Laurie Tisch is the only daughter of Preston Robert Tisch, the co-founder of Loews Corporation. She is the founder of the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund, a grantmaking organization that funds social and civic programs in New York City.

About

Tisch studied education at the University of Michigan. After graduation, she moved to Utah for what was originally supposed to be a short duration while she lived as a ski bum. She ended up staying for several years while teaching Spanish. ¹

Later, she returned to the east coast to work in public relations at Loews Corporation, the company her father, Preston Robert Tisch, co-founded. ² While searching for causes that interested her, she was referred to the Manhattan Laboratory, a children’s institution that would eventually become the Children’s Museum of Manhattan. Tisch worked with the founder, Bette Korman, to shape the organization. ³

Philanthropic Positions

In 2007, Tisch established her own fund, the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund, to improve social and civic programs in New York City. ⁴ The Illumination Fund has awarded more than $100 million to various causes as of 2018. ⁵

Tisch sits on the board at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and is a member of the board, as well as co-owner, of the New York Giants football team. She is a trustee of the Juilliard School and the Aspen Institute. ⁶

She has received several awards for her philanthropic work including being named one of the “50 Most Powerful Women of 2017” by Crain’s New York Business. She also received the New York Women’s Foundation’s leadership award and New York City’s Special Merit in Public Health Award. ⁷

Political Activity

Tisch is an active political donor and contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to various Democratic candidates and committees in recent campaign cycles. Tisch is an avid supporter of President Joe Biden and contributed over $190,000 to various committees supporting his 2020 presidential campaign. Tisch also supported former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign by contributing over $290,000 between the Hillary Action Fund and the Hillary Victory Fund. Tisch also contributed over $175,000 to the Democratic National Committee from 2015 to 2020 and over $200,000 to the House Victory Project between 2018 and 2020. ⁸

Personal Life

Tisch is the only daughter of Preston Robert Tisch, a philanthropist and co-founder of the Loews Corporation. ⁹ Tisch has two daughters, Carolyn Tisch Blodgett ¹⁰ and Emily Tisch Sussman, ¹¹ from her marriage to Donald Sussman, a hedge fund manager. The two were married in 1981 ¹² and divorced about a decade later. ¹³

Carolyn Tisch Blodgett attended Yale University for her undergraduate degree and received an MBA from Harvard. ¹⁴ Blodgett was the head of global marketing at Peloton for four years before stepping down in 2020 to spend more time with her family. ¹⁵

Emily Tisch Sussman is a left-of-center political commentator ¹⁶ who was previously the campaign director for the Center for American Progress. ¹⁷ Sussman’s marriage ceremony in 2015 was officiated by Senator Cory Booker (NJ-D). ¹⁸

1. Dean, Jason. “Laurie M. Tisch: Perfecting the Art of Philanthropy: CSQ: C-Suite Quarterly.” CSQ, December 28, 2018. https://csq.com/2018/12/laurie-m-tisch-perfecting-the-art-of-philanthropy/.
2. Dean, Jason. “Laurie M. Tisch: Perfecting the Art of Philanthropy: CSQ: C-Suite Quarterly.” CSQ, December 28, 2018. https://csq.com/2018/12/laurie-m-tisch-perfecting-the-art-of-philanthropy/.
3. Dean, Jason. “Laurie M. Tisch: Perfecting the Art of Philanthropy: CSQ: C-Suite Quarterly.” CSQ, December 28, 2018. https://csq.com/2018/12/laurie-m-tisch-perfecting-the-art-of-philanthropy/.
4. Dean, Jason. “Laurie M. Tisch: Perfecting the Art of Philanthropy: CSQ: C-Suite Quarterly.” CSQ, December 28, 2018. https://csq.com/2018/12/laurie-m-tisch-perfecting-the-art-of-philanthropy/.
5. Jason Dean / December 28, 2018. “Laurie M. Tisch: Perfecting the Art of Philanthropy: CSQ: C-Suite Quarterly.” CSQ, April 20, 2021. https://csq.com/2018/12/laurie-m-tisch-perfecting-the-art-of-philanthropy/#.Ygb9eO7ML0s.
6. “Our Founder.” Illumination Fund, January 11, 2022. https://thelmtif.org/about-us/our-founder/.
7. “Our Founder.” Illumination Fund, January 11, 2022. https://thelmtif.org/about-us/our-founder/.
8. “Browse Individual Contributions – Laurie Tisch.” FEC.gov. Accessed February 13, 2022. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Laurie%2BTisch&two_year_transaction_period=2024
9. “Most Powerful Women – Laurie Tisch.” Crain’s New York Business, July 18, 2018. https://www.crainsnewyork.com/awards/laurie-tisch.
10. “Carolyn Sussman and William Blodgett.” The New York Times. The New York Times, June 17, 2012. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/17/fashion/weddings/carolyn-sussman-william-blodgett-weddings.html.
11. “Emily Sussman and Kevin Craw.” The New York Times. The New York Times, May 31, 2015. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/31/fashion/weddings/emily-sussman-and-kevin-craw.html.
12. “S.D. Sussman Weds Miss Tisch.” New York Times, March 15, 1981.
13. Schneider-Mayerson, Anna. “The Tisch Family.” Observer. Observer, December 18, 2006. https://observer.com/2006/12/the-tisch-family/.
14. “Carolyn Sussman and William Blodgett.” The New York Times. The New York Times, June 17, 2012. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/17/fashion/weddings/carolyn-sussman-william-blodgett-weddings.html.
15. Bradley, Diana. “Peloton Global Marketing Head Carolyn Tisch Blodgett Exits.” PR Week. PR Week Global, May 7, 2020. https://www.prweek.com/article/1682683/peloton-global-marketing-head-carolyn-tisch-blodgett-exits.
16. “About.” Emily Tisch Sussman, November 5, 2021. https://www.emilytischsussman.com/about.
17. “Emily Sussman and Kevin Craw.” The New York Times. The New York Times, May 31, 2015. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/31/fashion/weddings/emily-sussman-and-kevin-craw.html.
18. ^[1] “Emily Sussman and Kevin Craw.” The New York Times. The New York Times, May 31, 2015. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/31/fashion/weddings/emily-sussman-and-kevin-craw.html.