Aspen Institute Names Dr. Angel Cabrera as Incoming President and CEO

President of the Georgia Institute of Technology to succeed outgoing President and CEO Dan Porterfield this fall

Washington, D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - June 15, 2026) - The Aspen Institute - a global leadership and convening organization founded in 1949 - announced today that Dr. Ángel Cabrera has been appointed as incoming President and CEO, following a unanimous vote by the Institute's Board of Trustees. 

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Dr. Cabrera was appointed following a Board-led search process that began in the Fall of 2025. Currently serving as President of the Georgia Institute of Technology, he is an internationally respected champion of values-based leadership with a multidisciplinary background who has led major educational institutions across the United States and Europe.

"Our search process was guided by a clear goal: to identify a leader who could both honor the Aspen Institute's extraordinary legacy and lead us into our next chapter of service and impact - and in Ángel, we found exactly that," said Margot Pritzker, Chair of the Aspen Institute Board of Trustees. "He brings to this role distinguished leadership experience, a global perspective, and a deep commitment to the Aspen Institute's mission and community. Most importantly, he embodies the values that define our organization: a belief in the power of dialogue across difference, a commitment to human dignity, and a dedication to leadership as a force for the common good. With Ángel as our next President and CEO, I am confident that we will advance our mission and work in the years to come with openness, courage, and optimism."

"The Aspen Institute occupies a rare and vital place in the world - a place where honest dialogue, principled leadership, and a belief in human possibility converge in service of a stronger society," said Dr. Ángel Cabrera, incoming President and CEO of the Aspen Institute and current President of the Georgia Institute of Technology. "I have been part of this community for many years, including as a Henry Crown Fellow, and I know firsthand the power of this organization to change how people see themselves, each other, and what they can do together. It is an honor to be entrusted with leading it forward. I am deeply grateful to Margot and the Board for their confidence, to Dan for the strong and vibrant institution he has helped shape, and to the entire Aspen Institute community for the warmth and purpose I have already encountered. I cannot wait to get to work."

"Ángel Cabrera is an exceptional choice, and I could not be more excited for the Aspen Institute's future," said Dan Porterfield, outgoing President and CEO of the Aspen Institute. "He brings to this role a depth of experience, a genuine intellectual curiosity, and an instinct for building community that will serve this organization extremely well. He understands what the Aspen Institute is and why it matters, and is exactly the right leader to carry its remarkable legacy forward."

Dr. Cabrera is a globally recognized leader with a distinguished record of building institutions that advance innovation, expand access to opportunity, and prepare rising generations to thrive. Since becoming the 12th President of the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2019, he has guided the university through a period of remarkable growth - enrollment has increased by 55 percent to more than 56,000 students - while annual sponsored research awards have surpassed $1.4 billion, making Georgia Tech the top-ranked university in the nation in total research expenditures among institutions without a medical school. He has also overseen the development of major new research centers in artificial intelligence, neuroscience, and space, and championed Georgia Tech's role as an anchor of innovation and economic development in Atlanta. Prior to Georgia Tech, Dr. Cabrera served for seven years as President of George Mason University, where he led the institution to R1 research status, the largest enrollment growth of any Virginia university, and established a campus in South Korea.

"President Cabrera's true impact on Georgia Tech goes well beyond the numbers," said Sonny Perdue, Chancellor of the University System of Georgia. "He's been a constant, visible force, listening to stakeholders at every level, cheering on their success and solidifying Georgia Tech's reputation as a world-class, global research institution. The Tech community likes to say, 'we can do that,' and Ángel has done it, which means we have our work cut out for us to maintain this momentum when he leaves. The system is grateful for his leadership, and we wish him well in this new chapter."

Earlier in his career, Dr. Cabrera served as President of the Thunderbird School of Global Management - now a part of Arizona State University - and as Dean of IE Business School in Madrid. As a scholar and educator, his work on knowledge management and organizational behavior has been cited thousands of times. He has been recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and a Great Immigrant by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and is the first person born in Spain to serve as president of an American university.

Dr. Cabrera earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in psychology and cognitive science from Georgia Tech - which he attended as a Fulbright Scholar - and undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer and electrical engineering from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. He serves on the boards of the Association of American Universities, the Bankinter Innovation Foundation, the Metro Atlanta Chamber, the National Geographic Society, and TIAA, and he is a member of the Harvard College Visiting Committee. 

A longtime member of the Aspen Institute community, Dr. Cabrera is a 2008 Henry Crown Fellow and past Aspen Ideas Festival speaker. As President of Georgia Tech, he also serves on the steering committee of the American Talent Initiative, a coalition of top colleges and universities co-led by the Institute's College Excellence Program.

Dr. Cabrera joins the Aspen Institute during a period of sustained growth and momentum. Over the past decade, the Institute approved a new and ambitious strategic plan, launched and has already raised more than $340 million toward a historic $450 million campaign, and has significantly grown its programs and impact. Since 2018, the Institute has nearly doubled its annual revenue and quadrupled its endowment, brought new energy to flagship events like the Aspen Ideas Festival, and launched major initiatives to strengthen societal trust, elevate values-based leadership, and empower youth and young adults.

Dr. Cabrera will begin his service as President and CEO on November 1, 2026. Outgoing President and CEO Dan Porterfield will remain in his role through July 2, 2026, concluding eight years of dedicated and impactful leadership. Porterfield announced in February that he would depart this summer to become the CEO of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation - a national philanthropy based in Northern Virginia - and the Chair of the National Board of Directors of Teach For America.

During the interim period from July 3 through October 31, 2026, Maria Acebal will serve as Interim President and CEO. Acebal currently serves as the Aspen Institute's Executive Vice President for Strategy and Corporate Secretary and is known across the organization as a trusted leader, strategic thinker, and driving force in advancing its mission. She will guide the Institute through the transition period, ensuring momentum across its work and positioning the organization for a successful next chapter.

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The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society's greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.

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