BLOOMBERG IP - Key Persons
Allison Jaffin manages the operations of Bloomberg Philanthropies, which encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg's charitable activities, including his foundation, corporate and personal giving. Working closely with Bloomberg Philanthropies CEO Patti Harris, Jaffin oversees and provides strategic direction for each of the foundation's initiatives. In this role, Jaffin is responsible for all grants from inception through to execution as well as monitoring and evaluating the success of each program. In 2022, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $1.7 billion.
Jaffin left her job at City Hall as Special Assistant to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and First Deputy Mayor Patricia E. Harris in 2010 to develop Mayor Bloomberg's foundation, including building out its operations and focuses.
While at City Hall, Jaffin oversaw special projects for the Mayor and various aspects of the First Deputy Mayor's portfolio. In addition to handling communications and press issues for the Deputy Mayor, she was responsible for coordinating some of the City's most renowned public art projects, including Christo and Jeanne-Claude's The Gates and Olafur Eliasson's New York City Waterfalls.
Jaffin's career began in the Corporate Communications department at Bloomberg L.P., which oversaw the company's philanthropy, press and government relations and special events. In this capacity, she assisted with Bloomberg's personal philanthropy and expanded the company's employee volunteer initiative, which is now a robust program that encourages all employees around the world to give back to their communities. She served in this capacity until joining Bloomberg's first campaign for Mayor in 2001, where she managed the citywide volunteer effort. Jaffin also served on Bloomberg's 2005 campaign, where she coordinated press and community events.
Jaffin is a graduate of Columbia College and serves on the board of trustees of Johns Hopkins University.
Antha N. Williams leads the Environment program at Bloomberg Philanthropies. Under Williams' direction, Bloomberg Philanthropies supports environmental initiatives to improve sustainability of cities around the world, to accelerate the transition to clean energy, to combat overfishing and protect coral reefs, and to help businesses and investors better understand climate-related financial risks and opportunities.
Bloomberg Philanthropies' environment program also serves as the hub of Michael Bloomberg's personal efforts to combat climate change including in his role as United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Climate Ambition and Solutions and as Chair of the Task Force for Climate-related Financial Disclosures.
Williams was Consulting Producer on two feature films: Paris to Pittsburgh, a film about communities across America grappling with the impacts of climate change; and From the Ashes, which showcases communities across America wrestling with the legacy of the coal industry. Previously Williams served as Senior Vice President at Corridor Partners, a donor advisory firm focused on climate and clean energy. Williams also worked as the Advocacy Executive at Atlantic Philanthropies, where she oversaw grants to support health care and comprehensive immigration reform. As Program Officer at Beldon Fund, Williams built support for environmental issues by policymakers through grassroots organizing at the state level.
Outside of philanthropy, Williams has worked as a campaigner and organizer, directing large scale voter protection efforts and serving in leadership positions for five years with Green Corps, a training program for aspiring environmental organizers. She currently sits on the Board of Directors of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, ClimateWorks Foundation, European Climate Foundation, League of Conservation Voters, Oceana, and Oceans 5. Williams graduated from Dartmouth College and lives in New York.
Job Titles:
- Leader
- Senior Advisor
- Special Projects & New Initiatives
Brynne Craig is a Senior Advisor at Bloomberg Philanthropies focused on Special Projects and New Initiatives.
Her work at Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses both political and policy efforts. Most recently she has spearheaded the foundation's response to the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, designed and managed the Philanthropy's partnership with World Central Kitchen feeding frontline workers in the early days of the pandemic, and advised on instrumental investments aimed at expanding voter access across the U.S.
Prior to joining Bloomberg Philanthropies, Brynne was Senior Advisor to the President and Political Director at Everytown for Gun Safety. There, she created the Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate Program, a now sought-after distinction for candidates and officials at all levels of government, piloted a campaign bootcamp for volunteers who were thinking of running for office, and managed Everytown's electoral program, including a multimillion independent expenditure program.
Craig is a seasoned political leader who has managed some of the largest and most consequential field and political operations over the past decade. She is a former campaign aide to Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Secretary Hillary Clinton, President Barack Obama, and Governor Terry McAuliffe and has served in senior roles at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democratic National Committee.
During the 2016 election cycle, Craig was National Deputy Director of State Campaigns and Political Engagement at Hillary for America, where she oversaw the campaign's political operations and work with the 2016 Democratic National Convention.
Craig served as political director for Terry McAuliffe's successful 2013 campaign for governor of Virginia, national field director at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee during the 2012 cycle, and regional director at the Democratic National Committee during the crucial healthcare fights.
Brynne graduated from Smith College with majors in the Program for the Study of Women and Gender and Afro American studies. She currently lives in New York.
Job Titles:
- Founder & Chairman, Target ALS Former Chairman & CEO, Sidewalk Labs
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- President and CEO, Queens Library Former Chancellor, New York City Department of Education
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- Chairman, the Paulson Institute Former Secretary, U.S. Department of the Treasury Former Chairman and CEO, Goldman Sachs
Dr. Kelly Henning has led the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Health program since its inception in 2007. She is a medical doctor and epidemiologist trained in internal medicine, infectious diseases, and public health.
Projects under her direction include the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use, a 16-year, almost $1 billion global program aimed at curbing the tobacco epidemic in low- and middle-income countries; the Obesity Prevention Program, a multi-year effort to support public health policies aimed at reducing obesity in Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and South Africa; the Bloomberg Global Road Safety Program, a 10-year commitment to reduce road traffic deaths and injuries in developing countries and 10 global cities; the Bloomberg Maternal Health Program, a reproductive health initiative focused in Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America; the Drowning Prevention Program, which tests high-potential interventions to prevent drowning deaths among children in Bangladesh, the Philippines and Vietnam; and the Data for Health initiative which will enable 20 low- and middle-income countries to vastly improve public health data collection.
Prior to joining Bloomberg Philanthropies, Dr. Henning was an Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania School Of Medicine. From 2003-2006, she served as Director of the newly formed Division of Epidemiology at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Dr. Henning received her medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine and was a fellow in Infectious Diseases at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. She completed Internal Medicine training at the University of Pennsylvania and received her Epidemiology training in the Epidemic Intelligence Service at the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Director, MIT Collaborative Initiatives, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Former Surgeon, Harvard Medical School Olympic Gold Medal Figure Skater
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- Member of the Board of Directors
- Founder and CEO, Murmuration
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- President & Founder, Harlem Children 's Zone
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- CEO
- CEO of Bloomberg Associates
George Fertitta has been the CEO of Bloomberg Associates since its inception in January 2014.
Fertitta served from 2006 to 2013 as CEO of NYC & Company, a private non-profit marketing agency that operates as New York City's advertising, tourism, convention sales, partnerships and licensing organization with a membership of over 2,000 hotels, restaurants, museums, retail stores, theaters, tour operators and attractions.
Under Fertitta's leadership, the organization significantly expanded its overseas presence through a network of 18 offices serving 25 countries around the globe, developed a new web portal, and created numerous corporate sponsorship programs and marketing campaigns to promote visitation to all areas of New York City. As a result, domestic visitation increased 50%, international visitation increased 100%, and market share of overseas travel to the U.S. grew from 28% to 33%, generating an additional $5 billion annually. The tourism sector is now New York's third-largest industry, welcoming a record-breaking 54.3 million visitors in 2013 and contributing over $60 billion to the city's economy.
Before entering public service, Fertitta was founder and chairman of a major marketing and advertising agency with a range of clients in the U.S. and abroad.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
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- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Alphabet & Google / Secretary Henry "Hank" M. Paulson
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- Co - Chair, Nuclear Threat Initiative Former U.S. Senator
Howard Wolfson is the Education program lead of Bloomberg Philanthropies. He has launched the CollegePoint initiative to increase the number of low-income, high-achieving high school students who apply to and enroll in selective colleges and has developed a targeted strategy to support promising educational leaders and policies in selected geographies.
Wolfson is also instrumental in the policy and political universe of Mike Bloomberg, running his SuperPAC and advising him on politics and communication.
From 2010 to 2013, Wolfson was the New York City Deputy Mayor for Government Affairs and Communications. In this capacity, Wolfson oversaw local, state and federal government relations in addition to helping to craft the Bloomberg Administration's overall communications strategy. He was particularly involved in the education, transportation, and technology sectors.
Wolfson served as the communications director for Hillary Clinton's history-making run for the presidency in 2008. He has worked in and out of government, serving as Chief of Staff to Congresswoman Nita Lowey, and as the Executive Director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Wolfson has worked on campaigns at every level of government, advising Charles Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Andrew Cuomo, among others.
Wolfson, a New York native, graduated from the University of Chicago and received a Master's in history from Duke University.
James Anderson leads the Government Innovation programs at Bloomberg Philanthropies. The programs help city leaders solve their most vexing challenges through innovation, data and evidence, and collaboration. More than 250 cities worldwide are currently supported through grants, technical expertise, and educational and networking programs.
Before joining Bloomberg Philanthropies, James served as communications director to New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. During that time, he was chief architect of NYC Service, the City's high impact citizen service strategy. Previously, he served as senior advisor to the commissioner of the City's homeless services agency, and as communications director for the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network.
Job Titles:
- Senior Advisor to the CEO, Phillips Retired Chairman, Sotheby 's the Americas
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- National Field Director at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
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- Chairman of Bloomberg 's London Office Committee
- Global Head of Corporate Philanthropy
Jemma Read is Global Head of Corporate Philanthropy at Bloomberg LP, managing a team responsible for driving Bloomberg's philanthropic partnerships and programing across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. This includes managing the company's grants program, as well as overseeing the Best of Bloomberg employee engagement program. The Best of Bloomberg program connects over 15,000 employees to Bloomberg's philanthropic culture through volunteering, employee giving and access opportunities, as well as initiatives that draw on the expertise and resources of the business to strengthen communities and create lasting impact in the cities in which they live and work.
Jemma is the current Chair of Bloomberg's London Office Committee and serves on the boards of Artangel and the UK C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group. Jemma also sits on the Digital Advisory Board of the National Gallery and the advisory boards of a number of the UK's leading arts and cultural organizations, including the Creative Industries Federation, Serpentine Galleries, City of London Culture and Commerce Task Force, Genesis Foundation and Women of the World Committee.
Job Titles:
- Chairman Emeritus, Morgan Stanley
Kate D. Levin oversees the Bloomberg Philanthropies Arts program, supporting a range of organizations and activities in the United States and around the world. Current initiatives include management training, public art, and digital technology. She is also a principal at Bloomberg Associates in Cultural Assets Management. Client cities have included Athens, Bogotá, London, Nashville, Newark, and Oakland.
From 2002-2013, Levin served as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. Managing the largest single arts funder in the U.S., she increased support for cultural organizations, and expanded creative sector participation in economic development, tourism, human service, and education initiatives. During her tenure capital funding recipients tripled, while agency-sponsored technology and capacity building projects strengthened non-profit leadership. Levin oversaw the city's permanent public art commissioning program, and helped develop and promote numerous temporary exhibitions and performances.
The inaugural Fellow at the National Center for Arts Research at Southern Methodist University and a former professor of English at City College/CUNY, Levin also served in the administration of New York City Mayor Ed Koch.
Job Titles:
- Chairman & Managing Director, General Catalyst Former CEO & Chairman, American Express
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- CO - CEO & President, Ariel Investments
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- Chief Executive Officer
- Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees of Franklin & Marshall College
Patricia E. Harris is the chief executive officer of Bloomberg Philanthropies, which encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg's giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy, as well as Bloomberg Associates, a pro bono consultancy that works with mayors in cities around the world.
As CEO, Harris oversees Bloomberg Philanthropies' programs focused on the arts, education, environment, government innovation, and public health, with the mission of ensuring better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. In 2022, Bloomberg Philanthropies invested $1.7 billion around the world, improving the lives of millions of people across 700 cities and 150 countries. Harris also serves on the board of directors of Bloomberg Philanthropies and on the management committee of Bloomberg L.P., the global financial technology, data, and media company founded by Mr. Bloomberg in 1981. The vast majority of the company's profits are committed to support the work of Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Harris also serves as the vice chair of the board of trustees of Franklin & Marshall College, her alma mater; on the board of trustees of the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York City; and on the board of directors of the Public Art Fund in New York City.
Previously, Harris served in the Bloomberg Administration in New York City from 2002 through 2013, first as deputy mayor (2002-2005) and then as first deputy mayor (2006-2013). She is the first woman in New York City's history to have served in this role, which is the city's highest appointed position.
Before joining the Bloomberg Administration, Harris managed Bloomberg L.P.'s Corporate Communications Department, overseeing its Philanthropy, Public Relations, and Government Affairs divisions. Prior to that, she was vice president for public relations at Serino Coyne Advertising.
Harris began her career in public service in 1977 as an assistant to then-Congressman Ed Koch and, upon Koch's election as mayor, served in his administration, including as executive director of the New York City Art Commission.
Harris is a lifelong New Yorker, mother, and an experienced scuba diver.
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- CEO, the Walt Disney Company
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- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Alphabet & Google / Secretary Henry "Hank" M. Paulson
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- Chairman, the Center for Global Enterprise Retired Chairman, President and CEO, IBM Corporation
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- Executive Chairman, S4 Capital Founder, WPP
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- President Emeritus, Fordham University
Verna Eggleston has led the Women's Economic Development initiatives at Bloomberg Philanthropies since the inception of the program in 2007. The initiatives, part of the Founder's Projects at Bloomberg Philanthropies, have impacted over half a million women benefiting over 2.8 million family members globally, ensuring their economic independence.
Programs under Eggleston's direction include a partnership with locally based non-for-profit organizations working to create economic opportunities for women and their families through skills-building and vocational training around the world, including the United States. Additional partnerships have been developed in current years to bring market access to handworkers and people who work from home. Initiatives of these types have resulted in the first State of the Handworker Economy Report and the Compliance Program for Homes and Small Workshops launched at the United Nations.
Eggleston currently holds a permanent seat at the United Nations Economic and Social Development Council (ECOSOC), representing Bloomberg Philanthropies in a consultative status and currently serving as an Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. Eggleston has recently been appointed to the Africa Advisory Board for the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda.
Prior to joining Bloomberg Philanthropies, Eggleston worked for more than four decades in human and social development, both in government and the private sector. Eggleston returned to government as the Commissioner for New York City's Human Resources Administration (HRA) for the Bloomberg Administration. She was the longest serving Commissioner of the agency, serving in this role from 2002 to 2007, and was the first Commissioner appointed to the position twice by the same sitting Mayor.
Under her leadership, HRA developed "We Care", a Mayoral initiative which received the 2008 Innovation Award from the United States Department of Labor. In 2016, Eggleston received the Civic Leadership Award from the Citizens Committee in New York and in 2017 received the Radical Generosity Award from the New York Women's Foundation.
Eggleston served for 12 years under the Administrations of Mayors Ed Koch and David Dinkins at HRA, opening the first facility for infants with AIDS, to being appointed Deputy Commissioner for the Administration for Children's Services and Deputy Administrator of the Emergency Assistance Units in the five boroughs of New York City.
Eggleston also served as the Executive Director of the Hetrick-Martin Institute, home of the Harvey Milk High School. While there, she met Mike Bloomberg who sought her advice on social services issues in New York and joined his first campaign for Mayor.
Eggleston was named one of the 100 Black Executives by Black Enterprise magazine and received the Arthur Ashe award for social development. She presented her work on social reform before Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, Presidents Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma of South Africa, and the Presidents of Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda. She worked with Oprah Winfrey and the Governor of Illinois on legislation against child abuse, and Attorney General Janet Reno on hate crimes.
Eggleston received her Master's Degree as a Mayor's Scholar at the New School of Social Research School of Urban Development.
Job Titles:
- Professor, Tulane University Advisory Partner, Perella Weinberg