Richard Slaven, Ph.D.
Director of Dignifunding


Life & Work

Richard L. Slaven, Ph.D., is the HumanDHS Director of Dignifunding, and the Recipient of the 2014 HumanDHS Lifetime Award.

Until 2008, Richard Louis Slaven was the Administrator of the Martin Fisher School of Physics at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He holds a B.S. degree in Physics and Mathematics, a M.S. in Nuclear Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration.

For 20 years he was a Superintendent of public schools in Oregon, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Massachusetts, overseeing $ 25,000,000 budgets and over 400 faculty and staff. Prior to this, he was a nuclear engineer at Battelle Memorial Institute and an assistant to the Provost at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. He also worked as executive assistant to the Executive Director of the American Association of School Administrators in Washington, DC.

Dr. Slaven has presented keynote addresses and workshops on leadership and employee development to hundreds of educational and wellness groups throughout the US. He believes strongly in the worth and dignity of all people. During his Superintendency years his primary focus was on developing outstanding educational programs for underprivileged and/or under-challenged students.

Please see:
•  Richard Slaven's Speech on Leadership in Towson, Maryland, on November 2, 1990, part 1, part 2, part 3.
•  Speech on Leadership by Richard Slaven, PhD, August 30, 1990, Milwaukee School District Staff West-Allis, Wisconsin, part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5.