Perspective. Judgment. Impact.
I advise individuals and families who want to become more intentional and strategic about their philanthropy, helping them understand the forces shaping the issues they care about, assess different approaches and opportunities, and determine where their resources can make the greatest difference.
Perspective.
Perspective shaped by experience.
Judgment.
Knowing what matters and where to act.
Impact.
Turning intention into meaningful impact.
WHERE ARE YOU?
Turning generosity into a strategy for impact
Most philanthropy begins with a simple impulse: to help. The challenge is giving well. What works? What does the context require? Where can your resources make the greatest difference?
I help individuals and families bring greater clarity, coherence and discipline to those decisions — connecting values to strategy, identifying where philanthropy can have the greatest leverage, and building an approach to giving that is both thoughtful and effective.
THE QUESTIONS THAT MATTER
Research and data matter, alongside context and the perspectives of people closest to the issues. Immediate needs can be compelling, while addressing their underlying causes may require a longer view. And the most visible organizations or interventions are not always the ones best positioned to make a difference.
My role is to help clients look beyond the obvious, ask the right questions, weigh competing considerations and make decisions with greater clarity and confidence.
HOW I CAN HELP
FOCUS
Philanthropic Strategy
Clarify your goals, understand the forces shaping the issues you care about, and identify where your resources can have the greatest impact—from meeting immediate needs and scaling effective solutions to addressing deeper systemic challenges.
INSIGHT
Research & Due Diligence
Understand the landscape, compare approaches and points of intervention, and identify promising organizations and opportunities.
FAMILY
Family Philanthropy
Develop a shared approach to giving and engage current and future generations in meaningful ways.
ACTION
Implementation & Ongoing Advisory
Put strategy into action, learn from what is working and adapt your approach as your philanthropy evolves.
PERSPECTIVES
“What drew me to working with Jae was her combination of a rigorous, evidence-based approach to complex social issues and the entrepreneurial mindset needed to test and advance new ideas. She has become a consistent thought partner and one of the people I trust most.”
ADAM JAGELEWSKI
Managing Partner, TwinRiver Capital
Co-founder & Former Executive Lead, MaRS Centre for Impact Investing
“Her deep knowledge of philanthropy is matched by an exceptional instinct for identifying influential thinkers, promising social entrepreneurs, and high-potential initiatives. Jae connects people, ideas, and resources in ways that create impact, consistently broadening our horizons while keeping us grounded.”
LISA WOLVERTON
President, Forward Global
Director, Wolverton Foundation
“Through our work on Hala Systems’ efforts to protect civilians in Syria and on new approaches to the refugee crisis, I saw firsthand Jae’s ability to recognize promising solutions before they became conventional. She was willing to engage with complex problems, ask the right questions, and support approaches others were not yet ready to back — combining conviction with discipline and a clear focus on real-world impact.”
DAVE LEVIN
Co-founder, Hala Systems
What works?
What does the context require?
What needs to change?
Effective philanthropy rarely comes down to a single way of thinking. Research and data can help show what has worked and under what conditions, while context, lived experience and local knowledge can reveal factors that formal analysis may not capture. Some problems lend themselves to scalable, measurable interventions; others require a deeper understanding of institutions, relationships and the systems that shape outcomes.
My approach is to ask which lens is most useful for the problem at hand—testing assumptions, looking for points of leverage, and applying judgment to determine where resources can make the greatest difference.
The right lens for the right question.
Explore My Approach
Whether you’re developing a giving strategy, considering a significant philanthropic initiative, or reassessing an existing approach, I’d be pleased to hear from you.