WASHINGTON, DC – On November 2, the American Councils for International Education Board of Trustees was honored to announce the appointment of Ambassador Richard Morningstar as Trustee Emeritus in recognition of his exceptional and enduring contributions to the organization.
Ambassador Morningstar has been a foundational figure in American Councils' history, serving as a board member for over 25 years. His wisdom, global expertise, and financial acumen played a critical role in the structure and operations of American Councils.
Ambassador Morningstar's association with American Councils dates to his tenure as Special Adviser to the President and Secretary of State for Assistance to the Former Soviet Union during the Clinton Administration. His dedication to improving U.S. assistance led to the creation of the Teaching Excellence Awards and Teacher Exchange Program, benefiting English teachers across Russia.
In a significant chapter of Ambassador Morningstar's diplomatic career, he took a break from his Board service from 2009 to 2012 to serve as the Special Envoy for Eurasian Energy Security. Subsequently, he was appointed as the U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan. Ambassador Morningstar's unwavering support for American Council's activities in Azerbaijan established a fundamental precedent with the Azerbaijani government.
Following Ambassador Morningstar's retirement from government service, he took on multiple new roles. He founded the Center for Global Energy Security at the Atlantic Council and served as visiting faculty at Stanford University and the Kennedy School at Harvard University. Ambassador Morningstar also served on several non-profit and corporate boards.
“His years of service to American Councils on many different levels of our operations and his generous support of our mission over several decades place Dick Morningstar in a special class of Trustees,” said American Councils President Emeritus Dan Davidson during his remarks. “Dick symbolizes, I think, what the Board intended when creating the category of “Trustee Emeritus."
American Councils recognizes his exceptional leadership and looks forward to his continued association with the organization in this new distinguished role.