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Interview by Lori Thiel1. How did you come to be involved with SDSVP?My husband’s firm was interested in potentially getting involved with SDSVP, but since none of his partners wanted to actually attend an event, Jeff roped me in to joining him for the holiday party in 2004. I accompanied him begrudgingly, with absolute conviction that this would be yet another evening of mind-numbing cocktail-hour chit chat with nothing of substance to keep my noggin engaged.
By the end of the evening Jeff couldn’t get me to go home. SDSVP people are warm, incredibly intelligent, passionate and truly interested in helping make our world a better place. I was smitten. We joined right away and then I began attending various meetings and truly fell in love. Not only are SVPers all those incredible things I’d first noticed, but holy cow they get things DONE! Now I was really home. People who don’t think I’m nuts to whip out Excel and start charting a workplan? Nirvana!
2. What is the best thing about being involved in SDSVP?Knowing that while I’m having a fantastic time with great people, I’m also making a positive difference in the world and becoming a better philanthropist and a more effective human being all at the same time. Now THAT is multi-tasking.
3. What is your favorite place in the world and why?The Paro valley in Bhutan. Bhutan is a tiny little kingdom in the Himalayan Mountains, wedged between India and China. It is the only country in the world whose official religion is Buddhism and whose most important metric is the Gross National Happiness. Now I’m a hardcore capitalist and an Austrian economist to boot who is in a deep love affair with the United States and especially her Constitution, but Bhutan is a land where people understand what is truly important. They have no concept of consumerism, of needing this car, that purse, or this piece of clothing to make you OK. There is a gentleness there, a culture that takes a breath between listening and speaking to digest what has been said; a courtesy and compassionate view of all living things. Every morning we would get up early and practice yoga overlooking the valley, so peaceful and quiet and still. For someone like me who always has a million things going on in her head at all times, going and going and going, it was a magical escape and a hint at another way of living that I try to bring into my soul.
4. How did you meet your husband?I met my husband Jeff in 1994, when we were both working for Accenture, then Andersen Consulting. We dated on and off for about three years, neither one of us even remotely interested in getting married but inevitably drawn to each other as long as we were in the same zip code. He took off to get his MBA and I did the same a year later. He moved to NYC for an investment banking career. I, on the other hand, didn’t lose my sanity and instead stayed on the West Coast enjoying the quiet, calm days of the Internet craze when MBAs walked on water…ahhh the good ol’ days. After about six years in NYC and having finally come to his senses Jeff returned to the West Coast. We met for a cup of coffee and were married just over a year later; it was really good coffee. The man realized he’d had it pretty good with me, (Ok, so maybe that’s MY version, but I’m sure it’s completely accurate, right Jeff?)
Jeff works in private equity real estate so he’s seen some tumultuous times, but as always is a steady eddy and with that cranium of his, figures out a way to come out strong. He keeps me on my toes!
5. Please tell us about your favorite pet.I’m a lover of almost all things with fur and even a few with scales — just don’t put a spider near me or my do-no-harm intentions run up against the sole of my shoe and wham! I’m a sucker for any animal in need, so we tend to adopt big black dogs as they have the worst luck finding a home. Our current pup is Dublin. (Did I mention I’m Irish?!). Dublin in Gaelic means black pool, and he is a very large, black pool of mushy loving. He was badly abused when we adopted him, but quickly realized that Jeff and I are pathetic softies and exceptionally easy to manipulate with love and affection.
6. How do you spend your days off?I’m a voracious reader and a confirmed geek, so I tend to pour through a lot of financial/economics books and periodicals. I actually think that studying economic theory is fun. I know, I’m not a healthy person. I also read a section of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence every morning as well as continually re-read the Federalist papers. Jeff’s suggested therapy…
I also love photography and have big aspirations as well as fantastic equipment, so I’m often out and about practicing. So far the aspirations have not yet met with the talent, but I’m a persistent bugger.
I also like to surf (not very good, but working on it), play golf, and have delusions of being a female Bob Vila, so there is always some project going on around the house that typically requires a lot of Band Aids and spackle, with the occasional emergency Home Depot run.
Evenings usually involve a great bottle of red wine, the bigger and bolder the better, and a good book.
7. Please tell us about a personal project you can’t wait to finish.I’ve always got a bunch of projects in the air at any one point and they never really seem to end and, instead, just keep experiencing scope creep as I find something else to fascinate me. I’ve been working on a book, but it is one of those that will take a very long time to be written if it is to be done properly.
8. What is your most prized possession and why?My passion and integrity. They are more priceless than any tangible possession. With them I know I can survive anything and look myself in the eye when the dust settles.
9. Please tell us about your education.- Undergraduate in Math and Economics from Claremont McKenna College and Harvey Mudd.
- MBA in Finance from the Anderson School at UCLA
- Best education: having life kick the pudding out of me when I least expect it. The best lessons have come from falling flat on my face and having to get back up again and try.
10. Nobody in SDSVP knows that…
I LOVE to dance. When I was seventeen I had to make a choice, college or the Joffrey Ballet. I chose my head over my toes, but there are days I dream of having taken a different path, a path where music leads the way rather than quantitative analysis. Weird personal habit: When I sit down in bare feet, I tend to unconsciously point my toes…comes from years in toe shoes!
s dedicated his time, expertise and support to Emeritus Investee, Cultivating Brilliance Institute (formerly HDF) and he even gave his birthday! Alan requested that in lieu of gifts, his friends and family give to the OPEN GATE Program. Thanks to their generous donations Cultivating Brilliance was able to purchase over 100 new books for the kids!
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Interview by Lori Thiel.jpg)
Partner Aaron Contorer and alumni Lori Steele on their recent engagement! Aaron and Lori met through mutual friends in SDSVP.
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