Privacy Policy

Introduction

Your privacy is important to us. This Privacy Policy explains how RichardMarcus.org, operated by Richard Marcus, Ph.D. (“we” or “us”), collects, uses, and protects your personal information. It applies to information collected through our website and related services. Our practices are aligned with U.S. privacy laws and principles, and we have also incorporated GDPR-friendly measures for users visiting from the European Union or other regions with data protection laws. Any personal data we collect is handled in accordance with applicable laws, including U.S. law and, where applicable, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). By using our Site or services, you consent to the data practices described in this policy.

Controller: Richard Marcus, Ph.D., located in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, USA, is the controller of personal information collected via this Site. If you have any questions about this policy or our data practices, please see the “Contact Us” section at the end.

Information We Collect

We only collect personal information that is relevant to your interactions with us and the functioning of our Site. This includes:

• Contact and Identity Information: When you use our contact form or booking system, you may provide personal details such as your name, email address, phone number, and any other information you choose to share in your message or booking request. This information is collected so we can respond to inquiries and schedule coaching sessions. We do not ask for or intentionally collect sensitive personal identifiers like Social Security numbers, or any financial information through these forms.
• Appointment Booking Information: If you schedule a coaching session through our Site, the scheduling form (powered by the JetEngine Booking plugin) will collect details necessary to set up the appointment. This typically includes your name, email, phone number (optional), and the preferred date/time of the session. We use this information to manage your booking and communicate with you about your appointment. No payment information is collected through the Site’s booking system, as we do not process payments on our website (any coaching fees are handled offline or through separate arrangements).
• Usage Data and Analytics: Like most websites, we automatically collect certain technical information when you visit our Site. This includes your IP address, browser type, device information, pages viewed, date/time of visits, and referring website. We use Google Analytics to help analyze how users use the Site. Google Analytics may use cookies (small text files stored on your device) to collect standard internet log information and visitor behavior information in an anonymous form. Google Analytics stores cookies on your device to keep track of usage data on our site, such as what pages you visit and for how long. This usage data may be considered personal information under some privacy laws, and thus we disclose our use of Google Analytics in this policy. (See “Cookies & Tracking” below for more detail.)
• Cookies & Tracking Technologies: In addition to Google Analytics cookies, our Site may use basic first-party cookies or similar technologies for functionality (for example, to remember your preferences or maintain a session if you log in to a client portal, if applicable). We do not use cookies for advertising or social media tracking. You will be notified about the use of cookies when you first visit our Site (e.g., via a cookie consent banner, if required by law), especially if you are in a region (like the EU) where consent for certain cookies is needed. You have control over cookies through your browser settings and can disable or delete cookies, though note that some Site features might not function properly without them.
• Emails and Correspondence: If you correspond with us via email or other means (outside of the website forms), we may retain such correspondence and any personal information provided therein (such as your email address and the content of your message), in order to respond to you and keep records of our communications.

Importantly, we do not intentionally collect any sensitive personal health information through this website. Please refrain from sharing detailed health or medical information in the contact or booking forms. (See “Health Information & HIPAA” below for more on how we treat any health-related data.)

How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

• To Provide Services: We use contact details and booking information to schedule and deliver our executive coaching services. For example, we will use your provided information to confirm appointments, send you session details or reminders, and provide the coaching services you have requested.
• To Communicate: We may use your email or phone number to respond to inquiries you send us, to communicate about scheduling or any changes, and to provide information you request. We may also send administrative or service-related communications (e.g. updates to our terms or policies, notifications of site maintenance, or follow-ups after a coaching session). We will not send you marketing emails unrelated to your inquiry or services unless you have explicitly opted in to such communications.
• Site Operation and Improvements: We use usage data and analytics to understand how our Site is used and to improve its performance and content. Google Analytics helps us see aggregate trends (like which pages are most visited, how users navigate the site, etc.) so we can enhance user experience. This analysis is generally performed on an aggregate basis; the data is not used to personally identify you.
• Ensure Security and Prevent Misuse: Technical information such as IP addresses and logs may be used to help detect and prevent fraudulent or malicious activity. For example, we may use certain tools to block spam submissions through our forms or to protect our Site from attacks.
• Legal Compliance: We may process and retain personal information as needed to comply with our legal obligations and regulations (for instance, maintaining records for tax purposes or responding to lawful requests by public authorities). If necessary, we may use personal data to enforce our Terms of Service or to protect our rights and the rights of other users.
• No Selling of Personal Data: We want to reassure you that we do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties for any purpose. We also do not share your personal data with third parties for their own direct marketing. Personal information is used only for our legitimate business purposes as described in this policy.

Health Information & HIPAA Considerations

Because Dr. Marcus is a clinical psychologist, we are mindful of privacy laws like HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). However, the executive coaching services offered through this Site are not healthcare services and this website is not a “covered entity” under HIPAA. In other words, any personal information you provide on this Site is not deemed Protected Health Information (PHI) and is not subject to HIPAA’s specific privacy rules. We do not request or maintain medical records or treatment details through our coaching platform. Please do not submit detailed medical, psychological, or health history information via our website.

That said, we treat all personal information with a high degree of confidentiality and care. Any information you share with us (including anything you might mention about your wellbeing or professional life in the context of coaching) will be kept private in accordance with this Privacy Policy and in the spirit of professional confidentiality. We implement privacy and security measures (described below) akin to those used in healthcare settings to safeguard your data. While not legally required to do so, we hold ourselves to high standards of privacy protection out of respect for our clients’ sensitive information. If you have specific concerns about privacy or confidentiality, please contact us to discuss further.

Cookies and Analytics Details

Google Analytics: We use Google Analytics to collect information about use of this Site. Google Analytics collects information such as how often users visit the Site, what pages they visit, and what other sites they used prior to coming to this Site. As noted above, Google Analytics uses its own cookies to track user interactions. The data collected through Google Analytics is processed by Google and may be transmitted to and stored on Google’s servers (which could be in the United States or other countries). Google Analytics helps us understand website traffic and improve our content. We have configured Google Analytics to anonymize IP addresses where applicable (to the extent supported), and we do not enable advanced advertising features or share any data with Google that you input (for example, we do not send your name or contact info to Google). Google’s ability to use and share information collected by Google Analytics about your visits to our Site is restricted by the Google Analytics Terms of Service and the Google Privacy Policy.

Your choices: You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking if you wish. Google provides a browser add-on for opting out of Analytics (the “Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on”), which you can install to prevent your data from being used by Google Analytics on all websites. Additionally, many browsers allow you to block or delete cookies. Please note that disabling cookies may affect certain features of our Site, but you will still be able to use the core functions. Our Site does not currently respond to “Do Not Track” signals, but we only track user interactions for the limited purposes described.

JetEngine Booking Plugin: The Site’s appointment scheduling feature is powered by the JetEngine/JetBooking plugin, which runs on our own website server. This plugin may use a session cookie or similar mechanism to ensure that booking forms work correctly (for example, to remember information you’ve entered as you complete a multi-step form). Any personal data you submit through the booking form is stored in our website’s database and sent to us so we can manage your appointment. The data is not sent to the plugin developer or any external service. JetEngine is a product of Crocoblock and is designed to be GDPR-compliant by allowing site owners to control the data collected. We ensure that the booking data is used solely for scheduling purposes. If at any point you wish to have your appointment data removed from our system, you can contact us to do so.

Sharing of Information and Third Parties

We treat your personal information as private and confidential. We do not share your personal data with third parties except in the limited scenarios described here:

• Service Providers: We may use third-party service providers to support our operations. For example, we use Google Analytics as mentioned, and our website is hosted by a hosting provider which may process data (like storing the website and database on a server). These service providers only access information as needed to perform tasks on our behalf (e.g., our web host stores data on its servers, our email service processes emails you send to us). We require that service providers handle information securely and in accordance with applicable law.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose personal information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court order, subpoena, or law enforcement demand). We will only share the information necessary and will object to overbroad requests if appropriate.
• Business Transfers: In the unlikely event that we undergo a business transaction such as a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, personal information held by us may be transferred to the successor or new owner as part of that transaction. If such a change in ownership occurs, we will ensure the continued confidentiality of personal information and give affected users notice before personal data becomes subject to a different privacy policy.
• With Your Consent: Aside from the cases above, we will notify you and obtain your consent before sharing your personal information with any third party for purposes not covered by this policy.

Third-Party Links: Our Site may include links to external websites with relevant content or resources (for example, a link to an article or a professional organization). If you follow a link to a site that we do not control, please be aware that we are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of those third-party sites. This Privacy Policy does not apply to your activities on third-party websites. We encourage you to read the privacy statements of any external sites you visit through links on our Site.

Data Security

We are committed to protecting your personal information. We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical security measures to safeguard the data you provide against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include using secure technologies: for instance, our Site is encrypted using HTTPS/TLS, which means that information you enter is transmitted securely. Our web servers are protected by firewalls and monitored for security. We restrict access to personal data to those persons and service providers who have a legitimate business need for access.

However, please note that no website or Internet transmission is completely secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security of data, especially data transmitted over the internet. You transmit personal information at your own risk. If we ever experience a data breach that affects your personal information, we will notify you and the appropriate authorities as required by law.

Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. For example, if you are a client, we may retain your contact details and notes for a reasonable period after your coaching engagement ends, in case you return or for our records, but we will not keep them longer than needed. Web analytics data is typically retained for a set period (e.g., Google Analytics may retain certain data for 14 months) after which it is deleted or anonymized. We periodically review the data we hold, and when personal information is no longer needed, we will securely delete or anonymize it.

If you request deletion of your data (see “Your Rights” below), we will honor that request to the extent permissible by law (for instance, we may need to keep certain records for legal or administrative purposes).

International Users and GDPR Rights

Our Site and Services are primarily aimed at users in the United States. However, if you are accessing our Site from the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, or another region with data protection laws, you are entitled to certain rights and protections under those laws. We want all users to have transparency and control over their data. We adhere to the principles of the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) for international data transfers and processing, such as lawfulness, fairness, transparency, purpose limitation, data minimization, accuracy, storage limitation, and integrity/confidentiality.

If you are an EU/EEA/UK resident, or otherwise subject to GDPR, you have specific data subject rights regarding your personal information. These include, but are not limited to:

• Right to Access: You have the right to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you and to obtain information about how we process it.
• Right to Correction: If any of your information is inaccurate or incomplete, you have the right to ask us to correct or update it.
• Right to Deletion: You can request that we delete your personal data if it’s no longer necessary for us to retain it, or if you believe it is being processed unlawfully. This is often referred to as the “right to be forgotten.” We will honor such requests to the extent required by applicable law. (Please note there are some exceptions – for example, we might retain certain information if required for legal obligations.)
• Right to Restrict Processing: You have the right to ask us to limit the processing of your data in certain circumstances – for instance, while we resolve a complaint about accuracy or usage.
• Right to Object: You may object to our processing of your personal information if you feel it impacts your rights, especially in cases of direct marketing (which we currently do not perform) or any processing based on legitimate interests.
• Right to Data Portability: To the extent applicable, you have the right to request a transferable copy of certain personal data (for example, the data you provided to us directly) to transfer to another service provider.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: If we are processing your personal data based on your consent (in situations where consent is the legal basis), you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal.
• Right to Complaint: If you have concerns about how we are handling your data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority in your country (for EU residents, this would be your nation’s data protection authority). We encourage you to contact us first, so we can address your concerns directly.

These rights are subject to certain exceptions and limitations. In summary: you have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal data; to restrict or object to certain processing; and to request data portability, among other rights under applicable data protection laws. To exercise any of these rights, please contact us (see “Contact Us” below). We will respond to your request within the timeframe required by law (generally within 30 days for GDPR-related requests) and will let you know if we need additional information to verify your identity. We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of these rights.

International Data Transfers: If you are located outside of the United States, be aware that we are based in the U.S. and any information you provide will likely be transferred to and processed in the United States. The U.S. may not have the same level of data protection laws as your home country. However, we will take steps to ensure that your personal data receives an adequate level of protection in the jurisdictions in which we process it. This may include use of standard contractual clauses approved by the EU, or reliance on the necessity of the transfer for the performance of our contract with you (for example, if you are an EU user who wants to use our services, we have to send your data to the U.S. to respond to you). By using our Site or services and providing your information, you consent to this transfer to the U.S., and the processing of your information in the U.S., in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Children’s Privacy

Our Site and Services are not directed to individuals under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are under 13, please do not submit any personal information through our Site. Parents or guardians who become aware that their child has provided us with information should contact us, and we will promptly delete such information from our records. For teens between 13 and 18, if you use the Site or Services (for instance, if an executive coaching client is a minor with parental consent), please do so only with the involvement of a parent or guardian. We comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and similar laws; any information inadvertently collected from a child will be deleted upon discovery.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. If we make material changes, we will post the updated policy on this page with a new effective date, and we may notify users by email or by a prominent notice on the Site. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of the Site or our services after any changes to this policy constitutes your acceptance of the updated terms.

Last updated: June 2025 (If you would like to see prior versions of this policy or have questions about the changes, please contact us.)

Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us. We will do our best to address your inquiry promptly and thoroughly.

• Email: richard@richardmarcus.org
• Mailing Address: Richard Marcus, Ph.D. – Privacy Inquiries, Ardmore, PA 19003, USA
• Telephone: (267) 626-4636 (You may call us during business hours for urgent privacy matters, but for most requests we prefer written communication for accurate record-keeping.)

By contacting us, you acknowledge that we may need to verify your identity for certain requests (especially those involving personal data access, correction, or deletion) to ensure the security of your information.

Thank you for trusting us with your information. We are committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about our practices.