Philanthropist Lauren Katz Saves and Changes Lives

COMMITTED TO GIVE TIME, TALENT, AND PHILANTHROPY WHICH SAVES AND CHANGES LIVES

NOW SUCH A TREASURED FIXTURE in Santa Barbara, it is hard to imagine civic life here without Lauren Katz, Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara’s extraordinary volunteer of the year. Born in Brooklyn, and raised in Westchester and Miami, it wasn’t until 2001 that Lauren moved to Santa Barbara with her Californian husband, Steve Katz, (z”l) . Together they have two children, a daughter, Sydney (33), a son, David (31), daughter in law, Alexis (31) and a grandson, Xavier (3).

Lauren has always given very generously of her time and talent to Federation in the past sixteen years, serving in a wide variety of roles: as Chair of Jewish Family Service, Women’s Division chair, major gifts chair, Vice President of the Board and as Board President for three years, beginning in 2010.

Lauren’s proudest Federation moment was when she was elected to the National Women’s Philanthropy Board. This board consists of 100 women from across the country who are very accomplished leaders in every sense of the word. Lauren believes deeply in the “life saving and life changing” work that Federation does, and deeply resonates with Federation’s mission, which she says beautifully encompasses the Jewish values she was raised with and which guide her life’s journey.

It is the rare day that Lauren does not have multiple appointments. She is currently chairing EPIC!, a ten million dollar infrastructure capital campaign for Elings Park and has served on the Board of The Miracle Project in Los Angeles for the last 15 years–a nonprofit dedicated to serving children and young adults with Autism. The other organizations near and dear to Lauren include the Alzheimer’s Women’s Initiative, CBB, Hillel, and ADL.

In 2008 Lauren and her husband gave a gift to Federation which made Lauren a Lion of Judah (an international symbol of a woman’s commitment to the global Jewish community through philanthropy). The gift was the biggest Lauren had given to date and she says it gave her an entirely new perspective on the importance of charitable giving. “It was a pivotal moment for me in how I thought about philanthropy.”

LAUREN KATZ

WE POSED SEVERAL OF PROUST’S FAMOUS QUESTIONS TO LAUREN, WHOSE ANSWERS TRULY REFLECT HER GENEROUS AND BOLD SOUL.

1WHAT IS YOUR IDEA OF PERFECT HAPPINESS?

My idea of perfect happiness is to be outside in nature. I enjoy hiking because it is a physical and spiritual experience for me. I start almost every day walking my dog and think how lucky I am to be living in such a beautiful place.

2WHICH LIVING PERSON DO YOU MOST ADMIRE?

The person I most admire is my 91-year-old father. He has been a constant and supportive presence throughout my life. He worked hard to provide for his family but still found time to be present on a regular basis. He was a tax attorney, national lecturer, professor, and author. Wisdom was always imparted with clarity and a joke. During the pandemic, I had the privilege of spending much time with him and got to know him on a whole different level. He lives his life with much thankfulness for all he has and takes nothing for granted. A good lesson for all of us.

3WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT STATE OF MIND?

My current state of mind is reflective. There has been much time to think over the past one and a half years.

4WHAT OR WHO IS THE GREATEST LOVE OF YOUR LIFE?

The greatest love of my life was my husband who passed away a few years ago. For close to 35 years, he loved me unconditionally. He nurtured and encouraged me to pursue my interests and dreams. He was my cheerleader on the sidelines. Most importantly he taught me kindness, compassion, and to be charitable through his deeds and actions.

5WHICH TALENT WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO HAVE?

The talent I most would like to have is a beautiful voice. I cannot carry a tune.

6WHERE WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO LIVE?

The place I would most like to live is here in Santa Barbara. It is visually beautiful, and I have so many dear friends here that make my life wonderful. I could not imagine living anywhere else.

7WHAT IS YOUR MOST MARKED CHARACTERISTIC?

My most marked characteristic is probably my boldness. I speak my mind and can be stubborn. I am working on being more flexible and open to other’s thoughts and ideas.

8WHAT DO YOU MOST VALUE IN YOUR FRIENDS?

My friends are one of the most important parts of my life. I value their steadfast support, caring, and concern for me. They are always there to listen when I need an ear and prepared to impart advice even if I do not want to hear it. They make my life joyful and are always ready to enjoy a glass of wine with me.

9WHAT IS IT THAT YOU MOST DISLIKE?

I most dislike insincerity in people.

10 WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?

One of my favorite quotes is: “You want to be the pebble in the pond that creates the ripple for change.” (Tim Cook)