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Lori Katz is an APEX member and a trusted family office and next-gen advisor. She is also a cross-border strategic advisor specializing in seed through series B companies and social enterprises with a primary focus on technology, hospitality, and sustainable consumer products. Lori works with a number of family offices across multiple regions, emphasizing access to synergistic business opportunities and transition of generational wealth.
I enjoy what’s often behind the scenes of philanthropy. It’s the magic and power of the process behind the give.
One of the aspects of my work that I find most rewarding is helping families use philanthropy as a way to engage their rising generation. Donor-advised funds, private foundations, and hybrid structures are often viewed solely as legal and financial vehicles for charitable giving. They can also be tools for something even more valuable: experiential classrooms for skills-building, meaningful conversation, leadership, collaboration, and stewardship.
Rather than waiting for the next generation to inherit wealth and responsibility simultaneously, I’ve seen many families invite them into thoughtful discussions today around values, priorities, and decision-making. Philanthropy allows a rising generation to not only identify their own values, but they also tend to offer new ideas and question why things are done a certain way. A meaningful discussion often allows for skills building around communication, due diligence, assessing risk, evaluating impact, and more.
What I really appreciate is that philanthropy fosters a different kind of conversation. It often can create a forum for younger generations to contribute fresh perspectives and feel valued for their ideas while learning from the experience and wisdom of those who came before them. Philanthropy cultivates and empowers young leaders.
The effects for beneficiaries of a philanthropic grant can be game changing. To me, there can also be a game changing return on philanthropic capital that is measured by the relationships, leaders, and legacy that are built along the way.