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6th Annual Philanthropy Luncheon with Speaker Claire Gaudiani

Date: November 18, 2010
Location: Woodway Country Club, 540 Hoyt Street, Darien, CT 06820

NCCF will be holding the 6th Annual Philanthropy luncheon to benefit the Young Philanthropists Fund, on Thursday, November 18 at Woodway Country Club. This year’s speaker is Claire Gaudiani, an Adjunct Professor in the Wagner School of Public Service at New York University and former President of Connecticut College. Gr. Gaudiani is a passionate and provocative speaker about the fundamental importance of generosity in America. Her stories are guaranteed to inspire everyone who cares about our communities and our nation. She is a widely quoted expert on the economics of American philanthropy. Her insights have appeared in USA Today, The Financial Times, The New York Times, the Chronicle of Philanthropy and the Associated Press wire service just in the past year.

After completing her fourth book on philanthropy in 2009, “Social Entrepreneurship in America:Women Building a more Perfect Union”, Gaudiani received an appointment at the Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at NYU.

From 2004-2009, Gaudiani served as clinical professor at the Heyman Center for Philanthropy at New York University, where she directed the graduate program in philanthropic studies. From 2001-2004 at the Yale Law School, she wrote “The Greater Good: How Philanthropy Drives the American Economy and Can Save Capitalism”. This widely-cited book argues that Americans are not generous because we are rich, but rich because we are generous. Gaudiani asserts that citizen generosity is the defining American value, and urges that we leverage this legacy through the coming, post-boomer wealth transfer.

Gaudiani served for 13 years as President of Connecticut College, where she was also Professor of French. Under her leadership from 1988-2001, Connecticut College quintupled its endowment and rose to the top 25 liberal arts colleges in the nation.

Gaudiani holds a PhD and master’s degree in French literature from Indiana University and a bachelor’s degree, also in French, from Connecticut College. Recent publications include “Values-Centered Financial Planning’ in the Journal of Practical Estate Planning, (June/July, 2006), “The Transformative Power of Women’s Philanthropy” in Women and Giving ( Jossey Bass, 2006), “Internal Board Communication Strategies’ in the National Association of Corporate Directors Journal ( June, 2007), and “Intangible Asset Planning” in Trusts and Estates (June, 2007).

She is married to David Burnett, PhD, her partner in Gaudiani Associates and they have two married children and three grandchildren.