Laura Arrillaga Andreessen

Bio

Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen is the Founder and President of the Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen Foundation (LAAF.org), a private operating foundation with a mission to inspire, educate and empower people to give in a way that matters more. Operating as a philanthropic innovation lab, LAAF uses technology innovations to globally scale philanthropy education–creating and disseminating resources and scaling programs that advance the educational, individual and institutional fields of philanthropy to increase impact. Founding initiatives include: Giving 2.0: The MOOC (massive open online course) that is teaching over 25,000 givers around the world how to strategically invest time, money and expertise; ProjectU, a portfolio of open-source educational resources providing all that an educator needs to teach philanthropy courses; Giving 2.0: Transform Your Giving and Our World, a New York Times bestselling book that empowers all givers to give their time, money, networks and expertise—in any amount—in a way that matters more.

Laura created and has taught Stanford Graduate School of Business’ (Stanford GSB) first course on Strategic Philanthropy since 2000 and has developed and teaches Stanford University’s first courses on strategic philanthropy; philanthropic entrepreneurship; design thinking to create social impact; grantmaking; as well as technology’s disruption of the social sector. Laura is the Founder and Board Chairman of Stanford PACS (Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society), a global research center committed to exploring ideas to create social change and publisher of the award-winning Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR). 

Laura is the Founder, Chairman Emeritus and former Chairman (1998-2008) of SV2 (Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund), a venture philanthropy fund that leverages its investors’ financial, intellectual and human capital to fund and scale innovative, early-stage nonprofits. SV2 has a portfolio of 41 grantees, 500+ investors and won the 2008 Silicon Valley Association of Fundraising Professionals Philanthropic Organization of the Year. 

Her New York Times bestselling and award-winning book, Giving 2.0: Transform Your Giving and Our World (Wiley, 2011), empowers people of all backgrounds, ages and passions to make their giving matter more. Laura has written for T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Worth Magazine, the Huffington Post, SSIR and Measuring The Networked Nonprofit. Laura has been profiled in New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Barrons, Forbes and Vogue. She has been featured on Charlie Rose, CNN with Erin Burnett, MSNBC with Dylan Ratigan and CNBC Power Lunch. 

Laura is Co-founder and President of the Marc and Laura Andreessen Foundation. She is director of the Arrillaga Foundation and a board member of Sand Hill Foundation and Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR). She is a former trustee of Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Hoover Institution, Castilleja School, Menlo School, Eastside Preparatory School and San Francisco Art Institute. 

Laura holds an MBA from the Stanford GSB, as well as an MA in Education, BA and MA in Art History all from Stanford University. In total, Laura holds five degrees from Stanford including Bing Nursery School where she graduated with honors by consuming vast quantities of Play-Doh under the crafts table. 

In addition to numerous California philanthropy awards, Laura was a 2005 Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute; was awarded the 2005 President’s Volunteer Service Award from the Points of Light Foundation; was honored with the World Affairs Council’s Global Philanthropy Forum 2011 Global Citizen Award, as well as the 2014 Commonwealth Club Distinguished Citizen Award. Laura lives with her husband, technology entrepreneur and venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, near Stanford University, and together they enjoy reading, art, writing, movies, athletics, sleeping, not sleeping and laughing as much as possible.

Academic Degrees

• MA in Art History, Stanford University, 1999
• MA in Education, Stanford University, 1998
• MBA, Stanford Graduate School of Business, 1997
• BA in Art History, Stanford University, 1992

Academic Appointments

• At Stanford University since 2001
• Lecturer in Public Policy, Stanford University, 2003-present
• Lecturer in Education, Stanford School of Education, 2003-present
• Visiting Scholar, Haas Center for Public Service, 2005-2008
• Public Affairs Fellow, Hoover Institution, 1996-1997

Professional Experience

• Founder and Board Chairman, Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society, 2006-present
• Founder, Chairman Emeritus and Former Chairman, SV2 (Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund), 1998-present
• Co-founder and President, Marc and Laura Andreessen Foundation, 2011-present
• Director and Treasurer, Arrillaga Foundation, 1995-present
• Director, Sand Hill Foundation, 2006-present
• Various executive positions, Mercury Interactive Corporation, 1992-1994

Awards and Honors

• Distinguised Citizen Award, Commonwealth Club, 2014
• Global Citizen Award, World Affairs Council, 2011
• Outstanding Silicon Valley Philanthropist, Children and Family Services, 2009
• President's Award for Volunteer Service, Points of Light Foundation, 2005
• Henry Crown Fellow, Aspen Institute, 2005
• Silicon Valley Philanthropist of the Year, 2000

Teaching

Degree Courses

2018-19

GSBGEN 370: Power of You: Women and Leadership

Society needs confident, skilled and agile female professionals at every career level, especially in the earlier stages of their career, which provide the platform for future leadership opportunities. Female leaders face the same challenges as...

GSBGEN 381: Philanthropy: Strategy, Innovation and Social Change

You have extraordinary potential to create social change, and Philanthropy: Strategy, Innovation and Social Change will empower you with the skills, experience and inspiration to actualize that potential. Regardless of your profession, industry,...

2017-18

GSBGEN 370: The Power of You: Women and Leadership

Society needs confident, skilled and agile female professionals at every career level, especially in the earlier stages of their career, which provide the platform for future leadership opportunities. Female leaders face the same challenges as...

GSBGEN 381: Philanthropy: Strategy, Innovation and Social Change

Appropriate for any student driven to effect positive social change from either the for-profit or nonprofit sector, Philanthropy will challenge students to expand their own strategic thinking about philanthropic aspiration and action. In recent...

2016-17

GSBGEN 381: Philanthropy: Strategy, Innovation and Social Change

Appropriate for any student driven to effect positive social change from either the for-profit or nonprofit sector, Philanthropy will challenge students to expand their own strategic thinking about philanthropic aspiration and action. In recent...

In the Media

Andreessens pair with H-P to send computers to Ferguson, Baltimore libraries

USA Today, May 20, 2015

When Facebook and Twitter Give Back: A New Philanthropy Guru and Her Silicon Valley Mission

Vogue, May 2014

How to Turn Your Generosity Into Philanthropy

The Wall Street Journal, June 6, 2013

Rebooting Philanthropy in Silicon Valley

New York Times, 12 18, 2011

Five Fascinating Philanthropists

Barrons, 12 5, 2011

Interview with Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen

Charlie Rose Show, December 13, 2011

Insights by Stanford Business

writtenAdvice to Future Philanthropists: Follow Your Heart but Let Your Brain Drive

March 7, 2017

Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen says giving is about more than just writing checks.

writtenArrillaga Book Offers Map for Successful Philanthropy

November 30, 2011

Don't just feel good about philanthropic gifts, says Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen in her book Giving 2.0. Put your mind to work as well as your heart.