Gary and Laura Lauder
/SOURCE OF WEALTH: Lauder Partners
FUNDING AREAS: Jewish Causes, Education, Leadership Development
OVERVIEW: Gary and Laura Lauder co-founded the Laura and Gary Lauder Family Venture Philanthropy Fund, which invests in visionary leaders and projects that have the potential to create lasting impact. It focuses on social justice and educational entrepreneurial programs locally and nationally; national programs that utilize innovative methods to inspire Jewish life; Jewish community institutions in the San Francisco Bay Area; and leadership development programs via the Aspen Institute.
BACKGROUND: Gary Lauder graduated from University of Pennsylvania in 1984 and received his M.B.A. from Stanford University in 1990. He worked at the venture firms of Aetna, Jacobs & Ramo Technology Ventures, as well as Wolfensohn Associates. Lauder is the managing director of Lauder Partners LLC, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm investing primarily in information technologies. He has been a venture capitalist since 1985, investing in more than 125 private companies.
Born in Ohio, Laura Lauder graduated from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 1992, she co-launched Lauder Partners, specializing in internet and media investments.
ISSUES:
EDUCATION: The Laura and Gary Lauder Family Venture Philanthropy Fund created Aspen Community Foundation’s Cradle to Career Giving Network. Members of the Giving Network contribute $5,000 annually, which is matched by the Lauders, and have the opportunity to learn directly from experts how the cutting-edge strategy of Collective Impact can have an impact on positive youth development.
Laura helped launch the Duke Gap Year Program with a $1.5 million grant. She herself studied abroad in Spain. The family is also heavily involved with the National Constitution Center, where Laura is a trustee. They launched Lauder Project at the National Constitution Center, which inspires students to explore fundamental questions about the U.S. Constitution. The Lauders also support Menlo School (their son attended) and have provided more than $2 million in grants to the school for capital campaigns and regular annual gifts. Laura serves on the advisory board of New Schools Venture Fund, as well.
JEWISH CAUSES: Laura is chair of the Endowment Committee at the San Francisco-based Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund. In 2002, she founded DeLeT (Day School Leadership Through Teaching and the Hebrew) to recruit and train teachers for leadership positions at Jewish Day Schools. She is also cofounder of Jewish Teen Funders Network's Foundation Board Incubator, which brings the success and impact of Jewish teen philanthropy programs across North America into cities around the world. The extended Lauder family has contributed some $5.2 million in gifts to Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School. The Laura and Gary Lauder Family Venture Philanthropy Fund has also supported Onward Israel.
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: The Lauders are major supporters of Aspen Institute, where Laura is a trustee. They’ve been involved with the organization for decades, launching the Socrates program with an invitation to 350 Silicon Valley young leaders to come to Aspen and engage in a Socratic seminar. The Lauders have been partners with Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund (SV2) since 2003 and have provided nearly $300,000 to the pooled fund. Laura serves on the organization’s board of directors.
LOOKING FORWARD: The civically active Laura should be watched carefully, with her board involvements tracking with philanthropy. The couple’s kids are also involved in family giving, and should be watched down the line.
