May 20, 2014
The Community Foundation of New Jersey (CFNJ) today announced that Margarethe Laurenzi of Mountain Lakes has joined the organization as its new Director, Leadership Grantmaking and Engagement.
Laurenzi comes to CFNJ from the Rutgers University Foundation where she was a Development Officer in its Corporate & Foundation Relations office. In her new role, she will guide CFNJ’s leadership grantmaking and work with its family of foundations to find and implement effective interventions to society’s philanthropic challenges.
“We are very happy to welcome Margarethe to the team and look forward to her helping New Jerseyans to have positive impact on their communities in targeted and effective ways,” said Tom Uhlman, Chairman of the CFNJ Board of Trustees. “She will be someone who aspiring or existing philanthropists can count on as they focus or enhance their giving.”
Laurenzi’s previous experience includes leadership consulting roles with Columbia University’s Earth Institute, Fordham University’s Office of Development, and the Central Park Conservancy. She has managed the editorial process for several books, including Jeffrey Sachs’ The End of Poverty.
“Given her experience in strategic communications and development, we are confident Margarethe will hit the ground running,” said Hans Dekker, President of CFNJ. “She will be an instrumental member of our team and help us provide even more value to the Foundation’s families.”
Laurenzi is active in the community, currently serving as the Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Jazz House Kids in Montclair, a nationally-recognized nonprofit that provides in-school, afterschool, and summer instruction to aspiring jazz musicians. She is also the former President of the Medical Needs Foundation.
“The work that the Community Foundation does locally, statewide, and well beyond makes an important difference in countless communities,” said Laurenzi. “I look forward to helping maximize that impact through new partnerships and opportunities for collaboration.”
Laurenzi graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University and studied in Florence, Italy.
About the Community Foundation of New Jersey
Established in 1979, the Community Foundation of New Jersey’s mission is to support charitable giving that is inspired by our donors, targeted at making our communities stronger, driven by creative solutions, and effective in achieving lasting change. Through a combination of Legacy Funds and Donor Advised Funds, the foundation has granted an average of more than $30 million each year to charitable organizations and currently stewards over $270 million in charitable assets for current needs and future challenges.
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