Robert “Chip” Harrod, J.D., M.A., is the principal of Harrod and Associates LLC. A well known Cincinnati civic leader, Chip previously served as Executive Director of the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ), then as president and CEO of BRIDGES for a Just Community, an organization that for many years was regarded as our region’s leading human relations agency. In these capacities, he grew the organization from $187K and 3 staff to $2M and 11 FTEs. Chip was the originator and founding president of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, was a leader in the repeal of Cincinnati’s anti-gay City charter amendment, was a leading consultant in police-community relations, organized the Interfaith Celebration of Cincinnati’s Bicentennial and initiated numerous inter-religious dialogues, and was a leading voice for our community’s acceptance and inclusion of Hispanics, Muslims and the LGBTQ community. Chip served two terms on the Ohio Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights. A former attorney and college administrator, Chip’s strengths are in board relations, executive coaching, mediation, human relations, community networking, fundraising and program development.
Presently, Chip is the executive director of EquaSion (Equality. Spirituality. Inclusion.) formerly the Bridges of Faith Trialogue, a nonprofit that delivers educational programs informed by an on-going conversation among Cincinnati’s diverse faith communities representing a dozen world religions. In 2018, in response to the upsurge in hate crimes and bias incidents, Chip and a team of “Trialogians” organized the Cincinnati Regional Coalition Against Hate. Also in that year and every year since, Chip has directed the Cincinnati Festival of Faiths, a celebration of Cincinnati’s rich religious diversity that in its second year attracted 3,000 attendees and the participation of 32 faith communities, making it the largest and most inclusive gathering of faith traditions ever assembled in our region’s history. In the immediate aftermath of the George Floyd tragedy in 2020, EquaSion under Chip’s leadership created the A Mighty Stream program involving more than 30 faith communities uniting around and serving the cause of racial justice through “sacred activism.”
Chip has also been the diversity consultant to the City of Montgomery OH’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee since 2018, a rare suburban municipal initiative that has received national and local recognition for its innovation.
Over the years Chip has been honored by numerous organizations for his civic contributions, and upon his retirement from BRIDGES in 2011 an article written about him in The Cincinnati Enquirer was headlined, “Chip Harrod’s conscience was city’s guide.” In addition to spending time with his family, Chip enjoys cycling, poetry, lacrosse, and Ohio State football.
HARROD + ASSOCIATES 