David Levinson is one of the seven children of Robert “Bob” Levinson, considered to be the longest-held hostage in American history.
After Bob was taken captive by Iranian authorities in March 2007, David and the Levinson family relentlessly advocated for Bob’s safe return, building relationships across the United States government and private industries, and with other hostages and their families.
The Levinson family’s tireless efforts, along with the help of the Foley Foundation, resulted in the passing of the Robert Levinson Act in 2020, which strengthens government resources to bring back American hostages. David has been a vocal advocate for action, publicly pressing for hostages and their families through multiple published opinion pieces and media interviews, including on CNN, NBC, Iran International, and Voice of America.
David began his professional career in the classroom as a Teach for America corps member, as did Jim Foley. David later became a coach for special education instruction and continues to work with the organization today, leading hiring and retention initiatives as the Managing Director of Strategy, People, and Operations. His deep commitment to service and desire to advocate on behalf of hostages and their families will continue in his work on the board of the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation.
David graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the Emory University and has his Master’s of Education from Hunter College. He and his family live in Connecticut.
