Former Ambassador Begins Term as Weinberg Foundation Trustee

Fay Hartog-Levin is first trustee appointed by Foundation board

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Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation

May 16, 2016, 06:00 ET

BALTIMORE, May 16, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, one of the largest private foundations in the United States, today welcomed Ambassador Fay Hartog-Levin (Ret.) as the 12^th trustee in the Weinberg Foundation's history. Ambassador Levin, who began her term today, was unanimously selected by the Foundation's board in November 2015 following a nationwide search.

The Foundation's trustees, who together comprise the Board of Directors, are responsible for setting the policies and guidelines of the Foundation.

Former Ambassador Begins Term as Weinberg Foundation Trustee

Ambassador Levin is a Distinguished Fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs where she facilitates connections for the Council with the government and business leaders on a variety of political, economic, and environmental issues. She also serves as an advisor for the Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago. Levin was the 65^th Ambassador of the United States of America to the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 2009-2011. Her parents were Dutch Jews who fled from the Netherlands to Suriname in 1942 and emigrated to the US in 1948, shortly before she was born.

"This is a milestone day for the Weinberg Foundation," said Rachel Garbow Monroe, Foundation President and CEO. "We celebrate the quality of experience and leadership that Ambassador Levin brings to this organization. Her rich and diverse background will be invaluable as the Foundation advances its mission to serve low-income individuals and families. Ambassador Levin is also the first trustee chosen by the current board rather than being named in the Foundation's charter, which was authored by Harry Weinberg before his death in 1990."

Ambassador Levin will succeed Judge Ellen M. Heller who concludes her six-year term, including the past three years as Board Chair. Ambassador Levin joins board members Barry I. Schloss, who is the current Board Chair, Donn Weinberg, Alvin Awaya, and Robert T. Kelly, Jr.

"I am delighted to join the Weinberg Foundation and look forward to contributing to the Foundation's long-standing commitment prioritizing those in the greatest need in our communities," said Ambassador Fay Hartog-Levin. "It is especially gratifying to be part of an organization that places such emphasis on supporting the Jewish community and the poorest and frailest older adults." Ambassador Levin added, "Many of the Foundation's grant areas mirror my own passions and interests, including addressing hunger and better nutrition, promoting programs that help disadvantaged children to succeed in the classroom, and providing vocational training for teens and adults with disabilities."

"It is a bit of serendipity that our nationwide trustee search, spanning several months, eventually led us to Ambassador Levin who resides in Chicago," noted Barry Schloss, Weinberg Foundation Board Chair. "The Foundation has a long history of funding in the Illinois and greater Chicago area, distributing more than $6 million in grants over the past five years. We are confident that Ambassador Levin's new role with the Foundation will only strengthen our existing commitment to the wonderful nonprofits serving these communities."

Ambassador Levin's prior professional roles include serving as a senior consultant at Res Publica Group, Vice President for External Affairs at the Field Museum, and a legal advisor to the Illinois State Board of Education. Her professional career includes 20 years in private practice representing primarily school boards, private and public colleges, and social service agencies. Ambassador Levin holds, or has held, numerous board positions with organizations, including the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, WWCI (WTTW-WFMT), the East Bank Club, the Chicago Board of U.S. Bank, DePaul University, the Buck Institute for Research on Aging (Novato, CA), the Foundation for the National Archives (Washington, DC), and the Roosevelt Institute (New York, NY).

Ambassador Levin is a graduate of Northwestern University with a degree in Russian language and literature. She received her J.D. from Loyola University School of Law. She resides in Winnetka, Illinois with her husband, Daniel Levin, Chairman of The Habitat Company and CEO of East Bank Club.

About The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation
The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, one of the largest private charitable foundations in the United States, provides approximately $100 million in annual grants to nonprofits that provide direct services to low-income and vulnerable individuals and families, primarily in the US and Israel. Grants are focused on meeting basic needs and enhancing an individual's ability to meet those needs with emphasis on older adults, the Jewish community, and our hometown communities of Maryland, Northeastern Pennsylvania, and Hawaii. The trustees, some of whom also serve as executive officers of the Foundation, are Donn Weinberg, Alvin Awaya, Robert T. Kelly, Jr., Fay Hartog-Levin, and Chair Barry I. Schloss. Rachel Garbow Monroe serves as the Weinberg Foundation's President and Chief Executive Officer. For more information please visit www.hjweinbergfoundation.org.