Rick Luftglass

Rick Luftglass is a philanthropy executive known for his leadership as executive director of the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund, where he has overseen programs to expand access and opportunity for New Yorkers. Under Luftglass's direction, the Illumination Fund has launched initiatives such as Arts in Health, which uses the arts to address mental health stigma, trauma, and aging-related diseases. He has also developed public-private partnerships to address food insecurity and health disparities in underserved communities. Luftglass employs collaborative strategies that engage multiple sectors and support comprehensive community change in urban philanthropy.

Luftglass's career includes roles in the private, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors. He spent 16 years at Pfizer, serving as executive director of the Pfizer Foundation and senior director of corporate philanthropy and community engagement, where he led national efforts to expand health care access for low-income and uninsured patients and developed community health advocacy programs. His consulting work has supported foundations such as the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and he has served as a grants reviewer for federal neighborhood revitalization initiatives. Luftglass's leadership includes board service as president of the Center for Traditional Music and Dance and as a board member of Philanthropy New York, where he co-chaired the foundation CEO Roundtable.

A graduate of Stanford University Graduate School of Business and Haverford College, Luftglass has expertise in grantmaking, strategy development, and partnership building across health care, education, arts, and community development. His public speaking engagements, including at the Aspen Ideas Festival, demonstrate his ability to address complex urban challenges through philanthropic strategies. Luftglass is recognized for his commitment to equity, cross-sector collaboration, and advancing the impact of philanthropy in urban communities.