Pamela Schaeffer

Pamela Schaeffer was the wife of philanthropist and founder of Elevance Health Leonard Schaeffer. In 2013, Pamela Schaeffer and her husband were recognized on the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s Philanthropy 50 list. 1  2

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At-A-Glance

Occupation: Donor, Board Member or Executive
Issue Areas: Environmental Policy, Economic Policy, Education Policy

Contents

    Background

    Beginning in 2004, Pamela Schaeffer sat as a trustee at the Brewster Foundation, the first foundation in New York created to support a public school district. 3 Pamela sat alongside her husband, Leonard Schaeffer, and family members David S. Schaeffer and Jacqueline S. Schaeffer.  4

    In 2013, Pamela and Leonard were recognized on the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s Philanthropy 50 list, which annually identifies the 50 largest individual donors in the United States.  2

    The couple appeared on the list again in 2025 for donating a total of $66,000,000 in 2024. 5

    Personal Life

    Pamela is married to Leonard Schaeffer, the founding chairman and CEO of WellPoint (now Elevance Health). 6 The two first met at Princeton University. 7

    Grantmaking

    In 2009, Leonard and Pamela Schaeffer made a founding donation to establish the Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at the University of Southern California (USC). In 2012, the Schaeffers provided a $25 million endowment gift to the health policy center.  8  In 2019, they donated another $17 million to USC.  9

    In 2015, the couple made a donation which funded the establishment of the Schaeffer Fellows in Government Service program, a paid fellowship for undergraduate students to work in government offices. 10

    In February 2024, the couple donated $59 million to USC’s Washington, D.C. campus to establish the University of Southern California Leonard D. Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy and Government Service. 11 The institute claims to research policy issues such Medicare coverage access as well as the effects of corporate tax rates on private-sector investment.  12  13

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    References

    1. “About Leonard D. Schaeffer.” Leonard D. Schaeffer Fellows in Government Service Program. Accessed October 12, 2025. https://schaefferfellows.org/about/about-schaeffer/ 
    2. Frostenson, Sarah. “No. 50: Leonard and Pamela Schaeffer.” The Chronicle of Philanthropy , February 10, 2013. https://www.philanthropy.com/article/no-50-leonard-and-pamela-schaeffer/
    3. “Our Foundation.” Brewster Education Foundation. Accessed October 12, 2025. https://www.bef.org/our-foundation
    4. “Brewster Foundation – Form Form 990.” ProPublica, December 9, 2004. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/206391021/2005_11_PF%2F20-6391021_990PF_200412
    5. Di Mento, Maria. “America’s Biggest Donors — the 25th Anniversary of Our Annual Philanthropy 50.” The Chronicle of Philanthropy , March 4, 2025. https://www.philanthropy.com/article/the-philanthropy-50/
    6. “2026 Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree.” Partners In Care Foundation. Accessed October 12, 2025. https://www.picf.org/events/tribute-dinner/the-recipient-of-partners-2026-lifetime-achievement-award/
    7. Stoddard, Brooke C. “Catching up with . . . Leonard Schaeffer.” Princeton University Class of 1969, 1969. https://princeton1969.org/page/Catching_Up/Catching_Up/schaeffer_article?postid=1CC5BF96-718B-46B5-AC06-1429FC42E269
    8. Thevarajah, Sadena, and Megan Goulding. “USC Receives $25 Million Gift for Health Policy Center.” the Weekly University of Southern California, November 2, 2012. https://hscnews.usc.edu/archives/pdf12/1832.pdf
    9. Lindberg, Eric. “New Gift Strengthens USC Schaeffer Center’s Influence in Health Policy.” USC Today, March 17, 2019. https://today.usc.edu/schaeffer-gift/?mc_cid=45fa58576e&mc_eid=387f0ff020&utm_source=USC%2BNews%2BShortlist&utm_campaign=45fa58576e-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_03_06_06_55&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_04b26a1e33-45fa58576e-113490717
    10. “Donate.” Leonard D. Schaeffer Fellows in Government Service Program. Accessed October 12, 2025. https://schaefferfellows.org/donate/
    11. Navera, Tristan. “USC Lands $59M Gift to Launch New D.C.-Based Policy Institute.” Washington Business Journal, February 9, 2024. https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2024/02/08/usc-health-care-policy-dupont-circle-schaeffer.html
    12. “Prevention.” USC Schaeffer. Accessed October 12, 2025. https://schaeffer.usc.edu/topics/prevention/
    13. Millman, Jason, Karen Mulligan, and Drishti Baid. “Leveraging Corporate Tax Rates, Rather than R&D Credits or Tariffs, Is Key to Supporting U.S. Biomedical Innovation – June 4, 2025.” USC Schaeffer, June 4, 2025. https://schaeffer.usc.edu/research/biomedical-innovation-tax-rates-tariffs/