Harry Pozycki is the Chairman and Founder of The Citizens Campaign, a non-partisan organization dedicated to bringing a solutions focus to our government and to restoring service, civility, and pragmatism to our political culture. Working as a full-time volunteer, with the help of former Harvard President, Derek Bok, and other Citizens Campaign board members, Harry assembled a team of government law experts and distinguished former government leaders. Together, they developed a “power platform” that teaches citizens evidence-based, public issue solving with a “no blame” strategy.
Expanding the reach and impact of citizen power, Harry then developed a program for creating community based Civic Trusts, where citizens, trained in no-blame problem solving, serve as Civic Trustees. Meeting in monthly “Solution Sessions,” Civic Trustees work together to find practical solutions to the challenges facing their cities and our country.
In partnership with the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, Harry also developed a high school curriculum known as Power Civics, and later an advanced college version. Combining the citizen leadership training of Power Civics with the public service opportunity of Civic Trusts, Harry recently launched the “Civic City” initiative, with a goal of expanding the problem-solving capacity of cities and, via sharing local solutions nationwide, the country.
For his substantial work and contributions in the civic arena, Harry received the New Jersey Governor’s Jefferson Award for Civic Innovation and was recognized by the Philadelphia Inquirer as its Citizen of the Year.
In 2001, Harry brought all sides together to pass New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act, which gives citizens access to government information so they can initiate constructive solutions without waiting for the political establishment. He was also the lead author of the Citizen Service Act and the Party Democracy Act, state laws which open up opportunities for citizens to serve in appointed government leadership posts and grassroots political party leadership roles. For this work, Harry received a Doctor of Humane Letters from Monmouth University.
In 1992, Harry led a bottom up reform fight and took over the chairmanship of what was then the most powerful political party organization in New Jersey, transferring the power over party endorsements to grassroots representatives. In 1995, Harry was elected to a county government position with executive and legislative power serving 750,000 residents. In this role, he authored and implemented a “Code of Conduct” requiring competitive hiring practices and competitive leasing contracts. To further ensure the integrity of government contracting on a statewide basis, Harry went on to lead the development and passage of what the New York Times reported was the strongest Pay-to-Play reform law in the nation.
Harry is a 1969 graduate of Brown University and holds a law degree from Fordham Law School. In 1973, he founded a law firm specializing in growth planning and environmental law. He co-authored an encyclopedia of Land Use Law in 1985 (West Publishing Co.) and served as chairman of the committee that developed and passed New Jersey’s Fair Housing Act. He is also credited by former Governor Tom Kean for his leadership in developing and gaining passage of the State Planning Act.
Harry and his wife, Caroline, and their two daughters and sons-in-law, reside in Perth Amboy, New Jersey.
