Robert J. Hildreth

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Robert (Bob) J. Hildreth, is the founder of Inversant, the Hildreth Institute, and La Vida Scholars. Following a career in Latin American finance at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Citibank, Drexel Burnham Lambert, and his own brokering company, International Bank Services, Bob entered the nonprofit world to focus on issues of immigration and education. His first venture was the creation of an HIV hospice in Los Angeles in 1988 at the height of the epidemic. He learned that for him, effective philanthropy requires those making contributions to become actively involved in the design and operation of a project.

Upon his return to Boston, he joined with Boston University to improve the education of immigrant children in Chelsea, MA where he helped build the John Silber Early Learning Center. Coming from a family of educators and a stint as a high school history teacher, Bob built three foundations with complementary missions to get low-income students to college. The first was in Lynn, Massachusetts named La Vida Scholars to use financial incentives to encourage 100 immigrant families of very bright children.

The second, Inversant, focuses on parental engagement and financial literacy through the college process. Most recently, Bob founded the Hildreth Institute. Hildreth Institute, a non-profit organization, was established in 2018 to pull the curtain back on the unsustainable higher education system in America – the direct result of a flawed financial aid system. The Institute aims to increase awareness among students, families, and higher education institutions about the student debt crisis and – through research, grassroots advocacy, and mobilization – lay the path to a #ZeroDebt future. Two consecutive experiences shaped Bob’s vision in creating Inversant: first, in 2007, during an ICE raid in New Bedford, MA, Bob set a challenge for the families of the arrested immigrants: if they could save half of the bond, he would pay for the other half. Bob witnessed with surprise how fast the families met his challenge. Second, Bob offered to match $2,000 if families of LaVida Scholars, a college preparation program for honor roll Latino students in Lynn, could save $2,000 in three years of high school. Again, Bob was impressed to find out that 100% of families met his challenge.

At the university level, Bob has established internship programs at Harvard, Boston University, Johns Hopkins University, College of the Holy Cross, Bunker Hill Community College, and University of Massachusetts Boston. He is also participated in the reconstruction of the State’s official ship, the Ernestina, which takes students to sea for educational trips.

Education

Bob is a graduate of Harvard University (Class of ’72), and holds Masters degrees from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (Class of ‘75) in International Relations, and George Washington University (Class of ‘80) in Economics.

Honors and Awards

Bob has served on numerous boards including the Boston University Board of Trustees and presently serves on University of Massachusetts Boston's Board of Visitors, Bunker Hill Community College Board of Advisors, and WBUR’s Board of Overseers.

Bob’s involvement has been recognized with numerous awards, including 2009 All-Chelsea Award from the Chelsea Chamber of Commerce, 2009 Give Liberty a Hand Award from the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, 2009 Citizen of the Year from the Rockport Rotary Club, 2008 Bostonian of the Year by The Boston Globe, 2008 Partner in Pursuit of Justice Award from the Bronx Defenders, 2008 Keepers of the American Dream Award from the National Immigrant Forum, and 2007 Champion of Justice Award from the Greater Boston Legal Services. In 2009, Bob was especially honored to be the emcee for the Irish Immigration Center’s Solas Award Dinner that honored Irish President Mary McAleese, as well as the emcee for the galas of the Political Asylum/Immigration Representation Project and the Gaston Institute of UMass Boston. In 2012, he was recognized as a Purpose Prize Fellow and was invited to give a talk TEDxNewEngland speech. He has also been honored as one of El Planeta’s 100 most influential people for Latinos in the state of Massachusetts in 2009, 2010, and 2013.

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