Richard Ekman is the President Emeritus and Senior Advisor of the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), where he served as President for 21 years. Based in Ridgewood, New Jersey, he is a seasoned executive with extensive experience in higher education and philanthropy. Throughout his career, he has held senior leadership roles at major foundations, including serving as Vice President for Programs at The Atlantic Philanthropies and Secretary of the Foundation at The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Richard also spent nearly a decade at the National Endowment for the Humanities, directing both the Division of Research Programs and the Division of Education Programs. His academic background includes serving as Vice President, Dean, and Associate Professor of History at Hiram College. Richard holds a BA, MA, and PhD in History and the History of American Civilization from Harvard University, graduating magna cum laude.