Richard D. Mahoney

Biographical Details
"Mahoney is the author of two books on the Kennedy administration: JFK: Ordeal in Africa (1983: Oxford University Press) and Sons and Brothers, The Days of Jack and Bobby Kennedy (1999: Arcade) as well as numerous articles and monographs on presidential history, foreign policy, international trade, and political risk. He has also published a volume of poetry in Spanish entitled Pétalos (1995: Editorial Tulum). Mahoney is fluent in Spanish, English and French and has written and taught in those languages.

"In addition to his academic work, Mahoney formed a foundation, Nuestra Familia, in 1998 that started social entrepreneurship projects (the creation of small profit centers that fund social justice and human development) in two Latin American countries.

"Mahoney was elected Secretary of State of Arizona in 1990 and ran for the United States Senate in 1994 and governor in 2002. He also served as chief speechwriter in the presidential campaigns of Senators Gary Hart and Paul Simon. Mahoney, is a fourth generation Arizonan. "

"Dick's father, William P. Mahoney, Jr., served as Maricopa County attorney and as a United States ambassador under President John F. Kennedy. Bill Mahoney led the fight to desegregate Arizona's public schools. His mother, Alice Mahoney, was the national chairwoman of the independent candidacy of Senator Eugene McCarthy for president. "