New Lincoln Center president is a Goldman Sachs director
mainThe last president, Jed Bernstein, was fired for neglecting to disclose a sexual relationship with a staff member whom he promoted.
His successor, fed to the NY Times, is the Barnard College president, Debora L. Spar.
Professor Spar, 53, has a huge task ahead of restarting a stalled $500 million site development while keeping all the site’s tenants involved.
At Barnard, she raised $400m.
She is the author of ‘Wonder Women: Sex, Power, and the Quest for Perfection.’
And a director of Goldman Sachs.
Well fancy that.
photo: Youtube (much livelier than the NY Times mugshot)
‘Is a Goldman Sachs director’? I think you meant she was a Goldman Sachs director. She no longer works there
Or maybe this is a dog whistle about her religion?
She is still a director, according to her wikipedia site, updated today, and a Goldman link.
I’m not sure what religion has to do with this but her Goldman background presumably gives her some close connections to the donor class in NY.
With the post-election impetus to give to charities that can push back against Trump’s destructiveness, arts groups like Lincoln Center can probably use all of the philanthropic advantage they can muster.
DSpar (as she is lovingly known to the students of Barnard) has done many amazing things during her time at Barnard. Her fundraising and leadership abilities are well known, and she will bring a breath of fresh air to Lincoln Center. Barnard students and alumnae are sad to lose her, but that only indicates how influential she has been at the college. She is a celebrity to all the girls who go, we worship her.
In fact, when I was a student I met with her in a “fireside chat” and she has always remembered me. I told her I was working in opera and she lit up. She loves the arts and will be an excellent advocate for them. I hope I get the chance to congratulate her in person.
I don’t think LC could have picked a better choice, especially at a time when we desperate need female leaders. (Maybe HRC can take over Barnard?) She spearheaded the Athena Center for Leadership Studies and Barnard’s Global Symposium, she is not afraid of shaking things up. She has raised money for a number of construction projects that are completely overhauling the campus (for the better), and isn’t that exactly the kind of skills LC is looking for?
As far as her being on the board of directors for Goldman… I don’t think that will count against her as she’s looking for prospective board members and donors.
tl;dr — Good for DSpar and for Lincoln Center!