who is laurene powell jobs

Laurene Powell Jobs is an American entrepreneur, business executive, and philanthropist best known as the founder and president of Emerson Collective and as the widow of Steve Jobs. She also co-founded College Track and the XQ Institute, and she serves on several boards, including The Atlantic’s board through Emerson Collective’s ownership stake.

Quick Scoop

• Who she is: A major figure in philanthropy, education reform, immigration advocacy, media, and climate-related initiatives.

• What she’s known for: Building Emerson Collective, a hybrid organization that combines investing and philanthropy to back solutions in education, mobility, immigration, and the environment.

• Personal background: She was married to Apple co-founder Steve Jobs for 20 years and is widely recognized as his widow.

Background

Powell Jobs was born on November 6, 1963, and worked in finance before moving into entrepreneurship and philanthropy. Before founding Emerson Collective in 2011, she also co-founded Terravera, a natural foods company, and later helped launch College Track to support students from underserved communities.

Why people know her now

She remains influential because Emerson Collective has become a powerful force in public-interest investing and media, including a lead role in The Atlantic. In 2021, she also created the Waverley Street Foundation to focus on climate solutions, especially for communities on the front lines of climate change.

Context

If you saw her name trending, it’s usually tied to one of three things: Apple/Steve Jobs legacy , philanthropy and education work , or media and climate investments.