THE BOARD

Some wonderful people.

SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE ABOUT
THEIR LIVES AND WORK.

JASON B. ROSENTHAL

I have practiced law and developed real estate in Chicago for half of my life. But that is only what I did “9 to 5.” What made me better at my profession—and as a human being getting through each day—was realizing my thirst for learning and doing. I practiced yoga intensely, I travelled the world with my wife and my family, I learned to paint and made a home studio, and I developed a passion for cooking. I would not have called myself the most passionate student when I was in school, but in my adult life I have read with a thirst for knowledge—everything from the most meaty fiction, fascinating nonfiction, and magazines.

My family is what makes me who I am today. I was married to the most amazing woman for half of my life. We raised 3 incredible children in Chicago, a culturally vibrant and livable city with people of good midwestern values. When my bride died of ovarian cancer after 26 years of marriage I got in touch with real pain. I immediately reevaluated my life’s work. I had talked for years about whether my chosen career path gave me real fulfillment. I am now the board chair of a non-profit organization created in Amy’s name, the Amy Krouse Rosenthal Foundation. I am fueled by its mission to provide programs that encourage child literacy and funding for early detection of ovarian cancer. My future is a blank space waiting to be filled.

Contact Jason at jason@amykrouserosenthalfoundation.org

WENDY ABRAMS

Wendy Abrams, board member emeritus, is an environmentalist and social activist.

In 2006, Wendy founded Cool Globes, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness of climate change.  (Amy KR was a founding board member of Cool Globes.) The Cool Globes exhibition launched in Chicago in 2007, and has since been translated into 9 languages, and displayed on 4 continents.

Wendy helped establish the Abrams Environmental Litigation Clinic at the University of Chicago Law School. She serves on the Center for American Progress (c4), the Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund. She is a Trustee for Waterkeeper Alliance, and on the board of WTTW, Chicago’s PBS affiliate.

Wendy is a Principal of Medline Industries, Inc. and oversees Medline’s e-commerce apparel business.

Wendy lives in Highland Park, IL with her husband, Jimmy.  Her greatest accomplishment in life has been raising four inspiring children: David, Emily, Katie and Jake.

CYNTHIA REED ALTCHECK

Cynthia is Counsel in the Private Wealth group at the law firm Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP in New York. Her practice consists of traditional estate planning and estate administration, with a focus on charitable planning and the creation and representation of nonprofit organizations. Cynthia represents private foundations and public charities in all aspects of their life cycle, including formation, governance, compliance and dissolution. Cynthia attended Connecticut College, where she majored in English and minored in Gender and Women’s Studies.

Prior to law school, she was a Teach For America corps member and taught English in Bridgeport, Connecticut. She attended law school at Georgetown University, where she volunteered for a number of nonprofit organizations, including Women Against Rape (WAR) and the Center for Reproductive Rights.

She now resides in New Canaan, Connecticut, with her husband and four children. 

ADAM GOLDMAN

Adam is a Senior Managing Director in the Mesirow Financial Wealth Advisors group. He works extensively with individuals, families and officers and directors of public and privately held corporations to evaluate and implement investment strategies. His practice includes advising on wealth development, preservation and distribution. Adam joined Mesirow in 2000 and has more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. 

Adam is actively involved with several charities and organizations, including as the President of The University of Michigan James M. Gartenberg Memorial Scholarship Fund, Board Member of Sukkat Shalom Synagogue, Tufts University Alumni Admissions Program, Committee Member for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and fundraising for The Riverdale Country Day School. Adam attended Tufts University (where he and Amy Krouse Rosenthal met and became friends during their freshman year). Adam lives in Wilmette with his wife and his two daughters.

ANN WOLK KROUSE

Ann Krouse attended the University of Miami in Florida. Since then, she has been involved in several organizations. She was the Vice President of ECI (retired 2001). She was Chair of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Risa K Lambert Luncheon in 2001, the Major Gifts Chair of Chicago’s JUF in 2003 and 2004, and Legacy of Light Founder of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Her greatest accomplishment is being Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s mother and the mother of Beth, Joe, and Katie, and grandmother to her 10 grandchildren.

PAUL KROUSE

In memoriam, founding Amy Krouse Rosenthal board member, Paul C. Krouse, 1937-2018, received his BA in Communications from University of Illinois and served in the Illinois National Guard for 12 years. Paul worked as a copywriter for newspapers and advertisers before founding Educational Communications, Inc. There he created and published noteworthy guides including Who’s Who Among American High School Students, and funded over 3 million dollars in college scholarships. Paul was involved in various community activities, as a Founder of Legacy of Life from USHMM and JUF, serving on the JUF board, working with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and Holocaust Educational Foundation. He was also the founder and president of the Royal Palm Yacht and Country Club Men’s Club. Paul was equally proud of his 4 children (including Amy Krouse Rosenthal) and 10 grandchildren.

ERNST LENGYEL, MD PHD
Chairman University of Chicago
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Dr. Lengyel is a clinically active gynecologic oncologist who is board certified in general gynecology and gynecologic oncology. He attended medical school at the University of Munich and went to the University of Munich, UCSF, and Stanford for postgraduate clinical training.  In 2003, Dr. Lengyel joined the faculty of the University of Chicago. Since that time he has established a clinical practice specializing in radical debulking surgery for ovarian cancer and a translational research laboratory focused on understanding ovarian cancer biology. Recently, his group elucidated how adipocyte/cancer cell interactions promote ovarian cancer metastasis through the metabolic reprogramming of tumor cells. They have also shown that mesothelial cells play a critical role in ovarian cancer metastasis. The laboratory uses high-throughput screening technology to find novel drugs for the treatment of ovarian cancer.

Dr. Lengyel has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers, including contributions to Nature, Nature Medicine, Cancer Discovery, JCI, Oncogene, JBC, and Cancer Research. He is also the author of the chapter on ovarian cancer in the current edition of Principles and Practice of Gynecologic Oncology, the standard textbook of the specialty. Dr. Lengyel holds several NIH grants and several other grants from private foundations. He is an ad hoc member of NIH study sections.

Dr. Lengyel is the Arthur L. and Lee G. Herbst Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and is the Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Chicago.

Physician bio-sketch

Ovarian Cancer Research Laboratory

MARIA MODUGNO

Maria Modugno is a life-long lover of books. A children’s book editor, she has worked in a number of cities—New York, San Diego, and Boston—and is now back in New York editing picture book at Penguin Random House. Along the way, Maria met Amy and has edited many of Amy’s award winning and bestselling titles.  Maria lives in New York City, in a small apartment filled to the brim with all kinds of books.

KAY MURPHY

Kay graduated from Boston College and spent her professional career in sales and marketing.

For the last 16 years, she has served on the Founders’ Board of the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago where she co-chaired The Annual Pro Amateur Golf Championship, Winter Wishes Holiday Cocktail Celebration and Winter Wishes Holiday Community Outreach Event. Kay has served on the Executive Committee and supports the Board’s vision of a healthier future for all children.

Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Kay met in the halls of Lake Forest High School where they had tons of fun, got in a little trouble and forged a lifelong friendship.

Kay has learned the most and found her greatest joy raising her two sons with her husband, Michael, in Lake Forest, IL.

Kunle Odunsi, MD, PhD

AbbVie Foundation Distinguished Service Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, AbbVie Foundation Director, University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center
Dean for Oncology, Biological Sciences Division

Dr. Odunsi is a gynecologic oncologist who specializes in the treatment of ovarian cancer. As a nationally recognized expert in immunotherapy and vaccine therapy for cancer, Dr. Odunsi’s research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of immune recognition and tolerance in ovarian cancer and translating these findings to immunotherapy clinical trials. Dr. Odunsi pioneered the development of antigen-specific vaccine therapy and “next generation” adoptive T-cell immunotherapies to prolong remission rates in women with ovarian cancer. Learn more about Dr. Odunsi's research.

Dr. Odunsi is the recipient of numerous honors and awards for his work, including election to the National Academy of Medicine in 2018 and the Rosalind Franklin Excellence in Ovarian Cancer Research Award in 2019. He has authored or co-authored more than 360 publications and contributed to several books and book chapters. He serves or has served on 10 editorial boards and multiple NIH study sections, and held numerous visiting professorships and guest lectureships. He also holds leadership positions in several national organizations, such as co-chair of the NCI Cancer Moonshot Immuno-Oncology Translational Network and chairperson-elect of the American Association for Cancer Research’s Cancer Immunology Working Group.

MARC PLATT

Marc Platt’s producing career spans film, theatre and television and his projects have garnered a combined 31 Oscar nominations, 18 Tony nominations, 24 Golden Globe nominations and 29 Emmy nominations, and have grossed over $5 billion worldwide.

Among his films are La La Land which broke the all-time record for Golden Globe Awards winning seven including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, and tied the record for the most Oscar nominations in history with 14, winning six.  Platt’s other films include The Girl on the Train, Bridge of Spies which earned six Oscar nominations including Best Picture, Into the Woods, Drive, Rachel Getting Married, Legally Blonde, Wanted, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, and Disney’s upcoming Mary Poppins Returns.  In theatre Platt produced the blockbuster Wicked, which celebrates its 15th anniversary on Broadway this year, as well as The Band’s Visit, War Paint, Indecent, Oh, Hello on Broadway, If/Then, Three Days of Rain, and Matthew Bourne’s Edward Scissorhands.  In television Platt received the Emmy Award for executive producing Grease Live! and the Emmy and Golden Globe awards for HBO’s Empire Falls.  He has been president of production for three movie studios--Orion, TriStar and Universal.

AMY RENNERT

Amy Rennert, founder and President of The Amy Rennert Agency, specializes in books that matter. She has developed a reputation for a passionate commitment to agency writers and illustrators. Amy's authors include Jimmy Buffett, Rick Hanson, Michael Krasny, Tom Lichtenheld, Eric Litwin, Patti LuPone, Diana Nyad, Jacqueline Winspear, and Pulitzer Prize winner Herman Wouk.  Dozens of agency books have been New York Times and national bestsellers. 

It was an honor and a joy for Amy to represent Amy Krouse Rosenthal for nearly twenty years. Amy R also represents Amy KR’s daughter Paris Rosenthal who co-authored the #1 New York Times bestseller Dear Girl with her mother.

Before agenting, Amy Rennert was an award-winning journalist and former editor in chief of two national magazines. She has long served on the Authors Committee for the annual National Kidney Foundation Authors Luncheon and she was on the faculty of the Stanford Publishing Course. 

Amy also enjoys time on the courts and and at the tables. She and her Golden Gate Park tennis team are 2015 National champions in the 18 and over division and she once finished 28th in the World Series of Poker Ladies No-Limit Hold’em Championship event.

Amy and her longtime partner Louise Kollenbaum were one of nearly 4000 same sex couples to marry at San Francisco’s City Hall in 2004. Those marriages were all soon annulled. They returned to City Hall ten years later to marry again. This one remains legal. 

AMY ROSENBERG

Amy Rosenberg is an award-winning journalist, producer, and media advisor.  She began her career in broadcast journalism as a producer for NBC News and ABC News. Amy founded and runs AJR Media, a Silicon Valley-based consulting firm that provides strategy and targeted media for some of today's most compelling voices:  political talk shows for Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm and California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, The Women's Conference for Maria Shriver, and digital media and content for leading technology and venture capital firms including Alibaba, Survey Monkey, Accel and Aspect Ventures. Amy attended Tufts University (with Amy Krouse Rosenthal.) She lives in Palo Alto with her husband and two children.

KELLY STOETZEL

Kelly Stoetzel is the Managing Director of the Edelman Fossil Park & Museum, and has spent most of her career working with impact-driven organizations to share knowledge and ideas through content and experiences; and to build, grow and nurture the communities around them. She was one of the first employees of TED, and was instrumental in its growth from a single annual conference into the media brand it is today. For nearly 18 years, she led curation and planning for TED’s global conferences and events. She has produced and/or hosted stage programming for other education and idea-focused organizations, including WIRED, the National Academy of Sciences and the Nobel Foundation. During its pandemic-era boon, Kelly oversaw thought leader programming on the social audio platform, Clubhouse. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Fortis Society, and on the Advisory Board of LabX, a communications engagement program of the National Academy of Sciences.

Kelly holds a BFA in Communications from Southern Methodist University.

VICTORIA R. WATKINS

Victoria R. Watkins is an attorney in Chicago, specializing in business, legislative, and creative industry law. As Founder and Managing Partner of Inrichmint, she uses her experience in business, private investing, law, and civic engagement to source and manage curated deal flow for high net worth individuals and families.

She previously served as Chief of Staff to the Co-CEO and Chief Investment Officer at Ariel Investments, the oldest minority-owned asset management firm in the country. In this role, she oversaw the Office of the Co-CEO's operations, civic engagement, and social justice priorities. Prior to joining Ariel, Victoria worked for the City of Chicago in the Office of the Mayor, serving as Senior Advisor, and Deputy Director of Legislative Counsel & Government Affairs.

She is the author of a children's book, Little Valarie and Her Big World of Options, and launched a curated tea line, Joy & Magic Curated Teas. Along with the AKR Foundation, Victoria serves on the Boards of Youth Guidance, and WINGS Program. She has spent time speaking on fashion law panels, while also authoring the early “fashion law blog” – B.A.F.F.L.E.D. She is also an angel investor.

Victoria is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and earned her Juris Doctorate from DePaul University College of Law.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

BETSY KATTEN

Betsy is grateful to be part of the Amy Krouse Rosenthal Foundation team.  After graduating from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, Betsy spent two years working at a non-profit legal-aid provider as the recipient of a national public interest fellowship. Betsy’s legal career also includes more than two decades at a large international law firm, where she practiced labor and employment law and worked as her department’s senior operations counsel. Betsy’s philanthropic experience includes serving on the Executive Board of Trustees of The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, which awarded her the Individual Impact Award in 2017 and 2018; as the Vice President of the Pamela B. Katten Memorial Leukemia Research Foundation; as the Board President of Congregation Sukkat Shalom; as a Board Director of Make Noise Now, a non-profit working on voter engagement; and as the Chair of the Evanston Human Relations Commission.  Betsy was born and raised in Chicago and now lives in Evanston with her husband and two children.

Contact Betsy at betsy@amykrouserosenthalfoundation.org