Jim Parsons

Senior Advisor, The Brinson Foundation

Jim Parsons currently serves as Senior Advisor to The Brinson Foundation, a private family foundation based in Chicago which supports education and scientific research programs. Jim was President of the Foundation from 2004 to 2019. Jim is a member the Board of the Directors of the National Center for Family Philanthropy; the Board of Trustees of the Chicago Architecture Foundation; the Board of Advisors of the Morton Arboretum, which he chairs; and the Board of Directors of the Partnership for College Completion.  He is a past chair of the Board of Directors of Forefront (formerly Donors Forum) and previously served on the Board of Trustees of Denison University and the Board of Directors of King-Bruwaert House, a continuous care retirement community. He is a life trustee and former Board chair of The Community House, a social services agency located in west suburban Chicago. Prior to his career in philanthropy, Jim practiced law at the Chicago law firm of Gardner, Carton & Douglas (now Drinker, Biddle & Reath) where he also served as Managing Partner. Jim received his law degree from The University of Chicago and his undergraduate degree from Denison University.