Robert J. Abernethy JHU’62

SAIS Board of Advisors, Member

Robert J. Abernethy is Chairman of American Standard Development Company, Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions, and Managing Director of Metropolitan Investments. Robert received a BA from Johns Hopkins University, an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, certificates in Real Estate and Construction from UCLA and was formerly the Controller of the Technology Division of Hughes Aircraft Company.

Robert is a member of the Advisory Council of the School of Advanced International Studies (Washington and Bologna) as well as Trustees of Johns Hopkins University, Davidson College and Loyola Marymount University. He serves as Vice-Chairman of the Atlantic Council and is on the executive Board of the International Refugee Assistance Project. He is also a member of the Chairman’s Forum of CFR and the State Department Advisory Committee on International Economic Policy. Bob is a member of the Board of Trustees for Brookings and serves on the Boards of RAND Center for Global Risk & Security, New Leaders Council, Truman National Security Project, Integrity Initiatives International, Los Angeles World Affairs Council as well as Center for National Policy. Bob is also a member of the Foreign Policy Advisory Council with the Center for American Progress.

He serves on the UCLA Arts Board, UCLA Health Systems Board and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He is also Vice Chairman of the Music Center of Los Angeles.

Robert served as Commissioner of California Transportation Commission, Los Angeles Telecommunications Commission, and Los Angeles Planning & Zoning Commission and was Director of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Metropolitan Water District. He was a Member of the California State Board of Education and of the California Arts Council.