David Ridenour

David A. Ridenour is president of The National Center for Public Policy Research. For twenty-five years before that, he served as vice president (1986-2011), through which he directed numerous public policy programs, particularly on environmental and regulatory issues and foreign affairs; managed policy staff; and served as The National Center’s development director and chief financial officer, responsible for institutional growth. A frequent commentator on public policy issues, Ridenour has appeared on such shows as ABC’s Good Morning America, NBC Nightly News and CNN’s Earth Matters. Ridenour has also twice testified before special political commissions of the United Nations General Assembly and has testified before congressional committees. He has served on the executive committees of the Grassroots ESA Coalition, Project Relief and the Property Rights First! coalition. Ridenour’s articles have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Investor’s Business Daily, Chicago Tribune, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Philadelphia Inquirer, Miami Herald, Detroit News, Dallas Morning News, San Francisco Chronicle, Seattle Times, Houston Chronicle, and many others. Ridenour is co-author, with David Almasi, of the 1990 book Nicaragua’s Continuing Revolution (Signal Books). Before joining The National Center, Ridenour served as Executive Director of the United States Youth Council, an international exchange foundation established in 1945 and funded by the U.S. Information Agency. He served as co-host of Scoop (1993-1994), a weekly public affairs program on National Empowerment Television, subsequently known as America’s Voice. Ridenour received a political science degree from the University of Oregon and was a member of the Phi Eta Sigma and Alpha Lambda Delta honoraries. He resides in Maryland with his wife, Amy, and their three children.