John Allison is an Executive in Residence at the Wake Forest School of Business. He is a member of the Cato Institute’s Board of Directors and Chairman of the Executive Advisory Council of the Cato Institute’s Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives. Mr. Allison was president and CEO of the Cato Institute from October 2012 to April 2015. Prior to joining Cato, Mr. Allison was chairman and CEO of BB&T Corporation, the 10th-largest financial services holding company headquartered in the United States. During his tenure as CEO from 1989 to 2008, BB&T grew from $4.5 billion to $152 billion in assets. He was recognized by the Harvard Business Review as one of the top 100 most successful CEOs in the world over the last decade.

Yaron Brook, PhD, is chairman of the board of the Ayn Rand Institute. He is coauthor, with Don Watkins, of In Pursuit of Wealth and the national best-seller Free Market Revolution: How Ayn Rand’s Ideas Can End Big Government and the host of The Yaron Brook Show on TheBlaze Radio and BlogTalkRadio. A former finance professor, he has been published in academic as well as popular publications, and his opinion-editorials appear in major newspapers. He is frequently interviewed on national TV and radio. Dr. Brook is an internationally renowned speaker, and lectures on Objectivism, business ethics and foreign policy at college campuses, community groups and corporations across America and throughout the world. (See here for his Expert information.)

Mr. Corle, a recently retired entrepreneur, started as a piping contractor in 1982 and grew his business into an international concern with offices in the USA, The Netherlands, Brazil, and New Zealand. His company, RELCO LLC, provides customized, design-build processing systems and equipment for dairy and food manufacturing plants in over 30 countries and on all 6 inhabited continents. He sold the company in 2020 to a division of Koch Industries. He then turned to a list of interesting projects that had long been on his mind. Today, he maintains a consulting business and is involved in local business organizations. These include a business-funded and directed high school accredited course for young entrepreneurs where he is vice-chair of the board.

Onkar Ghate, Ph.D. in philosophy, joined ARI in 2000, after a brief but successful tenure in the finance industry. A year later, he launched ARI’s Objectivist Academic Center (OAC), which substantially expanded the Institute’s teaching and training activities. Dr. Ghate acts as a senior editor and instructor. He is also responsible for providing philosophic direction and oversight for the Institute’s many projects. (See here for his Expert information.)

Dr. Mayhew, Ph.D. in philosophy, is professor of philosophy at Seton Hall University. He specializes in ancient philosophy, and has recently completed books on Aristotle’s lost work on Homer and on Theophrastus’ On Winds. His most recent work on Ayn Rand is an annotated edition of her previously unpublished play The Unconquered (Palgrave Macmillan, 2014).

Mr. Salzman is the Vice President for Litigation, Policy, and Research at Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF). He is also an adjunct professor at Chapman University’s Fowler School of Law, supervising a PLF-sponsored property rights and economic liberty litigation clinical program. His law practice has focused on property rights and economic liberty. Earlier in his career, he spent ten years in business as co-founder and CEO of an e-commerce company.

Tara Smith is professor of philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin. A specialist in moral, legal, and political philosophy, her books include Egoism Without Permission: The Moral Psychology of Ayn Rand’s Ethics; Judicial Review in an Objective Legal System; and Ayn Rand’s Normative Ethics: The Virtuous Egoist. (See here for her Expert information.)

Tal Tsfany is the president and CEO of the Ayn Rand Institute. Mr. Tsfany has been an entrepreneur, investor and executive in the software world. He has built and grown successful teams and businesses in Israel and the United States. Mr. Tsfany is a co-founder of the Ayn Rand Center Israel.

Robertas Bakula manages the activities of the ARU Graduate Center, including ARI’s Honors Work and Study Internship program. He also creates content for ARI’s online journal, New Ideal, mostly focusing on economic issues. Robertas holds an MA in philosophy, politics, and economics and is an ARU graduate.

Kirk Barbera manages donor and prospect accounts, as well as fundraising dinners and events for ARI’s development team. Kirk has also worked as a student relations coordinator for ARI Campus. He graduated from the Objectivist Academic Center in 2013.

Ben Bayer, PhD in philosophy, teaches at ARU, lectures, and gives interviews for ARI. He writes for and is an associate editor of ARI’s online journal, New Ideal. (See here for his Expert information.)

Jonathon Brajdic oversees the growth and operations of ARI’s student programs. These include ARI’s Free Books initiatives, nonfiction reading groups, and annual essay contests on Ayn Rand’s novels. Prior to working at ARI, Jonathon participated in ARI’s seasonal internship program. He holds a BS in architecture.

Amber Brown helps plan, manage and execute marketing campaigns. She comes from two decades in the outdoor industry with an emphasis on introducing brands to the US market. Her background in brand development guides her overall goals. She holds a BS in psychology and graduated from the Objectivist Academic Center in 2011.

Brayton Bushby manages donor relationships as well as prospective donor relationships to support ARI’s community and fundraising objectives. Brayton holds a BS in mechanical engineering and has spent the last 10 years in sales and marketing while studying Objectivism.

Marcos Carbonell oversees the design, implementation, and maintenance of software products and IT infrastructure essential for ARI’s operations and projects. He holds a BSc in computer science and is a graduate of ARU. He is keen on advancing artificial intelligence, guided by the principles of Objectivism.

Yonatan Daon manages relationships with Objectivist communities and local organizations worldwide. He organizes speaking tours in Europe and Australia and coordinates webinars in South Asia and Africa. He is also involved in development research.

Tristan de Liège is a philosopher specializing in ethical issues, especially virtue ethics and the philosophy of work. He received his PhD in philosophy from the University of California Riverside in 2021. Tristan creates courses for ARU and assists in grading and teaching, as well as creating intellectual content for ARI’s online journal, New Ideal.

Jonathan Divin manages ARI’s social media channels and assists with other digital marketing tasks. He participated in ARI’s student internship program in 2012 as well as the Objectivist Academic Center during his time as a college student where he received support from ARI to run a successful campus club.

Simon Federman is responsible for rehousing and cataloging items in the Ayn Rand Archives. In addition, Simon provides design support for the Ayn Rand Institute Press and for the development, marketing, and product teams. Simon began volunteering for ARI in 1985 prior to starting work for the Institute part time in 1997 and full time in 2001.

Itamar Feldman, BSc in mathematics, is an intellectual in development at ARI. He studies at ARU, does research, and writes short pieces for ARI’s online journal, New Ideal. He is a participant in the ARU Honors Program.

Vinny Freire manages the information technology at ARI, providing digital infrastructure and support for the organization’s operations and projects. He has more than 25 years of experience consulting and executing digital products. He holds a BA in fine arts and multimedia with a minor in advertising and communication.

Onkar Ghate, PhD in philosophy, is chief philosophy officer, senior fellow, and ARI board member. He is a contributing author to many books on Rand’s fiction and philosophy. He leads ARI’s intellectual development program, serves as a senior editor and instructor, and provides philosophic oversight for the Institute’s projects. (See here for his Expert information.)

Ziemowit Gowin is a PhD student in philosophy at the University of Warsaw and works mainly in contemporary ethics and philosophy of well-being. Ziemowit is a teaching assistant at ARU.

David Gulbraa is the Donor Services Specialist at ARI, handling customer service for contributors and prospects. He helps run conferences and special events.

Audra Hilse manages the digital aspects of the Ayn Rand Archives, including data about the holdings and digitized archival material. She is working to make the Ayn Rand Papers and other collections available online. She graduated from the Objectivist Academic Center in 2009 and holds a BA in history and an MA in Library and Information Studies.

Jeff Janicke provides administrative support for the business operations team and lends occasional project support to other departments. He worked in the insurance industry for many years as an agent. His background includes business operations and management.

Elan Journo leads ARI’s content ventures, including ARI’s online journal and podcast, New Ideal, and books; the Ayn Rand Archives; and our recruitment and advanced training of new intellectuals. His books include What Justice Demands: America and the Israeli–Palestinian Conflict, which became an Amazon political freedom bestseller in October 2023. (See here for his Expert information.)

Dagny Layman identifies, qualifies, and cultivates donor prospects for ARI. She holds a BS in mathematics and economics and brings four years of operational experience from the startup world.

Brandon Lisi is a historian who assists with physical and digital projects for the Ayn Rand Archives. He also writes articles for ARI’s online journal, New Ideal, and for Ayn Rand Today, based on his archival research. Brandon holds a master’s degree in history and is a graduate of ARU.

Keith Lockitch oversees ARI’s educational programs, especially ARU and the ARU Graduate Center. He teaches courses on writing and on the foundations of science. Keith also writes and speaks for ARI and serves on the editorial board of ARI’s online journal, New Ideal. He holds a PhD in relativistic astrophysics. (See here for his Expert information.)

Stewart Margolis manages donor and prospect accounts, as well as fundraising dinners and events for ARI’s development team. Prior to working as an account manager, Stewart worked with the Free Books for Teachers program, Campus Clubs program, and the Objectivist Academic Center.

Amanda Maxham is an astrophysicist with a passion for helping heroes find purpose and achieve great things. She mentors ARU students and brings special ARI projects to life.

Mike Mazza, PhD in philosophy, teaches at ARU. He develops written content for ARI and helps manage the Institute’s intellectual outreach programs.

Maria McRaven manages business processes and CRM administration at ARI. Previously, she worked in business operations and analysis roles in nonprofit and education technology organizations. She holds a BA in economics from the University of Chicago where she was a campus club leader and a winner of the Atlas Shrugged essay contest.

Marek Michulka is a participant in the ARU Honors Program. He is involved in working for the growth team to increase the number of students reading, finishing, and falling in love with Ayn Rand’s ideas. Marek graduated from the University of Chicago with a bachelor’s degree in physics and from ARU in 2024.

Donna Montrezza proofreads copy and assists with a wide variety of projects, including for the Ayn Rand Archives. Over the years, she has proofed and copyedited the published works of many Objectivist authors.

Matthew Morgen directs ARI’s fundraising team. Prior to working as ARI’s director of Donor Relations, Matthew served as ARI’s high school programs manager. He has a BA in history and CFRE and CSPG fundraising certifications.

Hailey O’Brien supports the marketing team in multiple ways, including data analysis, reporting, and copywriting, as well as managing ARI’s events. She is a long-time Objectivist and is excited to be supporting ARI.

Grant Parker supports the project management and operations of the growth and tech teams, whose work ranges from ARI’s Free Books initiatives to the design and implementation of the ARU website and mobile app. He graduated from the OAC in 2018, and has a BS in psychology and philosophy.

Ricardo Pinto is a BA student in philosophy and a graduate of the Objectivist Academic Center. He currently lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Jason Rheins is a scholar specializing in ancient Greek and Roman philosophy and the history of ideas. For many years, he was a university professor and now teaches at ARU and mentors developing intellectuals.

Romy Salgado is a senior accountant responsible for bank reconciliations, revenues, payments, and most of the month- and year-end accounting closing activities as she is knowledgeable in GAAP. She is assistant to the controller in all accounting and HR operations.

Steven Schub is manager of the ARU’s Student Success program. He is a lifetime member of The Actors Studio, a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and has starred in 25 feature films and television shows. He was the singer in two rock bands: The Fenwicks and HaSkaLA. He is a happy husband and proud father of two. Steven is thrilled to be helping ARU students achieve their goals.

Ray Schuur is being trained as a junior fellow at ARI to take on future intellectual work at ARU and beyond. He is also a doctoral candidate in philosophy with research interests in the history and philosophy of science, and of medicine and psychiatry, in particular, as well as ethics, bioethics, and political philosophy.

Dan Schwartz teaches at ARU and assists with other education programs at ARI. He holds a PhD in philosophy and has published articles in peer-reviewed journals on Francis Bacon and the philosophy of scientific method in the 17th century.

Jeff Scialabba oversees the operations of ARU. He collaborates with faculty to design and implement its curriculum, and manages ARU’s admissions process, administrative staff, and coaching practice. He also supports the ARU Graduate Center. Jeff is a graduate of the Objectivist Academic Center.

Kate Sherwood provides administrative support to the ARU’s operations team, providing customer support with enrollment, applications, payments, and scheduling. She also maintains ARU’s Launch Pad program, connecting students and companies in ARI’s network. Her background includes several years in administration and education.

Sarah Silverman is the project manager for ARI’s content team. She helps to manage, coordinate, and integrate the content team’s output. She holds an MA in philosophy and graduated from the Objectivist Academic Center in 2010.

Ibis Slade is a participant in the ARU Honors Program. He is dedicated to studying Objectivism, particularly Rand’s philosophy of history, to produce culturally relevant commentary that bridges scholarly work and the general audience. Ibis mostly focuses on 19th-century American history.

Aaron Smith, PhD in philosophy, teaches at ARU and develops educational content for ARI’s e-learning and intellectual training programs. He also writes, lectures, and gives interviews for ARI. (See here for his Expert information.)

Nikos Sotirakopoulos, PhD in social sciences, teaches at ARU and manages ARI Europe. He is the author of Identity Politics and Tribalism: The New Culture Wars.

Anna Steinberg directs ARI’s fundraising team and handles donor and prospect accounts. She graduated with a BS in finance and accounting. Anna brings experience in management of complex projects in IT and finance, and in mergers and acquisitions.

Clytze Sun is an award-winning director and producer. Her short films have been featured at festivals such as Austin Spotlight, Venice Shorts, and the Independent Shorts Awards. Formerly a data scientist at ARI, she blends analytical skills with filmmaking expertise and aims to build a successful visual storytelling platform for ARI.

Tal Tsfany is the president and CEO of ARI. He has been an entrepreneur, investor, and executive in the software world. He has built and grown successful teams and businesses in Israel and the United States. Tal is a co-founder of the Ayn Rand Center Israel. He holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and an MBA in business management.

Agustina Vergara Cid writes and speaks for ARI, focusing primarily on immigration policy and its intersection with philosophy. She is also a teaching assistant at ARU. Agustina holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in law and is a graduate of the Objectivist Academic Center.

Don Watkins oversees ARI’s fundraising and marketing efforts and teaches courses on business and capitalism at ARU. He is the bestselling author of six books, including, most recently, Effective Egoism: An Individualist’s Guide to Pride, Purpose, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Sam Weaver holds a Conceptual Education Fellowship at ARI. He is a teaching assistant at ARU and develops educational programs and materials. He also writes and speaks for ARI, focusing on issues in the field of education. Sam holds a BA in English and graduated from the Objectivist Academic Center in 2019.

Alex Wigger provides research and support for content development, data analysis, and reporting, and oversees student relations for ARI Campus. He has a BA in philosophy and graduated from the Objectivist Academic Center in 2018.

Geraldine Yumping manages the finance, accounting, HR operations, and facilities requirements at ARI, and supervises the support staff under the business operations team. She holds a BS in accountancy and is a certified public accountant who has extensive experience in audit and the nonprofit industry.