Welcome to the Aspen Institute’s New President-Elect!

November 30, 2017 |

The Aspen Institute Board of Trustees named Daniel R. Porterfield, Ph.D., as the organization’s next president and CEO. Dan is president of Franklin & Marshall College.

Dan Porterfield is an innovative, strategic thinker. He brings to the position an intellectual depth, a commitment to inclusivity and diversity, and an ability to lead a complex, mission-driven organization to create impact and make a difference in the world. He will succeed Walter Isaacson, effective June 1, 2018.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Porterfield to the Aspen family! Watch a video conversation with our president-elect and read a letter from the chairman of the Board of Trustees .

Related Posts

Insights from Ascend Fellow Cheryl Ternes, Former Director of Human Services, Arapahoe County, Colorado The moment that changed how Cheryl Ternes thou...
BlogJune 18, 2026
Mental health touches every family — not always loudly, but persistently. For Ascend Parent Advisors Stephanie Mitchell Hughes of Columbus, Ohio, an...
BlogMay 27, 2026
Ascend Fellow Dr. Ron-Li Liaw is building a movement — and a model — that puts families first When Children’s Hospital Colorado declared a p...
BlogMay 27, 2026