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Dame Louise Richardson is president of the Andrew Carnegie Foundation, the philanthropic foundation established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911. Previously, she served as vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford and of the University of St. Andrews.

A native of Ireland, she studied history in Trinity College Dublin before gaining her PhD at Harvard University, where she spent 20 years on the faculty of the Department of Government and latterly as executive dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. She currently sits on numerous advisory boards, including the International Advisory Council of the Blavatnik School of Government which she chairs.  She also serves as a trustee of Booker Prize Foundation.  

A political scientist by training, Louise Richardson is recognized internationally as an expert on terrorism and counterterrorism. She has written numerous books and articles on international terrorism, British foreign and defense policy, security institutions, and international relations; lectured to public, professional, media, and education groups; and served on editorial boards for several journals and presses.

Louise’s many awards have recognized the excellence of her teaching and scholarship, including twelve honorary degrees, and the Centennial Medal bestowed on her in 2013 by Harvard’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences for “having the vision to assess emerging threats, for transformative leadership, and for moving seamlessly between the roles of scholar and teacher.”

In 2022, Louise was appointed a Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (DBE) in recognition of her services to higher education. In 2024, the French government named Richardson a Chevalier in the Order of Arts and Letters for advancing arts and culture and for furthering ties between the U.S. and France. In 2026, she was named to the TIME100 Philanthropy list for her leadership in philanthropic giving, supporting libraries in the US and encouraging young people to contribute to society through voluntary, paid services.