As President Emeritus of World Vision U.S., Rich Stearns continues to share his leadership influence by writing and speaking on behalf of the organization. He had the longest tenure of any president in its global history, serving from 1998 to 2018.

Rich holds a B.A. in neurobiology from Cornell University and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He joined World Vision to follow what he felt as a distinct call from God on his life, leaving a corporate career that included CEO roles at Lenox and Parker Brothers Games.

Over his two decades with the organization, Rich built a strong leadership team focused on bringing corporate best practices to the nonprofit sector. Logging 3 million air miles, he traveled to more than 60 of the nearly 100 countries in which World Vision has a presence. He served as a prophetic voice, calling on the American church to respond to the AIDS pandemic in the early 2000s and later raising awareness of the global refugee crisis and global poverty. As a thought leader, Rich appeared regularly in media outlets such as Christianity Today, FOX News, CNN, NPR, Charisma News, and Relevant magazine.

Among the honors Rich received for his humanitarian service are five honorary doctoral degrees and induction into the Society of World Changers at Indiana Wesleyan University in 2017. In 2018, he received the Julia Vadala Taft Outstanding Leadership Award from InterAction, as well as the Christian Leadership Alliance Consul Award (the Alliance’s highest honor).

Rich is the author of several books, including the best-selling, award-winning The Hole in Our Gospel. He also wrote Unfinished, as well as two books with his wife, Reneé – a children’s Bible storybook, God’s Love For You, and a 90-day devotional, He Walks Among Us.

Rich and Reneé live in Bellevue, Washington. They have five grown children and five grandchildren.