Meet Rita and Gustave Hauser
Rita E. Hauser
Rita E. Hauser is President of The Hauser Foundation. She is an international lawyer and former senior partner at the New York City law firm, Stroock & Stroock & Lavan where she was a senior partner for more than twenty years. Dr. Hauser served on the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board from 2001 to 2004.
Known for her public service and philanthropic work, she is interested in international conflict resolution, security and human rights. Dr. Hauser chairs The International Peace Academy (a research organization affiliated with the United Nations) and is Chair of the Advisory Board of the International Crisis Group. She was the Founding Chair of The Advisory Board of the RAND Center for Middle East Public Policy. She is a director of many organizations, including: The International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, the RAND Corporation, the International Advisory Council of The Lowy Institute for International Policy, Sydney, Australia; and the International Board, The Center for International Governance Innovation (Canada). She serves on the Visiting Committee of the John F. Kennedy School at Harvard University, and is Vice-Chairman of the Dean's Advisory Board at Harvard Law School. Dr. Hauser was National Co-Chair of the last Harvard University Campaign. She holds advanced degrees from the University of Strasbourg in France, Harvard and NYU Law Schools, and the University of Paris Law Faculty.
She is Director of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, and was a Director of the New York Philharmonic Society for more than twenty years.
In April of 1997 she and her husband founded The Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Harvard University, and she is Chair of its Advisory Board. The Hausers were the principal benefactors of the Hauser Global Law School Program at New York University which supports the Global Scholars Program and Visiting Global Faculty. It is the centerpiece of the Law School 's global initiative. Dr. Hauser was recently elected to the Board of Trustees of New York University Law School.
She was awarded The Albert Gallatin Medal, the highest honor for public service of New York University (2006), and The Vanderbilt Medal, the highest honor of New York University School of Law (2004), as well as The Harvard Medal for distinguished service to Harvard University (1999).
Gustave M. Hauser
Gustave M. Hauser (LL.M. '57) a pioneer of the modern cable television industry, has been responsible for developing many innovations such as the MTV Music Television and Nickelodeon (children's) television networks. As Chairman and CEO of Warner Cable Communications, Inc., he has for over three decades played a major leadership role in cable television and other communications services.
He is also committed to public service philanthropy. The Hausers established The Hauser Foundation and are Directors of The Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Harvard and serve on the Executive Committee of The Harvard Committee on University Resources. He was appointed by the President of the United States as a Director of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (the U.S. Government insurance company responsible for encouraging private foreign investment). He has served as Vice Chairman of the National Cable Television Association and is Vice Chairman of The Museum of Television and Radio.
He holds law degrees from Harvard Law School, NYU School of Law and the University of Paris, France.