EKR President, Ken Ross
Ken Ross is the founder and President of the Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Foundation, established in 2006 to preserve, protect, and extend the work of his mother, Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, whose contributions fundamentally shaped modern understanding of death, dying, and the human experience. He served as President from 2006–2013 and again from 2018 to the present, and previously served on the Board of the Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Center from 1989–2005.
From childhood through adulthood, Ken accompanied his mother on extensive international travel, observing her lectures, workshops, and interactions with patients, families, clinicians, and educators around the world. These early experiences fostered a deep appreciation for cultural perspectives on illness, loss, and healing. Over the course of his life, Ken has traveled to more than 112 countries, an experience that continues to inform his global outlook and his commitment to culturally responsive, internationally grounded end-of-life education. In the final nine years of Dr. Kübler-Ross’s life, he served as her primary caregiver until her death in 2004. These formative years established a lifelong dedication to ensuring that her work is carried forward with integrity, relevance, and care.
For nearly four decades, Ken has overseen Dr. Kübler-Ross’s legal, copyright, and intellectual property affairs, providing long-term continuity and ethical stewardship of her writings and teachings. As President of the Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Foundation, he leads global public relations and strategic partnerships; maintains relationships with more than 80 international publishing partners across 44 languages; supports 12 international Foundation chapters; and curates Dr. Kübler-Ross’s personal and professional archives. Under his leadership, the Foundation has delivered live, in-person educational programming in more than 20 countries over the past five years.
In 2019, marking the 50th anniversary of On Death and Dying, Ken and his family curated and donated a significant collection of Dr. Kübler-Ross’s personal and professional archives to Stanford University, ensuring long-term scholarly access while preserving the historical and human context of her work. During this milestone year, he also appeared in major international media outlets—including Radiolab, BBC Witness History, Irish National Radio, and ABC Australia—reflecting on the continued relevance of Dr. Kübler-Ross’s work in contemporary end-of-life care.
Extending the Foundation’s international mission, the Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Foundation entered into a partnership with St. Luke’s Hospital to launch a Compassionate Community Program in Singapore in 2026, in collaboration with government partners. The program is designed to address the needs of Singapore’s aging population through community-based education, engagement, and end-of-life care initiatives.
Ken was named an Honorary Faculty Member at the University of Indonesia’s School of Economics in Jakarta in 2023. In recognition of his international contributions to grief education, compassionate care, and thanatology, he received the Medal of Thanatology Merit from the Association of Mexican Physiotherapy & Thanatology in 2025. He has also been awarded a Certificate of Commendation from United States Senator Harry Reid (Nevada) for his leadership and public service in advancing end-of-life awareness and education.
Ken also serves as Vice President of Open to Hope and is a member of the Advisory Council of the Humane Prison Hospice Project, supporting compassionate care, grief education, and dignity at the end of life.