The Pulte Institute for Global Development congratulates Raymond C. Offenheiser, the William J. Pulte Director of the Institute and interim Director of the McKenna Center for Human Development and Global Business, on his appointment as Professor of the Practice within the Keough School of Global Affairs.
The appointment comes as recognition of Offenheiser’s contributions in teaching, research, and leadership since he joined the University of Notre Dame in 2017. As Professor of the Practice, Offenheiser will continue to teach and mentor Keough School graduate and undergraduate students on the foundations of sustainable development. He will also continue to serve on the Keough School’s Leadership Council.
“Ray has been a game-changer for the Pulte Institute,” said Michael Sweikar, Executive Director of the Pulte Institute. “His 40 years of experience working with major foundations, nonprofits, government, the private sector and the media has not only enriched the learning experience of Keough School students, but also the work of our Institute partners. This appointment is well deserved.”
Offenheiser leads the Pulte Institute’s mission to promote human development and dignity among people worldwide by overseeing and developing its academic, research, and public policy activities, as well as its strategy for long-term growth. His years of experience and vast network have been instrumental in identifying and cultivating critical, strategic partnerships between the Pulte Institute and companies, federal agencies, foundations, and private philanthropists.
Prior to joining the Pulte Institute, Offenhesier served as CEO and president of Oxfam America for 20 years. Under his leadership, Oxfam America grew eightfold and positioned itself as an influential voice on international development, human rights and governance, humanitarianism and foreign assistance.
Prior to joining Oxfam America, Offenheiser represented the Ford Foundation in Bangladesh and the Andean and Southern Cone regions of South America. He has directed programs for the Inter-American Foundation in Brazil and Colombia, and he has worked for the Save the Children Federation in Mexico. At the 2012 G20 Summit, he was appointed by the Obama administration to represent civil society interests on the leadership council of the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition in Africa.
Offenheiser has also served as honorary president of Wetlands International; he was a co-founder of the following organizations: ONE Campaign, the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network, and the Food Policy Action Network. He has served on the advisory boards of the World Economic Forum, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Aspen Institute, the World Agricultural Forum, the Gates Foundation, the Clinton Global Initiative, Harvard Business School, the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at Notre Dame, and Cornell University.
A 1971 graduate of Notre Dame, Offenheiser also holds a master’s degree in development sociology from Cornell University.