From Leonard A. Lauder

Leonard A. Lauder“My support for Nurse Practitioners comes out of a deep respect for what they do, based on firsthand experience. In a doctor’s office, I am often first assessed by a Nurse Practitioner, who works alongside the doctor as part of an expert team. I hear it when they weigh in, and the doctor listens to them too. I speak with them, listening to what they love about their job. I’ve learned about the obstacles they face—taking on student debt, working to support a family at the same time.

I realized I needed to support these dedicated nursing professionals in the ways that I could, including easing the burden of their educational costs. Having been on the board at the University of Pennsylvania for many years, I was well aware of its great Nursing School. I realized we could combine forces, and Penn Nursing could make a profound difference by educating a greater number of Nurse Practitioners, with expanded clinical training in local communities. I want dedicated, talented people who are just starting out, or changing mid-career, or are nurses planning their futures, to be able to fulfill their professional ambitions—to ensure that others live healthier, better, and longer lives. What work could be more essential, more noble?

Like many Americans, I’ve asked myself, do communities across the country have access to good healthcare in their neighborhoods? Many do, but many do not. Economically marginalized rural and urban areas suffer from a lack of accessible and consistent primary care.

Like others, I saw the fault lines emerge in our health care system during the Covid-19 pandemic, and I wanted to take action now. This gift is a sign of my appreciation and support, and an acknowledgement of a fundamental reality: Nurse Practitioners are key to solving this country’s acute shortage of quality health care. I hope that this gift will inspire others to step forward and dedicate their resources and support to the Nursing profession.”

About Leonard A. Lauder

Leonard A. Lauder was born in New York City in 1933, where he grew up and helped his mother and father as they founded what would become The Estée Lauder Companies business out of the family’s kitchen in 1946.

After serving in the U.S. Navy, Mr. Lauder officially joined The Estée Lauder Companies in 1958 and focused on building the company’s research and development laboratory and helping to grow the business.

Mr. Lauder is Chairman Emeritus and former CEO of The Estée Lauder Companies, where he currently serves as the senior member of the Board of Directors. In his over five decades of leadership, he transformed the company from a brand with a handful of products in one country, to a multi-brand, beloved global icon.