About Don

Through hundreds of articles, essays and interviews, Eberly has advocated the "third way" of relying more on voluntary civic institutions, or "mediating institutions," to meeting pressing social and humanitarian needs, to strengthen democracy at home and abroad, and to promote the renewal of core values.

The Praise of Others

Eberly's work and extensive writings on civil society have been widely praised by leading journalists and scholars for having helped to spawn renewal movements in the 1990s and beyond focusing on community-based approaches to social problem solving. Washington Post Columnist E.J. Dionne has said "Few know or care more about civil society than Don Eberly." Francis Fukuyama has said "Don Eberly has been at the center of this movement throughout the decade, both as an organizer and a writer and thinker." Amitai Etzioni has said: "Nobody is clearer on this important issue (civil society) than Eberly and few are his peers."

Influence Abroad

Eberly's work has influenced the international debate on civil society; he has spoken internationally and has authored a book on civil society in the 21st century that has been translated in Arabic and has been widely circulated in the Middle East. Don Eberly has authored or co-authored eight books on topics of community, culture, and civil society. (Please note books section of website.)

Influence Domestically

He has advised several Presidents and national figures on a bi-partisan basis. In 1995, Eberly contributed to the Presidents' Summit on Volunteerism in Philadelphia, Chaired by Colin Powell and participated in by all living former Presidents with the exception of Reagan. He has served on national study commissions focusing on civic renewal, including the Commission on Civic Renewal and the Council on Civil Society.

Movement Founder and Scholar

Eberly has founded several nationally recognized non-profit organizations to promote civic and democratic renewal, including the National Fatherhood Initiative, which is credited with having launched a national community-based social movement to renew committed, involved fatherhood.

Eberly has had numerous scholarly affiliations, including with the Institute for American Values, the George Gallup, Jr. International Institute and the Hudson Institute. Eberly's work has been covered by all major media networks, including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the LA Times, the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Governing Magazine, National Public Radio, National Public Television and more.

Eberly holds masters degrees in fields of government from George Washington University and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and has done Doctoral studies at the School of Public Affairs at Penn State University. 

PROFESSIONAL HISTORY

Don Eberly is a consultant, author, and speaker on of community-building, economic development and global civil society. Don Eberly has over 25 years of public policy experience which includes serving in key staff positions in the Congress and as a Presidential aid in the White House under Presidents Ronald Reagan and our current President, George Bush, where he held the position of Deputy Assistant to the President in 01-02. He has advised numerous other national figures.

Don played rolls in a variety of strategic policy reforms and initiatives in recent years. Don has served as in key international policy positions, including as Senior Counselor for International Civil Society at USAID, and as Director of Private Sector Outreach and Coordination for tsunami reconstruction at the State Department. He served for two years on Iraq, first as a Senior Ministry Advisor in Baghdad immediately following the invasion, then as Director of Social Policy and Private Assistance for Iraq at the Pentagon and State Department. For his service in Iraq, he earned the most distinguished medal for civilian service under joint military-civilian command.   

Don speaks widely to business and civic audiences on issues of civic renewal, corporate citizenship and the growing international movement to promote business-based development. Don is a nationally recognized author or co-author of 8 books, including The Essential Civil Society Reader, a widely used text on American concepts of civil society. One of his books, Building a Community of Citizens: Civil Society in the 21st Century, has been published in Arabic and is in wide circulation in the Middle East.

Don spent much of the 1990s as a social entrepreneur, founding or co-founding several nationally recognized non-profit organizations, including the Civil Society Project, which promotes innovation in community development and institution-building. He has held a number of think tank affiliations, including with the George Gallup, Jr. International Institute, the Institute for American Values, and the Hudson Institute, and his commentary has been carried by numerous national media outlets. He holds graduate degrees in government from George Washington University and Harvard University, and has done doctoral studies at Penn State University.