Richard Mahoney, a professor and director of the School of Public and International Affairs at N.C. State, spelled out the task ahead for him as interim director of NCSU’s Institute for Emerging Issues, in a letter emailed Thursday.

“IEI continues to serve North Carolina, connecting its leaders and advocates across all sectors, regions, and perspectives for collaborative work on key emerging issues affecting our state’s long-term prosperity,” he wrote.

“We are on the ground this summer, sharing data and insights on the future of work, and hearing firsthand what communities are facing in terms of institutional challenges and access to information and resources. The IEI team is also deep in the trenches meeting with new partners, working groups, and topic experts as we prepare to tackle another of our state’s most pressing subject matters.

“And our bright and talented Emerging Leaders Fellows are busy planning for this fall’s Discovery Forum series to help inspire, support, and develop young social entrepreneurs and innovators for our state.

“Stay tuned in the coming weeks for exciting announcements as we release new resource products, introduce dynamic engagement platforms, and launch our next big emerging issue.”

Mahoney also praised previous director Anita Brown-Graham, who announced her resignation in June.

A search committee is seeking a permanent director, Mahoney added.

Bio: Richard Mahoney

Source: NCSU

Richard Mahoney is the director of the School of Public and International Affairs at NC State, where he holds the rank of full professor. He has degrees from Princeton University (A.B.), the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University (Ph.D.) and Arizona State University (J.D.) He is one of the leading historians in the U.S. on the Kennedys, having served as the John F. Kennedy Scholar at the University of Massachusetts and the JFK Presidential Library. A re-issue of one of his books, entitled The Kennedy Brothers, recently (3/13/16) reached number five on the New York Times best-seller list. He is currently finishing a book with Oxford University Press on Colombia.

Mahoney served as Arizona Secretary of State during the 1990s and worked as chief speechwriter in the presidential campaigns of Senators Gary Hart and Paul Simon. He also served as executive director of Nuestra Familia, a non-profit supporting orphanages in Costa Rica and Colombia. Mahoney has been engaged in educational innovation – interdisciplinary programs, joint degrees, and international executive training – throughout his career. He has spent 14 years working abroad and is fluent in five languages.