Signature Initiatives
Laura is a strategic philanthropist who initiates programs and projects where she can play an active role to catalyze high-impact organizational effectiveness and help bring projects to scale. These programs were created by Laura, often in partnership with other philanthropists, over the past 26 years.
Classroom Exchanges Project
The Classroom Exchanges program of the National Constitution Center connects middle and high school students across the United States for virtual debates between two classrooms about the Constitution. Retired and active judges serve as facilitators of the debates. Partner funders include the Charles Koch Foundation and the Bezos Family Foundation.
Socrates Program
The Aspen Institute Socrates Program provides a forum for emerging leaders from various professions to convene and explore contemporary issues through expert-moderated dialogue.
Center for Media and Democracy in Israel
The Center for Media and Democracy in Israel is a non-partisan, non-profit, news organization that empowers the public and promotes democratic discourse in Israel through investigative journalism and groundbreaking storytelling that sparks action.
Duke Gap Year Program
The Duke Gap Year Program provides funding for students who wish to take a gap year prior to enrolling at Duke University.
Lauder Family Giving Circle
The Lauder Family Giving Circle brings together family members to work side-by-side as equal partners in philanthropy.
Jewish Teen Foundation Board Incubator
Based on the model of giving circles, Jewish Teen Foundation Board programs offer teens the opportunity to explore Jewish values and ideas, develop leadership skills, and practice philanthropy. Ten cities were selected from all over the world to launch this program for teen philanthropy and four years of seed funding was provided, along with technical expertise.
Service Year Alliance
Service Year Alliance is an organization relentlessly pursuing a bold vision — making a year of paid, full-time service — a service year — a common expectation and opportunity for all young Americans.
DeLet Alumni Network
The DeLeT Alumni Network is a support and resource network of the DeLeT fellowship program that helps DeLeT alumni to continue to grow as Jewish educators, teachers, and teacher-leaders throughout their careers.
Cradle to Career Giving Network
Cradle to Career is an initiative of the Aspen Community Foundation that seeks to ensure that children in the Aspen community are ready for kindergarten and graduate from high school ready for college and career.
Black Teacher Pipeline
The Black Teacher Pipeline is a national educational justice campaign led by the Center for Black Educator Development to inspire the next generation of Black educators.