Laurene Powell Jobs

Laurene Powell Jobs was born on November 6, 1963, in West Milford, New Jersey. Her later career encompasses investing, entrepreneurship and philanthropy.⁠[1][2]

Powell Jobs graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1985 with a BA in political science from the College of Arts and Sciences and a BS in economics from Wharton. She worked at Goldman Sachs before continuing her studies at Stanford.⁠[3][4]

Powell Jobs earned her MBA at Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1991. She cofounded the natural-foods company Terravera and later shifted more of her work toward educational opportunity and other public issues. She married Steve Jobs on March 18, 1991.⁠[2][3][1]

Powell Jobs cofounded College Track to help students from under-resourced communities complete college and continues as its board chair. Its program supports students from ninth grade through graduation and into their careers, including those becoming the first in their families to earn a university degree.⁠[5][6]

Powell Jobs is founder and president of [Emerson Collective](/en/emerson-collective). Stanford’s biography dates its combined philanthropy and venture-investing model to 2011. Its work funds entrepreneurs and projects addressing education, economic mobility, immigration and the environment.⁠[2]

Powell Jobs joined Stanford University’s Board of Trustees in 2012. In its June 2022 meeting report, the university recognized her completed term and forthcoming departure.⁠[7]

Powell Jobs and former U.S. assistant secretary for civil rights in education Russlynn Ali cofounded XQ Institute. An independent nonprofit affiliate of Emerson Collective, XQ works on high-school teaching, curricula and policy, including replacing seat-time measures with mastery-based learning. Powell Jobs serves as cofounder and board chair.⁠[8]

Emerson Collective agreed to acquire a majority stake in The Atlantic. Powell Jobs subsequently served as its lead investor and board chair, adding media ownership to her work on public issues.⁠[9][5]

Powell Jobs established the Waverley Street Foundation in 2021 as a fund intended to spend down its resources within a defined period. Its stated priorities include clean energy, healthy food and land stewardship, with attention to community needs.⁠[5][10]

Powell Jobs addressed the University of Pennsylvania’s 265th commencement and received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. She discussed bringing personal values into work and combining ambition with humility. She also announced an Emerson Collective donation to DonorsChoose supporting approximately 3,000 classrooms in honor of the graduates.⁠[11]

The Ford Foundation announced the election of Powell Jobs and Richard Verma as trustees. Its announcement described her investment and philanthropic work in education, immigration, climate and cancer research, alongside her organizational roles at College Track, XQ and Chicago CRED.⁠[12]

Emerson Collective published its full 2025 Demo Day video. Powell Jobs opened with remarks on human creativity and later discussed AI product design and development with Jony Ive and Sam AltmanSam AltmanSam Altman is an entrepreneur and investor, and the co-founder and chief executive officer of OpenAI. He previously served as president of Y Combinator and founded the location-based social service Loopt. He also helped found Tools for Humanity and Merge Labs, has invested in energy and life sciences ventures, and has driven public discussion of AI governance, employment, and wealth distribution.Open the full entry. The date here is the video’s publication date.⁠[13]

Powell Jobs delivered the address at Stanford GSB’s 100th graduating-class ceremony. Recalling her food business, College Track and Emerson Collective, she connected the entrepreneurial approach she developed at business school with her subsequent work across business, philanthropy and public institutions.⁠[14]

Skydance announced Powell Jobs’s appointment as an independent director, effective immediately.⁠[15]

Powell Jobs’s Form 4 reported the October 6 acquisition of 20,833,333 Skydance Class B shares, held indirectly through a trust, at $12 each—approximately $250 million. It separately listed 33,118 directly held restricted stock units. These contingent share rights generally vest at the earlier of the 2027 annual meeting and October 6, 2027.⁠[16]

Emerson Collective: Official website: [emersoncollective.com](https://www.emersoncollective.com/ (opens in a new window)). Powell Jobs is its founder and president.⁠[2]

College Track: Official website: [collegetrack.org](https://collegetrack.org/ (opens in a new window)). Powell Jobs is cofounder and board chair.⁠[6]

XQ Institute: Official website: [xqsuperschool.org](https://xqsuperschool.org/ (opens in a new window)). Powell Jobs is cofounder and board chair.⁠[8]

Waverley Street Foundation: Official website: [waverleystreet.org](https://www.waverleystreet.org/ (opens in a new window)). This climate philanthropy was established by Powell Jobs.⁠[5]

Personal X account: [@laurenepowell](https://x.com/laurenepowell (opens in a new window)).⁠[17]

Portrait photograph: Craig McDean. The original was provided by [Emerson Collective](https://www.emersoncollective.com/articles/q-and-a-with-ec-founder-and-president-laurene-powell-jobs (opens in a new window)) under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (opens in a new window)). The image is unmodified.⁠[18][19]