Abigail Disney

Abigail E. Disney is the Founder and the President of the Daphne Foundation, a progressive, social change foundation that makes grants to grassroots, community-based organizations working with low-income communities in New York City. Since 1991, the Daphne Foundation has made millions of dollars in grants in areas ranging from women's rights to AIDS advocacy, children's health, labor conditions, religion, and environmentalism. The Foundation provides ongoing general operating support to its grantees, along with grants for technical assistance, infrastructure improvement and resource development. Over the years Abigail has played a critical role in a number of different social and political organizations. She recently retired as Chair of The New York Women's Foundation, of which she was a board member for over 14 years. This organization has raised and dispersed millions of dollars for community organizations devoted to economic empowerment for women and girls in New York City. Abigail serves on the boards of the Roy Disney Family Foundation, the White House Project, the Global Fund for Women, and the Fund for the City of New York, as well as the advisory boards of a broad range of organizations working in the areas of poverty, women's issues, education and environment. And when the groundbreaking periodical Ms. Magazine was in danger of extinction, she worked with Gloria Steinem and a group of other passionate investors to form Liberty Media for Women to secure the fate of Ms. Magazine for future generations. Abigail also acts as Vice Chair of the board of Shamrock Holdings Incorporated. Shamrock Holdings is a professional investment company running five different funds that manage more than 1.5 billion dollars in assets for a diverse group of investors, as well as for the Roy Disney Family. Abigail received her bachelor's degree from Yale University, her master's degree from Stanford University, and her doctorate from Columbia University. While pursuing her Ph.D., Abigail taught English and American Literature at Iona College. She and her husband, Pierre Hauser, live in New York with their four children, one dog, three cats, a fish, a rabbit, and an immortal turtle named Alfred.