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Commission on Presidential Debates website:

 

Who runs the CPD? The CPD is governed by an independent Board of Directors. The CPD Board presently is jointly chaired by Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr., Dorothy S. Ridings and Kenneth Wollack. Although at the time the CPD was formed, co-founders Kirk and Fahrenkopf served, respectively, as chairmen of the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee, their terms ended in 1989. In the intervening 30 years, no sitting officer of either major party has had any affiliation with the CPD, and the major parties have no role whatsoever in running the CPD or setting its policies. In addition to the Co-Chairs, the current Board consists of the following distinguished Americans, all of whom volunteer their time to serve on the CPD Board:

 

John C. Danforth, Former U.S. Senator

Charles Gibson, Former Anchor, ABC World News with Charles Gibson

John Griffen, Managing Director, Allen & Company LLC

Yvonne Hao, Managing Director and Co-founder, Cove Hill Partners

Jane Harman, Director, President and CEO, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

Antonia Hernandez, President and CEO, California Community Foundation

Reverend John I. Jenkins, President, University of Notre Dame

Newton N. Minow, Senior Counsel, Sidley Austin LLP

Richard D. Parsons, Senior Advisor, Providence Equity Partners LLC

Olympia Snowe, Former U.S. Senator

 

How is the CPD Funded? The CPD receives no funding from the government or any political party, political action committee or candidate. The CPD obtains the funds required to produce its debates every four years and to support its ongoing voter education activities from the communities that host the debates and, to a lesser extent, from corporate, foundation and private donors. Donors have no input into the management of any of the CPD’s activities and have no input into the process by which the CPD selects debate participants.

 

Commission Leadership

Co-Chairs

 

Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr.

Dorothy S. Ridings

Kenneth Wollack

 

Honorary Co-Chairs

 

Gerald R. Ford*

Jimmy Carter

Ronald Reagan*

George W. Bush

Barack Obama

 

Co-Chair Emeritus

 

Paul G. Kirk, Jr.

 

Board of Directors

 

John C. Danforth

Charles Gibson

John Griffen

Yvonne Hao

Jane Harman

Antonia Hernandez

Reverend John I. Jenkins

Newton N. Minow

Richard D. Parsons

Olympia Snowe

Executive Director

 

Janet H. Brown

 

• Deceased

 

https://www.debates.org/about-cpd/overview/