#SIS12 Summit Speaker Highlight: Philanthropy Renaissance Woman- Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen

Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen is re-defining what it means to be a philanthropic innovator.  Arrillaga-Andreessen is the founder and board chair for Stanford PACS (Center on Philanthropic and Civil Society); President of the Marc and Laura Andreessen Foundation and Founder of SV2 (Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund); she is a Stanford University lecturer of strategic philanthropy; the author New York Times bestselling book, Giving 2.0; and an advisor to wealthy individuals who want to activate effective strategies for giving.  But no matter which hat she is wearing at the time, on any given day this philanthropic Renaissance woman is working towards her personal mission to reboot charitable giving.

While adjusting the framework for philanthropy may sound like a tall order, Arrillaga-Andreessen has already made significant strides in revitalizing the role charity plays in today’s society, starting in the heart of Silicon Valley.  While the traditional image of philanthropists was often that of older, retired, business leaders, she started to notice a trend across the technology industry where successful entrepreneurs in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s wanted to start giving at a much earlier stage in their lives.  With 15 years of studying, teaching, and practicing philanthropy behind her, Arrillaga-Andreessen seized the opportunity to begin engaging a new wave of philanthropists in smart, effective, long-term giving.

She began encouraging philanthropists to research their grants, define clearer goals, and measure the results of their giving to yield the most significant social impact.  This became a pillar of Arrillaga-Andreessen’s website, book, and philanthropic shift known as Giving 2.0.  Published last fall, Arrillaga-Andreessen’s bestselling book, Giving 2.0, shares tips and recommendations for how anyone can make the most of what it is he or she has to give and become an incredibly strategic philanthropist.  Be sure to check out chapter two, which features Waggener Edstrom’s very own Seema Bhende and her personal journey in philanthropy and volunteer work with Jolkona.

We are thrilled that Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen will be speaking at the Social Innovation Summit in New York on May 31.  Arrillaga-Andreessen will be giving the opening remarks with a presentation titled “How Technology is Disrupting Philanthropy.” Her presentation will be an in-depth look at how technology is revolutionizing how individuals can give and how organizations can drive scalable social change in unprecedented ways.

With the immense knowledge and experience Arrillaga-Andreessen brings, we will all walk away more enlightened, effective and empowered givers.