Laurene Powell Jobs

When Steve Jobs died in 2011, Laurene Powell Jobs inherited tens of billions in Apple and Disney stock.

So she built a portfolio of institutions that shape education, media, politics, and climate.

In 1997, she co-founded College Track, a nonprofit that helps first-generation students not only get into college, but finish.

Today, 90% of its graduates attend four-year universities.

And 70% complete their degrees within six years.

In 2004, she launched Emerson Collective.

A private LLC that funds everything from public schools to investigative journalism to climate technology, with both grants and equity.

Through Emerson, she acquired a majority stake in The Atlantic.

She’s also an investor in Axios, ProPublica, and the Committee to Protect Journalists.

She’s also invested in education reform through XQ: The Super School Project.

A $100M initiative she launched in 2015 to reimagine high schools.

Ten teams received $10M each to rebuild their school models from scratch: curriculum, scheduling, technology, community engagement.

She chairs the board and continues to guide strategy directly.

In 2017, she acquired a 20% stake in Monumental Sports & Entertainment, the parent company of the NBA's Wizards, NHL's Capitals, and WNBA’s Mystics.

By 2022, she was one of the leading investors in the WNBA’s first institutional capital raise.

She’s also become a powerful political donor and strategist.

In 2016, she gave $2M to Hillary Clinton and helped raise another $4M.

In 2020, she donated over $600K to Joe Biden’s campaign.

And for over 20 years, she’s been a behind-the-scenes ally to Kamala Harris.

Hosting fundraisers, advising on messaging, and defending her publicly during political storms.

In 2021, she committed $3.5B to launch the Waverley Street Foundation, a climate-focused philanthropy with a strict mandate: spend every dollar by 2035.

Waverley funds community-led projects that fight climate change and improve quality of life.

Like localized solar, regenerative farming, and environmental justice orgs.

By 2023, it had already deployed over $500M.

In 2025, she traveled to India for Maha Kumbh Mela, adopted the Hindu name Kamala, and participated in Kalpavas.

A ritual of daily bathing, fasting, and meditation by the Ganges.

That same year, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from Chiba Institute of Technology, alongside Reid Hoffman and the King of Bhutan.

She’s also reshaping how the ultra-wealthy think about legacy.

Despite her $14B net worth, she’s said publicly that she has no interest in passing it down.

“I’m not interested in legacy wealth building. And my children know that. If I live long enough, it ends with me.”