Wendy R. Ulaszek, Ph.D.

Partner and Head of Leadership Development Coaching Practice, Lansberg, Gersick & Associates

Wendy Ulaszek is Partner and Head of Leadership Development Coaching Practice with Lansberg, Gersick & Associates LLC. She holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in family systems, succession planning, and the implementation of family enterprise and philanthropic governance. At LGA, she has a special focus on leadership coaching and the education and engagement of rising generations. Wendy has over 25 years of consulting and assessment experience with individuals, teams, and organizations. She has extensive experience in the administration and interpretation of psychological and personality feedback inventories relevant to executive leadership development and succession planning. Wendy designs and delivers workshops on ambidextrous leadership (leading both the business and the family), engagement of the next generation, leading from your strengths, ethical dilemmas, the sustainability of family governance, and dynamics of multi-generational family communication.

Wendy is an FFI Fellow and coaches at the Kellogg School of Management programs for global enterprising family leaders. She is currently co-leading a research project funded by the National Center of Family Philanthropy (NCFP) examining the impact and coordination of individual and collaborative multi-generational philanthropic activities. Wendy enjoys speaking engagements with family members of the Owners’ Forum, the Family Business Network (FBN), NCFP, YPO, and FFI.

Wendy’s consulting work focuses on the implementation and sustainability of sound family governance structures, policies, etc., which will serve the family and the family enterprise for generations to come. Her work has given her the opportunity to work with families throughout North America, Central and South America, the Middle East, and Europe. She lives in Connecticut with her family, enjoying cooking and cheering for her children’s numerous sports activities.

Contributions

Full Report—Philanthropy in Complex, Multi-Generational Families: Balancing Individual Preference with Collective Purpose

Posted on April 12, 2023 by Wendy R. Ulaszek, Ph.D., Ashley Blanchard

Researchers from Lansberg Gersick Advisors hypothesized that families’ abilities to work together effectively in their philanthropy is dependent not only on the way they design their collective family foundation, but also in how they structure the philanthropic activities outside of it. From 2018-2022, they conducted surveys and interviews and found that as families evolve, they face common dilemmas regarding their… Read More

Balancing Individual and Family Interests in Collective Giving

Posted on November 30, 2022 by Wendy R. Ulaszek, Ph.D., Ashley Blanchard

Multiple stones on left side balanced by single, larger stone on right side

For many, family philanthropy presents an opportunity to create a shared experience, unifying the family by working together toward a lasting legacy of impact. Family philanthropy can also give participants an opportunity to explore and cultivate their personal—and sometimes separate—philanthropic passions. There can be an inherent tension between these two goals, and many families struggle with how to address it—especially… Read More

Complexities of the Collective: Balancing Individual and Family Interests

Posted on December 7, 2021 by Melinda Oakes, Andy Klingenstein, Wendy R. Ulaszek, Ph.D., Ashley Blanchard

For many, family philanthropy presents an opportunity to create a shared experience, unifying the family by working together toward a lasting legacy of impact. Family philanthropy can also give participants an opportunity to explore and cultivate their personal philanthropic passions. Yet there is an inherent tension between these two goals, and many families struggle with how to address it—especially as… Read More

Community Foundation Spark Session: Advising Business-owning Families

Posted on April 23, 2021 by Maeve Miccio, Lisa Jolley, Wendy R. Ulaszek, Ph.D.

Business-owning families are an important customer for community foundations. Compared to non-entrepreneurs, business founders give and volunteer more, tend to see philanthropy as a more important to their lives, and tend to ask more sophisticated philanthropic planning questions. How can community foundations better support those founders in developing plans for meaningful, effective philanthropy in both their families and their businesses?… Read More

The NCFP and LGA Collaborative Pilot Research Project on Philanthropy in Complex, Multi-Generational Families: To Integrate or Differentiate?

Posted on October 28, 2019 by Wendy R. Ulaszek, Ph.D., Kelin E. Gersick, Ph.D.

The largest and most complex exemplary philanthropic families now face many challenges beyond foundation operations. Increasing size, geographic dispersal, and psychological distance from the founders all contribute to the difficulty of finding ongoing roles for family members that satisfy both the individual’s needs for self-expression and authenticity and the collective need for buy-in to the collaborative process of the foundation… Read More

Voices from the Field

How Can We Study Integrated Philanthropy in Complex Multi‐Generational Families?

Posted on July 2, 2019 by Wendy R. Ulaszek, Ph.D., Neus Feliu, Ph.D., Kelin E. Gersick, Ph.D., Don Carlson, J.D.

a family of two parents and two kids smiles at the camera

Much has changed in the world of family philanthropy over the intervening decade. Many third- and later-generation families have evolved multifaceted philanthropic structures with complex governance systems. Their legacy family foundations are often only one part of the machinery through which families express their philanthropic and social responsibility vision… Read More

Voices from the Field

Why Study Integrated Philanthropy in Complex Multi-Generational Families?

Posted on May 6, 2019 by Wendy R. Ulaszek, Ph.D., Neus Feliu, Ph.D., Kelin E. Gersick, Ph.D., Don Carlson, J.D.

In a follow-up to Generations of Giving, NCFP is now co-sponsoring a research project with LGA to explore how complex, multigenerational business families are using a variety of vehicles beyond their family foundations to pursue philanthropic goals—including their personal philanthropy, donor-advised funds, corporate social responsibility programs, and values‐aligned investing strategies… Read More

Family Philanthropy Through Multiple Vehicles

Posted on January 8, 2019 by Wendy R. Ulaszek, Ph.D., Kelin E. Gersick, Ph.D.

How can families with multi-faceted philanthropic efforts – those with multiple foundations or funds, who are also using impact investing and other creative strategies – develop governance systems and structures that accommodate this complexity? What processes are these “complex” families using to allocate available human capital to the various governance structures? What approaches are they using to address dilemmas of… Read More

Philanthropic Planning in Your Family Enterprise

Posted on October 15, 2018 by Wendy R. Ulaszek, Ph.D., Devin DeCiantis

While every family’s relationship to philanthropy is unique – based on entrepreneurial legacy, family values, cultural context, business performance and stakeholder expectations – the authors of this issue brief suggest that there are common lessons for all families who are contemplating a more strategic approach to engaging in these activities… Read More

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