Heritage Foundation Leadership for America

Charles A. "Chuck" Donovan brings more than three decades at the forefront of national debates on strengthening families and protecting life to a new role as Senior Research Fellow in The Heritage Foundation's DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society.

Donovan focuses on policy research, writing and issue development to advance the fundamental institutions of family and religion.

He arrived at Heritage in August 2009 as a 20-year veteran of leadership and policy roles at the Family Research Council, most recently serving nearly five years as executive vice president.

As a principal architect of FRC, Donovan was instrumental in its rise as a leading U.S. research and policy organization for family issues. He served as acting chief executive officer from 1999 to 2001, before starting the policy consulting firm Donovan and Associates. Over the years, his policy work has ranged from the right to life and welfare reform to bioethics and human trafficking.

Donovan has drafted, advocated or testified in favor of landmark pro-family legislation such as family choice in child care, the $500-per-child tax credit, the Defense of Marriage Act, marriage tax penalty relief and anti-pornography measures, including online protections for children.  He founded the Coalition for Family-Friendly Media, a network of national groups that campaigned for "cable choice" and enforcement of broadcast decency laws.

Donovan first joined FRC after eight years of putting his research and communication skills to work for President Ronald Reagan, originally as a writer at the White House and eventually moving up to deputy director of presidential correspondence.  He prepared and edited letters, proclamations, policy papers and commentaries for President Reagan.

From 1978 to 1981, Donovan was legislative director of the National Right to Life Committee.

Donovan is the author or co-author of several books and a host of monographs on family topics.  Appearances on national radio and television include CNN's Inside Politics and ABC's Nightline as well as programs on FOX, BBC, NPR and CBN. 

His articles and commentaries, both under his own name and those of public figures, have been published in newspapers such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Washington Times, Cincinnati Enquirer, San Diego Union and National Catholic Register, and in magazines such as Reader's Digest, Weekly Standard, American Legion, World Magazine, American Library Journal and Focus on the Family's Citizen.

A native of Louisville, Ky., Donovan grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio.  He earned a bachelor of arts degree in English at the University of Notre Dame.

He and his wife, Meg, reside in Manassas, Va. They have two daughters and two sons.