trustees

ALISON RICHARD
Alison Richard is a British anthropologist and conservationist. She received her undergraduate degree in Anthropology at Cambridge University, and her doctorate from London University.  In 1972, she was appointed Assistant Professor at Yale University, and went on to become the Franklin Muzzy Crosby Professor of the Human Environment, Director of the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History (1991-1994) and Yale Provost (1994-2002).  In this last role, she had operational responsibility for the University’s financial and academic programs and planning. From 2003-2010, Richard was Vice Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, a position carrying the responsibilities of university president.  During her tenure, she led several major changes in university policy, reorganized management of the University’s endowment, expanded Cambridge’s global partnerships, and supported development of the Cambridge Conservation Initiative. Her achievements received recognition in 2010, when she was awarded a DBE (Dame Commander of the British Empire) for her services to Higher Education.

Richard is best known for her research on lemurs in the forests of southern Madagascar and for her longstanding conservation activities in that country.  She currently chairs the Advisory Boards of the Cambridge Conservation Initiative and the Yale Peabody Museum, is a member of the Arcadia Advisory Board and a trustee of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in addition to serving as co-trustee of the Liz Claiborne & Art Ortenberg Foundation. She has received numerous honorary degrees, and in 2005 was appointed Officier de l’Ordre National in Madagascar.

VICTOR A. KOVNER
Victor Kovner is an attorney practicing law in the State of New York.  He received his undergraduate degree in History at Yale College in 1958, and his JD from Columbia Law School in 1961.  In 1990 and 1991, Kovner served as Corporation Counsel of the City of New York, the City’s Chief Legal Officer. Prior thereto, he served for 14 years on the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct, concluding as its Chair.  

Kovner was the attorney for Arthur Ortenberg for many years prior to Mr. Ortenberg’s death, and serves as Executor of the Estate of Arthur Ortenberg, and Trustee of the Elisabeth Claiborne Residuary Trust.  Since Mr. Ortenberg’s death, Kovner has served with Alison Richard as Co-Trustee of the Liz Claiborne and Art Ortenberg Foundation.

He currently is a partner at the law firm Davis Wright Tremaine LLP. He represents national and regional broadcast and print media clients in all aspects of communications law, in addition to his work in intellectual property and commercial litigation. He advises clients in cases of alleged defamation, privacy, copyright, press access, and reporter’s privilege and other First Amendment issues.

Kovner represents a wide range of clients, both public and private entities, in matters involving the media, advertising and the arts, including newspapers, motion picture producers and television and cable companies.