Heartland Initiative, Inc. is a nonprofit practice-based research organization that promotes the fundamental rights and freedoms of people in conflict-affected and high-risk areas. Heartland’s work responds to a growing need at the intersection of business and human rights, where public and private stakeholders understand that business activities can contribute to either the escalation or mitigation of conflicts and their attendant human rights violations.
Through tailored learning services, Heartland works with stakeholders to develop solutions that simultaneously prevent and mitigate human rights harms while managing the heightened legal, reputational, and financial risks faced by companies and investors in conflict-affected and high-risk areas.
Sam Jones, President
Prior to co-founding Heartland, Sam served as Associate Director of the Human Rights Program at The Carter Center, which included mining and human rights programming in Democratic Republic of Congo. Sam previously managed community development programs in Iraq and Jordan and led assessment missions to Israel-Palestine, Lebanon, and Afghanistan for Counterpart International. Sam also worked for American Near East Refugee Aid in the Gaza Strip. He earned his master’s degree in International Peace and Conflict Resolution from American University’s School of International Service. Sam is a native of western North Carolina and a graduate of the University of North Carolina-Asheville.
Rich Stazinski, Executive Director
Before co-founding Heartland, Rich served in research, nonprofit leadership, and governmental advocacy positions with Telos Group, the Save Darfur Coalition, Citizens for Global Solutions, the Stanley Foundation, Max Planck Institute for Economics, and the Human Resource Investment Council for the State of Indiana. Rich is a native of Northwest Indiana, where he began his professional career as the campaign manager for U.S. Representative Peter J. Visclosky. He has a Master of Public Affairs degree in Nonprofit Management and International Affairs from Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs.