Since 1927, gifts to The Penn Fund—from undergraduate alumni and parents like you—have made a profound and immediate impact on all aspects of student life and learning at the University by providing grant-based financial aid packages to undergraduates, supporting enhancements to academic programs and campus technology, and fostering community through student clubs and organizations. This longstanding tradition of loyal generosity allows donors to support the University’s greatest needs and highest priorities through the general fund, long-term scholarship support, and special reunion class projects.
Join The Penn Fund, the Penn Women’s Center, and the Penn LGBT Center to hear from esteemed alumnae at the Penn It Forward: Women and Philanthropy Panel. Highlighting their philanthropic support of both the University and their respective communities, panelists will engage in conversation about creating change and where they see the future of women and philanthropy across campus and beyond!
Joan Lau is Chief Executive Officer of Philadelphia-based biotech Spirovant Sciences. She co-founded the company envisioning the potential for gene therapy for patients with inherited respiratory diseases. Under her leadership, Spirovant gained the support of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and was honored as Healthcare Startup of the Year from the Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies. Spirovant was acquired twice in 2019, once as part of a $3 billion transaction with Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma.
Dr. Lau co-founded and is partner of Militia Hill Ventures, a firm focused on building and growing life sciences companies. She led multiple biotechs including Immunome Inc, Azelon Pharmaceuticals, and Locus Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Lau began her career at Merck Research Laboratories.
Dr. Lau has been recognized for her leadership in the biotechnology industry and within the Philadelphia community. She serves on the board for Renovacor Inc., the Philadelphia Orchestra & Kimmel Center; and the School of Social Policy and Practice. She is an Adjunct Professor in the Wharton Healthcare Management Program. Previously she served as national board chair, Human Rights Campaign Foundation (DC). She was selected as the 2020 Entrepreneur of the Year, Philadelphia Region by Ernst & Young; a 2020 Woman of Distinction by the Philadelphia Business Journal; and the 2021 Iris Newman Award recipient from the Alliance for Women Entrepreneurs. As a serial entrepreneur she enjoys engaging with STEM students and graduates to reach their full potential as leaders.
Dr. Lau earned an MBA from the Wharton School of Business and a BSE in Bioengineering, both at the University of Pennsylvania; and a PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. She lives in northwest Philadelphia with her wife and teen holding a driver learner’s permit.
Ilona has worked in finance on Wall Street and Silicon Valley. She received her bachelor’s degree from the Huntsman Program at the University of Pennsylvania, and her MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Born in Havana, Cuba, she immigrated with her parents to the United States at the age of 5, and grew up in Louisville, Kentucky. In her free time, she hosts “Money Memories,” a podcast that’s on a mission to make money conversations less taboo, one memory at a time. You can find the show wherever you listen to podcasts, and at www.moneymemoriespodcast.com.
Aimée Miller is President of Fairmount Ventures, a women-owned consulting business that catalyzes social impact and equity in cities and communities by building the capacity of the nonprofit and public sectors. Aimée directs her 25+ years of expertise in writing and editing, strategic positioning, and fundraising towards work that advances prosperity and enriches quality of life, both in her hometown city of Philadelphia and beyond. A former features journalist and critic, she is expert in affirming clients’ brand and mission promise to philanthropy and developing resonant messaging to potential supporters. Her skill as a grantwriter and fundraising strategist provides clients with fresh insights on how to align vision and goals most effectively with those who want to invest in social good. Aimee’s suite of expertise spans fundraising, business development and brand communications, finance, talent management, and operations.
Aimée is a seasoned presenter on organizational fundraising culture, funder and donor strategy, and Board and volunteer engagement. She brings a deep set of connections to local creative communities through more than a decade of volunteer leadership in arts education, as a co-founder of Girls Rock Philly, and previous work in print media and at WXPN-FM. Aimée attended the Annenberg School for Communication and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from UPenn’s College of Arts and Sciences.
Celebrating 30 years of helping organizations grow and thrive, Fairmount Ventures provides an aligned continuum of services that include strategic and business planning, executive search, resource development, and program design. Fairmount has raised over $800 Million on behalf of its clients, ranging from community-based organizations to national leaders in the sector.
Katlyn Grasso is the Founder and CEO of GenHERation®, which is a network where young women and companies connect. In her role as CEO, she has created GenHERation® Discovery Days, hosted the GenHERation® Summer Leadership Series, developed original GenHERation® webisodes, launched The GenHERation® Collection product line, and has grown the GenHERation® community to reach more than 300,000 young women. Katlyn is a graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where she received a B.S. in Economics with concentrations in finance and strategic globalization.
Grasso speaks internationally about entrepreneurship, technology, leadership, and the advancement of women, and has been a featured speaker at more than 200 events, including the Forbes CMO Excursion, Heads Network Annual Conference, the Sea Crest School’s Innovator’s Symposium, the Youth Entrepreneurship Summit, the United Nations, the North Carolina Association of Independent Schools Women in Leadership Conference, the National Coalition of Girls School Annual Conference, and the Wharton Global Forum in Australia. She is a frequent radio and television contributor and her work has been featured across national media outlets, including CNBC, NBC, Fast Company, Forbes, The Huffington Post, CBS, Yahoo! Finance, Seventeen Magazine, and SiriusXM. Katlyn is a member of the Penn Fund Executive Board, the Penn Nursing Center for Global Women’s Health Advisory Board, the TCU Neeley Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Board of Directors, and is the Tri-Chair of Momentum 2020: The Power of Penn Women.
