POLITICS
Who is Laurene Powell Jobs? Career, family, net worth and relationship with Kamala Harris
The Democrat Pary donor is in the spotlight due to her close relationship to the vice-president, who she is backing for the presidency.
Laurene Powell Jobs is a prominent American businesswoman and philanthropist with a net worth of approximately $15 billion, according to Forbes.
Born on November 6, 1963, in West Milford, New Jersey, she is best known as the widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. She has developed a close friendship with Vice President Kamala Harris over the past two decades, becoming one of her most trusted advisors and financial supporters.
The life of Laurene Powell Jobs
She earned her B.A. in political science and B.S. in economics from the University of Pennsylvania, followed by an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business. Her early career included roles at Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch Asset Management.
Powell Jobs has made significant investments in media, owning The Atlantic and a stake in Axios. In 2017, she acquired a 20% stake in Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which owns NBA and NHL teams.
Powell Jobs met Steve Jobs in 1989 while attending a lecture at Stanford Business School. They married in 1991 and had three children together: Reed, Erin, and Eve. She is also stepmother to Lisa Brennan-Jobs, Steve’s daughter from a previous relationship.
Following Steve Jobs’ death in 2011, Powell Jobs inherited the Steven P. Jobs Trust, which included significant stakes in Apple and Disney. She has since been actively involved in philanthropy and impact investing.
In 1997, she co-founded College Track, a nonprofit organization helping underprivileged students prepare for college. She later founded Emerson Collective, a private company supporting social entrepreneurs and focusing on education, immigration reform, and environmental justice. In 2021, she established the Waverley Street Foundation, pledging $3.5 billion over a decade to address climate change and promote environmental justice.