Richard Stengel

Richard Stengel
8th Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs
In office
February 14, 2014 – December 8, 2016
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byTara Sonenshine
Succeeded bySteve Goldstein
Chairperson and CEO of the National Constitution Center
In office
March 1, 2004 – June 1, 2006
Preceded byJoe Torsella
Succeeded byJoe Torsella
Personal details
Born (1955-05-02) May 2, 1955 (age 69)
New York City, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMary Pfaff
Children2
EducationPrinceton University (BA)
Christ Church, Oxford

Richard Allen Stengel (born May 2, 1955) is an American editor, author, and former government official.[1] He was Time magazine's 16th managing editor from 2006 to 2013.[2] He was also chief executive of the National Constitution Center from 2004 to 2006, and served as President Obama's Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs from 2014 to 2016.[3][4][5] Stengel has written a number of books, including a collaboration with Nelson Mandela on Mandela's autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom.[6][7]

His 2019 book, Information Wars: How we Lost the Battle Against Disinformation and What to Do About It, recounts his time in the State Department countering Russian disinformation and ISIS propaganda.[8] In December 2022, Audible released Stengel's 10-part podcast, Mandela: The Lost Tapes, which uses more than 60 hours of taped interviews Stengel did with Mandela for Long Walk to Freedom.[9]

  1. ^ "'Time' Names 16th Managing Editor: Richard Stengel". Ad Age. May 17, 2006. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  2. ^ Katharine Q. Seelye (May 18, 2006). "Richard Stengel Is Chosen to Be Top Editor at Time". The New York Times. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
  3. ^ "Paper: Time magazine editor to be new National Constitution Center president". Associated Press. Associated Press. February 2, 2004.
  4. ^ Pompeo, Joe; Byers, Dylan (September 12, 2013). "Stengel leaving Time for State Dept". POLITICO. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  5. ^ "Foreign Service Retirements, and State Department Farewells and Departures". December 8, 2016. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
  6. ^ Anne Marie Welsh (May 20, 1990). "Journalist Paints a South African Reality". San Diego Union-Tribune.
  7. ^ Beresford, David (November 13, 1992). "Ghost Writer Hired To Speed Way Of Mandela Story". The Guardian (London).
  8. ^ Stengel, Richard. Information Wars. Grove Atlentic.
  9. ^ Soloski, Alexis (November 30, 2022). "In 'Mandela: The Lost Tapes,' a Veteran Journalist Finds Himself". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 31, 2023.