January 15, 2021
The board of directors of the Ethics and Public Policy Center takes great pleasure in announcing that political philosopher Ryan T. Anderson will become its sixth president on February 1, 2021. Dr. Anderson will succeed Ed Whelan, who has served as EPPC president since 2004 and who will continue his scholarly work as EPPC Distinguished Senior Fellow.
Dr. Anderson will join EPPC from the Heritage Foundation, where he is the William E. Simon senior research fellow. He is also the founder and editor-in-chief of Public Discourse, the online journal of the Witherspoon Institute of Princeton, New Jersey. He received his bachelor of arts degree from Princeton University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude, and he received his doctoral degree in political philosophy from the University of Notre Dame. He is a prolific author of acclaimed books and articles.
“I am delighted to have recruited Ryan as my successor,” said Mr. Whelan. “It’s been an honor to lead this institution for the past 17 years, and I’m grateful for all my outstanding colleagues and for all that we have accomplished over that time. Ryan will be a great leader of EPPC for many years to come, and I look forward to working under his direction.”
“I am profoundly appreciative of Ed and the EPPC board for their confidence in me,” said Dr. Anderson, “and I could not be more excited by this tremendous opportunity to help shape the future of conservatism and our country. EPPC will continue to lead the way in applying timeless wisdom to the urgent challenges facing America and in defending against threats to human dignity and flourishing.”
William R. Burleigh, chairman of EPPC’s board of directors, celebrated the news: “EPPC has flourished under Ed Whelan’s outstanding leadership for the past 17 years. Ryan Anderson is one of the great talents of his generation, and our board is confident that he will distinguish himself as EPPC’s president for many years to come. We’re grateful to Ed for volunteering to pass the baton to Ryan and for dedicating himself full-time to the critical constitutional issues facing our nation.”
Founded in 1976, the Ethics and Public Policy Center is Washington, D.C.’s premier institute dedicated to applying the Judeo-Christian moral tradition to critical issues of public policy.
Further praise for Ryan T. Anderson
Marco Rubio, United States Senator:
“Ryan Anderson is among our nation’s leading thinkers on morality and public policy. His writings on religious liberty, marriage, and the common good are filled with insights and profoundly illuminate critically important questions. I look forward to continuing to work with the Ethics and Public Policy Center under his leadership.”
Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University:
“Ryan Anderson’s combination of brilliance, courage, and poise makes him one of the leading public intellectuals of his generation. These qualities, combined with his deep commitment to our nation’s founding principles and our civilization’s core moral precepts, make him a worthy successor to the estimable Ed Whelan.”
Yuval Levin, director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute:
“Ryan Anderson is an ideal choice to lead this great institution. He inherits a vibrant intellectual community made possible by Ed Whelan’s dedication and he is uniquely well equipped to point it toward the future and build on its strong foundations.”
Peter Wehner, EPPC Senior Fellow:
“Ryan Anderson provides a model of civil engagement—someone with strong convictions who is strongly committed to democratic dialogue. In a riven and angry nation, with people wanting to shout down others and even do violence in the name of their beliefs, we need that intellectual temperament more than ever.”
Henry Olsen, EPPC Senior Fellow:
“Ryan Anderson is one of the nation’s most intelligent and articulate advocates for public policy based on America’s founding principles. EPPC is fortunate to have attracted someone of his intellect and moral character to lead it in the years to come.”
