Ron Rash (born September 25, 1953) is a distinguished American poet, short story writer, and novelist. He is the Parris Distinguished Professor in Appalachian Cultural Studies at Western Carolina University. Rash is renowned for his novel Serena, a 2009 PEN/Faulkner Finalist and a New York Times bestseller, which was adapted into a film in 2014.

His literary works, including five collections of poems and seven collections of stories, have appeared in over 100 magazines and journals. His collection Burning Bright won the 2010 Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award. Rash's writing explores the tragedies and everyday life in the southern Appalachian region. He has received the O. Henry Prize three times, and his works have been translated into seventeen languages.

Rash is also known for novels such as The Risen, Above the Waterfall, The Cove, One Foot in Eden, Saints at the River, and The World Made Straight. He continues to teach poetry and fiction writing at Western Carolina University's Department of English.