Chief Fundraising Officer
A visionary leader in philanthropy, social impact, and entertainment, Lainie Strouse has built a distinguished career as an Executive Director, Development Director, Social Impact Consultant, and TV/Film and Live Event Producer. She has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for globally recognized organizations, including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Make-A-Wish Foundation, FCancer, Hilarity for Charity, Call to Unite Covid Relief Fund, the Writers Guild of America, and the Screen Actors Guild Foundation. With a strategic mindset and a laser focus on results, she empowers organizations to craft compelling messaging, enhance visibility, optimize efficiency, and unlock new revenue streams—all while staying true to their core mission.
As a sought-after consultant, Ms. Strouse collaborates with top talent to drive meaningful change. She launched The Ellen Fund for Ellen DeGeneres with a landmark fundraising concert featuring Bruno Mars, Chris Martin, and James Corden—exceeding its $2 million goal by raising $5 million for endangered species preservation. She co-created Seth and Lauren Rogen’s Hilarity for Charity, securing $1 million for Alzheimer’s patient care, and produced Greg Berlanti’s Berlanti Hero Gala, raising over $1.5 million for FCancer while honoring Stephen Amell, Mindy Kaling, and Julie Plec, with performances by Demi Lovato, Ariana Grande, En Vogue, Tori Kelly, Trevor Noah, and Jeff Garlin.
Beyond philanthropy, Lainie has made a significant impact in the entertainment industry. An accomplished producer, she helmed the feature film Teacher of the Year, starring Keegan-Michael Key (was #1 on Netflix, now streaming on Paramount +, Amazon Prime and Google Play), Rockstar in the Kitchen, and upcoming Abbie’s Party, Saturday Night Lights and Tunnel Vision. She also produced PBS’s The Write Environment and numerous live awards shows for the Writers Guild of America, the Makeup & Hairstyle Guild, DGA Honors and the Los Angeles Film Critics Society. Additionally, Lainie’s career as an actress includes recurring roles on ABC’s General Hospital and CW’s Wicked, Wicked Games.
With an unparalleled ability to bridge philanthropy and entertainment, Lainie Strouse is a driving force behind high-impact initiatives that create lasting change.