The Levenson Family Chair in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership was created by Cassandra and Cathy Levenson to promote philanthropy and nonprofit leadership at Duke University. The Levensons are best known for founding United Communications Group, which was started in a storage room above their father’s liquor store.
Cassandra Levenson
Cassandra Levenson is an Associate Professor of Management at Boston University, where she is the Levenson family chair in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership. Originally from New Jersey, she graduated from Yale with a BA in English and an EdM from Harvard. She now calls Boston home, where she feels grateful to be part of a city that invests heavily in nonprofits.
The Levenson family chair is named in honor of Bruce and Karen Levenson, whose legacy made the school a leader in the nonprofit sector. Bruce Levenson was a successful entrepreneur and wanted to change the way nonprofits operate. He and his wife, Karen Levenson, believed in the power of giving back and wanted to make a difference in the nonprofit sector.
Cathy Levenson
Cathy Levenson is the Levenson Family Chair in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership at the University of Southern California. Her mission is to provide opportunities for people of all backgrounds to develop their leadership skills through serving others. She also wants to create more resources for students to get involved in giving back. For example, she hopes to implement “Do Good Dollars” that students can donate to campus organizations. She envisions this program being replicated at other universities.
Before becoming the Levenson Family Chair, Cathy Levenson spent her undergraduate years studying philanthropy and nonprofit leadership. As part of her coursework, she helped students operate a class fund that awarded a $10,000 grant to a nonprofit organization. The course quickly became popular, and students increasingly sought out opportunities to gain practical experience.
Cathy Levenson’s philanthropy education program included visits to nonprofits and collectively deciding on a grant. She hopes that the students will be inspired to become involved in philanthropic activities and gain an understanding of how philanthropists think.
The Levenson Family Chair in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership is an important opportunity for people interested in philanthropy and nonprofit management. The program offers opportunities to gain experience in these fields and learn from experienced leaders.
In addition to her work on social justice, Cathy Levenson is a co-founder of the Lesbian Equity Fund. The Lesbian Equity Fund has made significant contributions to social justice campaigns over the last decade. She has served as co-chair of the LGBT National Finance Committee to Re-Elect President Obama, where she played a critical role in defeating Proposition 8 in California.
Levenson’s philanthropic work has helped the LGBTQ community, as she is the founder of Equality California, a California-based organization. She has been a leading advocate for marriage equality and full civil rights protections for LGBT Californians.
Levenson’s career has spanned over three decades, and she continues to make an impact as a nonprofit leader. A nonprofit leader should be representative of the community it serves. By being representative of the community, nonprofits are more likely to make a positive impact in society.
Robert T. Grimm
The Robert T. Grimm Levenson Family Chair in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership at the University of Maryland is a prominent and well-known leader in the nonprofit sector. His work has been featured in prominent media outlets, including an MSNBC interview and a recent Fast Company article. Grimm is a founding director of the Do Good Institute, a nonprofit that empowers people to do good in their communities.
Before accepting the Levenson Family Chair in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership, Bob Grimm served as the Senior Counselor to the CEO of AmeriCorps, an agency that invests billions of dollars to fund innovative nonprofits. He served in senior positions under both Presidents Bush and Obama. He co-created President Obama’s Social Innovation Fund and helped expand AmeriCorps’ research budget from $2 million to $10 million. He also helped develop the first social capital data to be gathered by the U.S. Census Bureau. The Iowa native has a distinguished career in philanthropy.
As the Levenson Family Chair in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership, Dr. Grimm will help students develop innovative nonprofit organizations and rethink traditional nonprofit models. He will also provide guidance for students and alumni to help them realize their personal and professional goals.
