madden was one of the founders of Win Back Respect, a web-based campaign against the foreign policy of United States President George W. Bush. The following year, together with Jeremy Heimans, he co-founded GetUp!, a similar campaign against the recently re-elected Howard government in Australia. Madden and Heimans subsequently co-founded Avaaz.org.

In 2006 Madden and Heimans were named one of the "Top 10 People who are Changing the World of Politics and the Internet" by Politics Online and the World E-Government Forum.