Carol “Lili” Lynton
Carol “Lili” Lynton is a business executive, investor, Democratic Party political donor, 1 and left-leaning philanthropist involved in criminal justice policy and economic issues. She sits on several corporate and nonprofit boards while managing family investments and supporting Democratic political causes through donations and grantmaking, including through the Lynton Foundation. 2
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Early Life and Education
Lili Lynton was born around 1961 to Mark Lynton, a German-Jewish executive who founded the Dutch window coverings company Hunter Douglas, and Marion Lynton. The family lived in the Netherlands during her childhood. In 1985, she enrolled at Harvard Business School alongside her brother Michael, earning a Master’s degree for Business Administration in 1987. Variety. “Michael Lynton Timeline.” Accessed August 11, 2025. https://variety.com/2007/film/features/michael-lynton-timeline-1117971490/. [/note]
Career
After business school, Lynton worked as a mergers and acquisitions analyst at Lehman Brothers from 1987 to 1990 and then as an investment analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein. Lynton co-founded The Dinex Group in 1992 and remains its operating partner as of August 2025, overseeing 18 restaurants branded under chef Daniel Boulud in locations including New York City, Miami, and international sites. She also advises the Partnership Fund for New York City, a nonprofit aimed at job creation and small business support. 3 In 1990, she co-founded Telebank, an early internet banking service, which was sold to E*Trade in 1999. 2 2
Political Positions
Lynton advocates left-of-center policies regarding criminal justice and economic equity. She criticizes mass incarceration as a systemic injustice that disproportionately affects low-income communities and disrupts family structures. Lynton supports left-of-center bail system reforms, prison conditions, and cultural changes within the justice system. 4
Lynton is a trustee of the Vera Institute of Justice and sits on the board of the National Bail Project. 2 Lynton has been a Vera trustee since 2018, and sits on its Reform Leadership Council. Lynton supports Vera’s Restoring Promise initiative, which seeks to transform prison environments for young adults in multiple states. 2 4
She is also a member of the advisory council of the Hamilton Project, a division of the Brooking Institution, which creates proposals for a “more equitable and robust U.S. economy.” 2
In May 2024, Lynton joined the board of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a left-of-center think tank advocating for left-wing tax and spending policies. As a longtime supporter, she aligns with its mission to promote economic security and equity, including anti-poverty measures. 3
Michael Lynton
Michael Lynton, Lili’s older brother born in 1960, is a prominent media executive who worked as CEO of Sony Entertainment from 2004 to 2017, and as of August 2025, chairs Snap Inc., the parent of Snapchat. Michael’s career included roles at Disney, Penguin Group, and AOL, and he has sat on boards such as the RAND Corporation and the Natural Resources Defense Council. In 2018, the siblings launched publisher Lezen and acquired Arcadia Publishing. 5 6 7 8
Lili Lynton and Michael co-manage the Lynton Foundation, a private grantmaking entity established in 1994. The foundation supports left-leaning causes, including left-of-center criminal justice reforms, bail policy, and voter registration. 9