Dr. Richard Paul was a foremost advocate for critical thinking and, through his work and legacy, remains a distinguished thinker in the field. In 1980, Paul founded the Center for Critical Thinking, followed by the Foundation for Critical Thinking; Paul authored numerous articles and books on critical thinking.

Dr. Robert Niewoehner is an aerospace engineering educator and experimental test pilot, his second career after 34 years as a Navy Captain. He authored Engineering our Thinking: Critical Thinking for Technical Professionals (2018) and coauthored Introduction to Flight Test Engineering (2006). He credits Paul and Elder's mentorship for the awards he's received as an educator.

Dr. Linda Elder is an educational psychologist and internationally recognized authority on critical thinking. She has been president of the Foundation for Critical Thinking for 25 years, and has coauthored four books on critical thinking, as well as all 23 titles found in the Thinker's Guide Library.