Wesley Mittman LePatner
Established by LePatner’s husband, Evan LePatner, the Wesley Mittman LePatner Foundation aims to recognize Wesley LePatner’s philanthropic efforts through the development of nonprofits and of nonprofit leadership.
The WML Foundation, launching initially in NYC, will work to develop 1,000 leaders over the following decades who can serve on nonprofit boards, launch community initiatives, mentor emerging leaders and help deploy philanthropic capital more effectively, according to a statement from the foundation.
“Over time, the efforts of this nationwide network of leaders will create a multiplier effect that becomes the living expression of who Wesley was and what she believed was possible when exceptional people lead with purpose and intention,” the foundation stated.
The foundation’s first program—Wesley’s Leaders—will select a cohort of fellows for a 24-month leadership fellowship, developing philanthropic leadership skills among individuals selected from across multiple industries.
The WML Foundation will also run TeamWesley programming, which will offer opportunities for community conversations, educational programming, service initiatives and partnerships with New York organizations and institutions that mattered to LePatner.
“What we are officially launching today is not just the start of a love letter to my amazing wife, we are building programs and a community that she would have led, nurtured, and inspired many others to join,” Evan LePatner said in a statement. “The work of the WML Foundation is critically needed in this complex and rapidly evolving time. There is nothing more important than investing in leaders whose values bring people together and strengthen communities. That investment will help forge a stronger future for the citizens of New York City and our country more broadly.”
The WML Foundation will also be led by CEO Laurie Blitzer, a board member of Hillel International and a former member of the board of directors of the Birthright Israel Foundation. The board of the WML foundation will also include Ken Caplan, Blackstone’s global co-CIO; Brian Friedman, president of Jefferies Financial Group; Suzanne Peck, president of the UJA-Federation of New York; and Dana Zucker, CEO of the Gray Foundation.
“We have known Wesley personally and professionally for more than two decades and are honored to have the chance to work with Evan and many of the people who were closest to her to bring the Wesley Mittman LePatner Foundation to life,” Friedman and Peck said in a joint statement. “Wesley had a deep conviction that professional achievement should not exist in a vacuum, but that it comes with the responsibility to strengthen the people, institutions, and communities around us. Together, we cannot think of a better expression of Wesley than to help catalyze a growing cadre of passionate leaders who will build a world worthy of her legacy.”
Wesley LePatner was the global head of Blackstone’s Core+ real estate strategy and was the CEO of Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust. She joined the firm in 2014 after beginning her career in Goldman Sachs’ real estate investment banking division.
She was also known for her involvement in philanthropic efforts. Wesley LePatner was a member of the board of trustees of the UJA-Federation of New York, as well as of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Abraham Joshua Heschel School. She was also a board member of the University Library Council of her alma mater, Yale University.
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Tags: Blackstone, Foundations