Jim Pitofsky

Brainstormer, Business adviser, Change agent, Christian, Concerned citizen, Connector, Idea generator, Musician, Parent, Performer, Philanthropist, Social entrepreneur, World traveler

Jim Pitofsky is the Managing Director, Strategic Alliances for Stand Together. Last year, he returned to some of his roots and passions - working with social entrepreneurs, and working on issues such as education, criminal justice, bridging divides, national and community service, civics, race, economic opportunity, free speech, helping people live lives of meaning, etc. He works across all the Stand Together entities. The partnerships involve foundations, philanthropists, business leaders, media/entertainment leaders, faith leaders and key influencers. Just prior, Jim served for 10+ years as the Managing Director, Strategic Alliances for the $3B+ John Templeton Foundation. He played a vital role in the creation and management of new strategies for connecting and engaging with entrepreneurial philanthropic and business leaders around the world. Jim also managed the Templeton Prize, one of the largest individual prizes in the world ($1.4M+). Before that, Jim served as the Arizona Community Foundation's Chief Strategy Officer, overseeing the foundation’s strategic planning and execution, corporate philanthropy, public policy, education and scholarships. Prior to that, Jim served as ACF’s Director of Education where he led education grantmaking and advised high net-worth donors on their education grantmaking. In that capacity, Jim served on taskforces for two Governors of Arizona (from both major parties). Jim has also served as the Vice President and Acting President of the Echoing Green Foundation, supporting hundreds of social entrepreneurs around the world; the Deputy Director of the National Youth Leadership Council, one of the leading service-learning organizations in the U.S. and the world; and the Executive Director for Hands on Bay Area, the leading manager of corporate volunteerism in the Bay Area. Additionally, Jim founded and directed an organization that worked internationally to create school/community and business/education partnerships and that was adopted by the National Association of Partners in Education. During that time, he also served as the elected President of the National and Community Service Coalition and led their federal public policy efforts. Jim has served on numerous Board and currently sits on a few Boards including the National Institute for Civil Discourse. He also was an informal advisor to President Clinton’s Initiative on Race. Throughout his career, Jim has advised and/or partnered with CEOs, foundation executives, philanthropists, celebrities, policy-makers, and nonprofit leaders to advance philanthropy, education reform, leadership development, social entrepreneurship, community service, and racial and economic equity. He has been a speaker at the World Economic Forum (Davos), FORTUNE Magazine CEO Forum, the White House Conference on Philanthropy, the Milken Institute and hundreds of other convenings of corporate, philanthropic, and nonprofit leaders. He has also organized meetings around the world in places such as the Vatican and the White House. Prior to the above, Jim worked toward social change through the law (disability, civil rights, education and the death penalty) through the ACLU, Skadden Arps, the NY Lawyers for Public Interest, and Advocates for Children and he has been actively involved in community organizing and public policy issues concerning people with disabilities, communities of color, low-income communities and migrant farm workers. Jim earned his B.A. from Stanford University and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center where he was a Public Interest Law Scholar. He lives in Pennsylvania with his amazing wife and sons.

Family, social change, social entrepreneurship, politics, youth, criminal justice reform, the news, music, dance, travel, education reform, film, faith, tennis, coupons, bridging divides, combating racism and modern slavery.

Several years ago, thanks to TED, I had the privilege of co-organizing one of the first TED Social events. It featured Brian Greene, who has given two widely-viewed TED Talks, for a discussion on black holes. It was held in NY at the Simons Foundation. I've had the privilege to go to TED for a number of years now. Sure, I did not get much sleep, but it was excellent and I was grateful. Other than missing TED during COVID, I've enjoyed and appreciated coming back each year, and I look forward to this year.

Singing. When I lived in the Bay Area, I had the privilege to be a soloist in the nationally known Glide Memorial Church gospel choir and sing in "Pursuit of Happyness" and on "Conan O'Brien". And, the Choir sang at our wedding, which was amazing.