John Templeton Foundation

The John Templeton Foundation is a philanthropic organization that funds inter-disciplinary research about human purpose and ultimate reality.

The mission of the Foundation is to serve:

...as a philanthropic catalyst for discoveries relating to the Big Questions of human purpose and ultimate reality. We support research on subjects ranging from complexity, evolution, and infinity to creativity, forgiveness, love, and free will. We encourage civil, informed dialogue among scientists, philosophers, and theologians and between such experts and the public at large, for the purposes of definitional clarity and new insights.

Our vision is derived from the late Sir John Templeton's optimism about the possibility of acquiring "new spiritual information" and from his commitment to rigorous scientific research and related scholarship. The Foundation's motto, "How little we know, how eager to learn," exemplifies our support for open-minded inquiry and our hope for advancing human progress through breakthrough discoveries.

History

The Foundation was established by John Templeton in 1987. In a 1995 memo, Templeton stated:

"The main purpose of the John Templeton Foundation is to encourage the top 1/10 of 1% of people and thereby encourage all people to think that progress in spiritual information is possible, desirable, can be done and will be done."

From 1996 to 2009, planetary scientist Charles Harper served as the Foundation's Executive Director. Harper's departure, a year after John Templeton's death, was attributed to differences with his son, Jack Templeton.

Some observers suggested that the foundation's longstanding links with conservative think-tanks were likely to become more overt as a result of Jack Templeton's political views.

Jack Templeton died in 2015.

Funding

The John Templeton Foundation has provided funding to Civitas, donating $8,801 in 2006 and $1,955 in 2007. Civitas set up the Centre for Social Cohesion in 2007, with funding of £274,669.

People

Office of the President and Chairman

• Dr. Jack Templeton, President and Chairman.
• Roseann Wolf, Executive Coordinator.
• Doris Hackl, Administrative Associate.
• Harriet Morrison, Office Support Associate.

Office of the Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer

• Douglas W. Scott, Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer.
• Nancy Clark, Executive Associate.

Office of the Executive Vice President, General Counsel

• Dawn Bryant, Esq., Executive Vice President, General Counsel.
• Robyn D. Harris, Manager, Legal Operations.
• Maureen Leidy, Executive Associate.

Office of the Executive Vice President, Strategic Initiatives

• Barnaby Marsh, D.Phil., Executive Vice President, Strategic Initiatives and Managing Director, Philanthropic Leadership Network.
• Marlene J. Ryan, Executive Coordinator.
• Rozanne Tarlecky, Administrative Associate.

Office of the Executive Vice President, Programs

• Michael J. Murray, Ph.D., Executive Vice President, Programs.
• Christina Van Riper, Executive Associate.
• Lilija Oleaga, Administrative Associate.

Program | Character Virtue Development

• Sarah Hertzog, Ph.D., Program Officer, Character Virtue Development.
• Caitlin Younce, Program Associate.

Program | Freedom and Free Enterprise

• Daniel Austin Green, Director, Freedom and Free Enterprise.
• Roberta Herzberg, Ph.D., Assistant Director, Freedom and Free Enterprise.
• Jessica Despres, Program Associate.

Program | Human Sciences

• Kimon H. Sargeant, Ph.D., Vice President, Human Sciences.
• Nicholas J.S. Gibson, Ph.D., Program Officer, Human Sciences.
• Megan C. Graziano, Senior Program Associate.

Program | Humble Approach Initiative

• Mary Ann Meyers, Ph.D., Senior Fellow.

Program | Life Sciences and Genetics

• Paul K. Wason, Ph.D., Vice President, Life Sciences and Genetics.
• Kevin Arnold, Ph.D., Program Officer, Life Sciences and Genetics.
• Heather Micklewright, Program Associate, Peer Lead.

Program | Mathematical and Physical Sciences

• Daniel Darg, D.Phil., Program Officer, Mathematical and Physical Sciences.
• Redmond Brubaker, Program Associate.

Program | Philosophy and Theology

• John Churchill, Ph.D., Director, Philosophy and Theology.
• Alexander Arnold, Ph.D., Program Officer, Philosophy and Theology.
• Daniel Martin, Program Associate.

Program | Strategic Program Initiatives

• Christopher Stawski, Director, Strategic Program Initiatives.
• Ayako Fukui, Ph.D., Program Officer, Strategic Program Initiatives.
• Chelsea Nunziato, Program Associate.

Templeton Prize

• Joanna Almond, Director, Special Meetings.
• Lynn Coletta, Special Meetings Coordinator.
• Patricia LaVine, Administrative Associate.

Communications and Public Affairs

• Earl D. Whipple, Vice President, Communications and Public Affairs.
• Christopher Levenick, Director, Academic Engagement.
• John Seel, Ph.D., Director, Cultural Communications and Engagement.
• Drew Rick-Miller, Manager, Religious Engagement.
• Clio Alexandra Mallin, Communications Specialist.
• Alyssa Settefrati, Communications Specialist.
• Jessica Muni, Engagement Associate.

Finance and Accounting

• Valerie K. Martin, Chief Financial Officer.
• Stephen Lepkowski, Controller.
• Marianne Haruch, Assistant Controller.
• Doreen J. Bobrow, Senior Accountant.
• Patricia Puyans, Accounting Administrator.
• Kimberly A. Ruley, Accountant.
• Sylvia Shvartsman, Accounts Payable and Payroll Associate.
• Holly C. Zajac, Administrative Associate.

Grants Administration

• Helen Corr, Grants Administrator.
• Susan Wente, Grants Administrator.

Human Resources

• Felicia Smith, Director, Chief Human Resource Officer.
• Emily Hoffman, PHR, Human Resource Administrator.
• Susan Sims, Office Support Associate, Operations.
• Patricia Laird, Office Support Associate.

Information Technology

• John C. Witcoski, Director, Information Technology.
• Edward Phethean, Systems Administrator.
• Adam Lerman, Application Support Analyst.

Investments

• Jinde Guo, Senior Managing Director, Investments.
• Nathan Newport, Investment Manager.
• Melissa Malan, Administrative Associate.

Philanthropic Outreach

• Barnaby Marsh, D.Phil., Executive Vice President, Strategic Initiatives and Managing Director, Philanthropic Leadership Network.
• Jim Pitofsky, Managing Director, Strategic Alliances.
• Ericka Peterson, Research Analyst, Philanthropic Outreach.

Planning and Evaluation

• Stephen Fitzmier, Director, Planning and Evaluation.
• Nicole Trentacoste, Senior Officer, Planning and Evaluation.
• Christopher Strawbridge, Officer, Planning and Evaluation.
• Derek Leonard, Program Associate, Planning and Evaluation.

Program Operations

• Paul Mullin, Director, Program Operations.
• Christina Gentile-Paytas, Program Operations Coordinator.
• Rachel Goldbaum, Quality Assurance Administrator.

Contact

John Templeton Foundation

300 Conshohocken State Road

Suite 500

West Conshohocken, PA 19428 USA

Telephone: (610) 941-2828

Fax: (610) 825-1730