Jaimie Mayer

Board Chair, Nathan Cummings Foundation

Jaimie Mayer is currently serving her second term as Chair of The Nathan Cummings Foundation. Under her leadership, Jaimie has focused on values alignment across the organization. The foundation moved 100% of its assets to align with its mission for impact, working with a black owned and BIPOC led OCIO. She moved the foundation towards a streamlined mentality, focusing on systemic change with work in racial, economic, and environmental justice. She led the foundation in thinking through alternative vehicles of giving, and helped launch the foundation’s first PRI initiative. She is proud to serve as the first member of the fourth generation to chair the foundation.

As a philanthropic consultant, Jaimie works with next generation philanthropists and their families and organizations looking to attract a younger demographic with an eye towards succession planning. Jaimie is a frequent speaker on multigenerational philanthropy, next generation philanthropy, impact investing, values alignment in giving, and arts and social justice.

Jaimie’s background in the arts spans two decades in both theatre and film. Jaimie has produced on Broadway and off and had films premiere at Sundance and on Showtime. Most recently, she served as Managing Director of Magic Theatre in San Francisco.

Jaimie holds an Executive MBA from NYU Stern School of Business and an MFA in Theatre Management and Producing from Columbia University’s School of The Arts. She is Vice President of The Mayer-Rothschild Foundation, and sits on the boards of The Vineyard Theatre and National Center for Family Philanthropy.

Contributions

Board Chair Peer Network: Finding Peers in Transition

Posted on August 11, 2021 by Jaimie Mayer, Nicholas A. Tedesco, Gilbert Miller, Katherine Lorenz

Managing transitions is challenging, but support and insight from peers can help as you navigate times of change. Join Nick Tedesco for opening comments about working through transitions together. Then, spend time in small groups with others who are going through similar shifts including changes to mission, changing program and program strategy areas, geographic family dispersion, and influx of assets… Read More

Board Chair Peer Network: Adding Non-family Board Members

Posted on May 26, 2021 by Elizabeth Snowdon Bonner, Jaimie Mayer

Are you considering adding independent directors to your board? Join Elizabeth Bonner and Jaimie Mayer to discuss the preparation, conversations, and engagement necessary to successfully add non-family members to your board. The final 30 minutes will be peer breakout groups for networking and any timely discussions. As a reminder, our Peer Network events are not recorded.  If you are unable… Read More
Voices from the Field

Looking Inward: How We Clarified Our Values and Vision

Posted on March 17, 2021 by Jaimie Mayer

Courtesy of Pixabay This letter was originally published by the Nathan Cummings Foundation and is re-posted here with permission. Jaimie Mayer is a co-chair of NCFP’s new Board Chair Peer Network. If you are interesting in joining, please sign up here. In Alicia Garza’s new book, The Purpose of Power, she writes: “Before we can know where we’re going…we need to know where… Read More

Board Chair Peer Network: Inaugural Meeting

Posted on February 12, 2021 by Jaimie Mayer, Gilbert Miller, Katherine Lorenz

For family foundations of any shape or size, the chair position can be one of great possibility, joy, and sometimes consternation! Come together for community, learning, and to share challenges and inspiration. In the inaugural meeting of this Peer Network, we will spend time connecting with peers in small breakouts, discussing joys, solutions, and challenges in large group discussion, and… Read More

Defining and Translating Motivations and Values

Posted on December 7, 2020 by Jaimie Mayer, Nicholas A. Tedesco, Katherine Lorenz

stack of blocks with arrows pointing upward - direction, mission, plan
Clearly defined motivations and values are the underpinning of an effective family philanthropy strategy—they articulate a purpose, provide direction, and serve as a measure of accountability. They are also a dynamic and ever-evolving tool to guide donors and their family through the lifecycle of their philanthropic effort. Yet many families engage in social impact strategies without intentionally identifying aims and… Read More
Voices from the Field

Not Throwing Away This Shot

Posted on September 23, 2020 by Jaimie Mayer

For the past year, the family foundation I chair has spent a lot of time working to clarify our guiding values. As we were working on this effort, I took it upon myself to interrogate my own values and illuminate my own blind spots. Nothing is more important to me than helping grantees seize this moment to advance racial equity,… Read More

2020 Trustee Education Institute

Posted on December 22, 2019 by Christopher Fletcher, Jennifer Davis, Robin Snidow, Kathleen Simpson, Laura Collins, Paul Liu, Greg Ratliff, Tamara Larsen, Dana Lanza, Shaady Salehi

past TEI attendees
Attendees, please visit the event website for the most up-to-date agenda and Zoom links. The website passcode was emailed to all registrants. NCFP’s Trustee Education Institute provides a comprehensive introduction to important legal, investment, ethical, grantmaking, and family dynamics issues facing family foundation board members. Featuring a faculty made up of donors, board members, and highly respected philanthropy experts, this… Read More

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