Lily Kanter

In October 2003, Lily was the owner of a baby boutique when a chance meeting brought her together with Serena Dugan, a textile designer and artist. Eight months later, they introduced Serena & Lily, the now highly successful baby bedding and furniture company. Honored by their success, the two also sought to give back to those less fortunate, and so each year 5% of company profits go to organizations that serve underprivileged and at-risk women and children. Prior to this, Lily spent 18 years in business and technology, primarily in management positions at Microsoft, Deloitte & Touche, and IBM. She created the first Microsoft flagship store in downtown San Francisco earning her the Chairman's Award from Bill Gates in July 1999. She left Microsoft in late 2000 to focus her time and energy on philanthropic causes and starting a family. Lily was featured on the cover of Time in July 2000 for the story "The New Philanthropists." She founded Social Venture Partners in the Bay area and the Serena & Lily Foundation-devoted to the mission of inspiring kids to change the world. She also co-founded the Sarosi-Kanter Charitable Foundation with her husband Marc. Lily attended the Executive M.B.A. program at Pepperdine and the Pepperdine Asia Business Program in Hong Kong, and she holds a B.A. in Accounting from Arizona State University. She is a member of the 2009 class of Henry Crown Fellows at the Aspen Institute.