Roland J. Kushner has a B.A. in History (1981) from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and M.B.A. (1983) and Ph.D. (1994) degrees from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA.

From 1984 to 1987, Dr. Kushner was the first Managing Director of Bethlem Musikfest and was responsible for artistic programming and festival operations. From 1987 to 1990, he was Director of Development for Bach Choir of Bethlehem.

From 1992 through 1999, he was Assistant Professor of Economics and Business at Lafayette College in Easton, PA.

From 1999 until 2006, he led Kushner Management Advisory Services, a consulting company specializing in strategic management and policy analysis challenges facing nonprofit organizations. His clients included American Red Cross (International Services), RAND, Urban Institute, Pew Charitable Trusts, Opera America, Americans for the Arts, and Chorus America.

While consulting, he stayed active as an educator, teaching economics, buniess management, and nonprofit management at Moravian College, Lehigh University, Dexel Univerisity, and Ohio State University.

Immediately before joining the Muhlenberg faculty, Dr. Kushner was Interim Executive Director of WDIY-FM, the National Public Radio affiliate in the Lehigh Valley.

Dr. Kushner's research focuses on two main areas: nonprofit strategic management and organizational performance; and the economics of cultural industries. His work has been published in Journal of Cultural Economics, Nonprofit Management & Leadership, International Journal of Arts Management, and Nonprofit & Voluntary Sector Quarterly.

Dr. Kushner lives in Bethlehem with his wife Barbara. When not teaching and researching, he is a performing songwriter who appears occasionally in the Lehigh Valley.