The Sophie Stenbeck Family Foundation seeks to reshape today’s global challenges by identifying, funding and advocating for breakthrough solutions, ideas and innovative grass roots initiatives across the globe.
The Foundation has channeled the knowhow of three generations of entrepreneurs.
Our mission is to foster justice and opportunity for women and children by strengthening entrepreneurial initiatives that protects the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups.
Our focus on welfare extends to supporting organizations that provide safety and security for threatened animals.
Sophie Stenbeck
President
Sophie Stenbeck is an anchor LP and Senior Advisor for Max Ventures. Max Ventures is an early stage venture fund that focuses on digital health, digital media and digital commerce. She works closely with the general partner on investment decisions and strategy. She has extensive experience investing globally for over a decade.
Sophie also co-founded Imperative, a company focused on bringing purpose to the work environment for the millennial generation. Earlier in her career, she worked in the media and political sectors both in Los Angeles and New York.
In addition, Sophie is a dedicated philanthropist through the Sophie Stenbeck Family Foundation, focusing on child rights, education, and the fight against trafficking. She is a co-founding board member of the Swedish Queen’s World Childhood Foundation and the Chairman of the Stenbecks Stiftelse (The Stenbeck Foundation), a family foundation based in Sweden. Sophie co-founded the Child 10 awards that annually honor and support social entrepreneurs from around the world who fight the trafficking of children.
Michael Blakeney
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As a lifelong educator and impact entrepreneur, Michael has had extensive experience managing grant-funded projects as both grantee and grantor. He is passionate about supporting grantees through the development and implementation of their initiatives as well as identifying opportunities that may emerge from ongoing projects.
A native New Yorker, Michael grew up on coastal Long Island and now lives in Westchester County. He is an avid gardener and has been featured in the New York Times Magazine and instructed courses as well as workshops at the New York Botanical Garden. A lifelong swimmer, Michael has trained with groups throughout the NY Metro area and completed an eight-mile solo swim to qualify for a 25K race across the Long Island Sound in which he finished first in his category. He is also an avid supporter of the Arts and LGBTQ+ initiatives.
Michael received a B.A. from Franklin & Marshall College as well as an M.A. and Ph.D. from New York University where his research focused on how people make sense of major change initiatives in the workplace.