Blythe Brenden

Blythe Brenden, a catalytic philanthropist and dedicated community leader, is the founder of the Blythe Brenden-Mann Foundation. The foundation is dedicated to medical research and discovery, education and innovation, integrative health and prevention, women and children, and arts education. Blythe currently serves on the board of directors of the Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, The American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, and the University of Minnesota Foundation. She is also a member of Women Moving Millions. She has been an active fundraiser and advocate for organizations such as the Bravewell Collaborative, Public Radio International, YWCA, and Artspace. She has chaired capital campaigns for the Cowles Center for Dance & The Performing Arts and Abbott Northwestern Hospital’s Institute for Health & Healing. She is a fearless fundraiser and is well known for her creativity and talent planning special events for organizations throughout the community. She represents the third generation of her family’s personal investments of time and treasure in worthwhile causes. Her philosophy of giving includes support and mentoring of a new generation of philanthropists and nonprofit leaders. Blythe was inducted into the Twin Cities Volunteer Hall of Fame in 2005 and received the 2007 American Red Cross—Morton’s Woman of Spirit Award. She graduated from Pepperdine University and holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Southern California.