Ruth Ann Harnisch

Philanthropist and coach Ruth Ann Harnisch serves as the president of the Harnisch Family Foundation, a nonprofit foundation she co-founded in 1998. In this position she has been instrumental in steering both foundation resources and major gifts from other philanthropists toward nonprofits dedicated to promoting women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, and diversity in the media. In addition, while serving as the chair of More than Money, an organization that links philanthropists to causes, Ruth Ann Harnisch was exposed to the emerging field of coaching. Inspired, she earned International Association of Coaching master certification and founded the Institute of Coaching at Harvard Medical School affiliated Mclean Hospital, with the aim of establishing a scientific grounding for the field based on rigorous academic research.

Prior to her career as a philanthropist and coach, Ruth Ann Harnisch was an accomplished journalist. The first female news anchor in Nashville, Tennessee, she earned an Emmy-nomination for her TV reporting. She also served as a columnist for the Nashville Banner for 17 years and hosted a talk-radio program on WLAC-AM. For her work in philanthropy and journalism she has earned honorary degrees from both Kennesaw State University and Baruch College, and was named among the 50 most powerful women in philanthropy by Philanthropy Today.

While no longer working as a journalist, she continues to be involved in the media, most recently serving as an executive producer on the award-winning documentary The Hunting Ground.