Charles S. Birenbaum ’79 Named Chair of 91ֱ��’s Board of Trustees</h1> <article> <h1>Charles S. Birenbaum ’79 Named Chair of 91ֱ��’s Board of Trustees</h1> <p>eburnett — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 14:49:13 +0000</p> <span>Charles S. Birenbaum ’79 Named Chair of 91ֱ��’s Board of Trustees</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-03-28T10:49:13-04:00" title="Friday, March 28, 2025 - 10:49">Fri, 03/28/2025 - 10:49</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Charles S. “Chuck” Birenbaum, a 1979 graduate of 91ֱ�� College and longtime member of its board of trustees, has been named chair of the 91ֱ�� board. He will assume leadership on July 1.</p> <p>Birenbaum brings to this pivotal role decades of legal experience and a profound understanding of 91ֱ��’s mission, which has been shaped by his years as a student, parent, trustee, and longtime advocate for students. His contributions have led directly to a host of co-curricular innovations, fundraising events, student dialogues, grants, and vital networking opportunities.</p> <p>Birenbaum is an attorney who focuses his practice on labor and employment law at Greenberg Traurig LLP in San Francisco, where he chairs the Northern California offices. His legal career spans more than four decades, with extensive experience in a wide range of litigation. He earned a degree in Government with honors at 91ֱ�� and a JD from Georgetown University Law Center in 1982.</p> <p>For years, Birenbaum has given back to the community through his work with and service on the board of the Justice & Diversity Center, a leader in providing access to volunteer legal services across California.</p> <p>“I am excited to welcome Chuck Birenbaum to his new role with the board, and I look forward to the good work we will do together,” says Carmen Twillie Ambar, President of 91ֱ��.</p> <p>“Chuck has provided steady leadership to 91ֱ�� over many years, and some of our institution’s most significant accomplishments have benefited from his expertise, determination, generosity, and irrepressible love of 91ֱ��.”</p> <p>Since joining 91ֱ��’s board in 2014, Birenbaum has emerged as a driving force for fostering innovation and student success. His current roles as vice chair (since July 2024) and chair of multiple key committees—including the Advancement Committee, Nominations Subcommittee, and Ad Hoc Board Planning Committee—reflect his deep commitment to 91ֱ��’s governance and strategic development.</p> <p>Over the past two decades, Birenbaum’s vision has fundamentally reshaped the 91ֱ�� experience. He co-founded the entrepreneurial accelerator LaunchU, which initiated a comprehensive effort to integrate business education across all disciplines. The program has since evolved into today’s Innovation Studio, which ensures that every 91ֱ�� student, regardless of their field of study, graduates with practical business acumen and entrepreneurial thinking skills. Through this initiative, students have secured their first research grants, built connections with industry leaders, and transformed innovative ideas into viable ventures.</p> <p>Through 91ֱ��’s Ashby Business Scholars program, Birenbaum has opened his law firm to provide a training ground for students, facilitating direct exposure to professional environments and meaningful mentorship opportunities. Ashby Scholars exemplifies Birenbaum’s belief in the power of experiential learning and professional networking to shape future careers.</p> <p>The William and Helen Birenbaum Innovation and Performance Space, dedicated in 2017 and named in honor of Birenbaum’s parents, stands as a physical embodiment of Birenbaum’s vision for modern education. Located on the lower level of the Hotel at 91ֱ��, this versatile venue has become a vibrant hub for cultural and intellectual exchange, hosting everything from conservatory concerts and panel discussions to entrepreneurial workshops and community gatherings. In the coming years, it will be an essential venue for 91ֱ��’s new Music Theater program, which launches in fall 2025 in an adjacent space in the hotel.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Distinguished legal expert and dedicated alum begins new role in summer 2025.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-04-10T12:00:00Z">Thu, 04/10/2025 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2554">Board of Trustees</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Anita Barcsa Photography</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40691" class="paragraph paragraph--type--pb-el-bq paragraph--view-mode--default"> <blockquote class="blockquote--quotemark" data-text-color-red data-text-size-giant> <p>This is an especially critical time to fulfill our mission to educate students to be leaders who can create change and value in the world. Nothing could be more important than serving upcoming generations, and 91ֱ�� remains well-positioned to generate leaders who are prepared to address complex challenges in society.” <em>—Charles S. Birenbaum</em></p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-40397" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p>Throughout his tenure on the board, Birenbaum has provided invaluable guidance across numerous domains of institutional governance. His expertise has strengthened committees overseeing academic affairs, investment strategies, and risk management, while his legal acumen has proved instrumental in advancing strategic initiatives. As a leading figure in 91ֱ��’s capital campaigns, he has opened his California home to donors and alumni, fostering a stronger and more connected 91ֱ�� community across the country.</p> <p>As a student, Birenbaum experienced firsthand the transformative power of an 91ֱ�� education. This understanding has been enriched through his daughter Julia, who graduated from 91ֱ�� College in 2017. This multi-generational bond with the institution infuses Birenbaum’s leadership with both personal insight and forward-looking vision.</p> <p>“As an institution, we recognize that this is an especially critical time to fulfill our mission to educate students to be leaders who can create change and value in the world,” says Birenbaum. “Nothing could be more important than serving upcoming generations, and 91ֱ�� remains well-positioned to generate leaders who are prepared to address complex challenges in society.”</p> <p>“I am also mindful of Maya Angelou’s perspective that ‘making a living is not the same thing as making a life,’” Birenbaum says. “91ֱ�� educates students to make a life, to learn for the sheer joy of it, and to build meaningful relationships as they pass through life. That aspect of 91ֱ�� is something we need to continue to develop and nourish. As chair of the board, I look forward to supporting that objective.”</p> <p>Birenbaum succeeds outgoing board chair Chris Canavan ’84, chief executive officer at the Global Carbon Market Utility, who has served on 91ֱ��’s board since 2012 and as chair since 2017. Birenbaum inherits a strong foundation built through Canavan’s thoughtful leadership.</p> <p>“I’m thrilled to pass the chair’s gavel to Chuck,” says Canavan. “As President Ambar often says: We don’t assume these leadership posts; we have the privilege of receiving them from our predecessors so we can deliver them to our successors. I’m grateful for the opportunity I have had to work for this institution I love, and I’m eager to support Chuck and 91ֱ�� in any way I can.”</p> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� Expands Impact Investment Platform to Help Improve World’s Troubled Regions</h1> <p>eburnett — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 17:24:06 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ�� Expands Impact Investment Platform to Help Improve World’s Troubled Regions</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-08-20T13:24:06-04:00" title="Tuesday, August 20, 2024 - 13:24">Tue, 08/20/2024 - 13:24</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p> 91ֱ��’s <a href="/investment/impact-investment-platform">Impact Investment Platform</a>, created in 2013 to guide socially conscious investments of 91ֱ��’s endowment, will expand to create experiential learning opportunities for students, uniting academics and investing in ways that directly address troubled regions and vital issues worldwide.</p> <p>The Board of Trustees’ Investment Committee endorsed the plan for expansion.</p> <p>The platform, developed to promote 91ֱ��’s active engagement with a range of issues, was seeded with an initial investment of $5 million of the endowment over five years and was later expanded to a target of $70 million. The Board’s approval calls for yet another target increase in impact investing—to $100 million.</p> <p>In addition, the platform will grow to include investments pertaining to the support and redevelopment of war-torn regions. Previously, the platform’s primary focus had been limited to sectors pertaining to community development, renewable energy and climate change, and education.</p> <p>“91ֱ�� taught me to keep my eyes and mind open to the many ways we can engage with the most difficult challenges and influence the world for good,” says Board Chair Chris Canavan ’84. “People movements are what we tend to think of first. But we should also appreciate—and try to influence—money movements as well. Investing dollars can have as much impact as mobilizing people, and even amplify the impact of movements. I’m glad to see 91ֱ�� providing opportunities for us to learn how to do this better.”</p> <p>91ֱ��’s expansion of impact investing coincides with the development and growth of the Impact Investment Advisory Group, a nine-member panel made up of students, faculty, alumni, members of the Board’s Investment Committee, and Chief Investment Officer Jun Yang.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Measures follow recent steps to increase student participation in socially conscious investment decisions.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2024-08-20T12:00:00Z">Tue, 08/20/2024 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2554">Board of Trustees</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4103">Impact Investment Platform</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4104">Impact Investment Advisory Group</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4105">Investment Committee</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2359">Administration</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4107">Sustainability</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2392">Social Justice</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Mike Crupi</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-32150" class="paragraph paragraph--type--pb-el-bq paragraph--view-mode--default"> <blockquote class="blockquote--quotemark" data-text-color-red data-text-size-giant> <p>Impact investing is a natural fit with 91ֱ��’s mission of education and global engagement while generating necessary financial returns.” —Sean Gavin ’98, Investment Committee Chair</p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-28053" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p>Formed in 2022 with the goal of providing an invaluable experiential learning opportunity to 91ֱ�� students, the IIAG serves in an advisory capacity to the Investment Committee. In collaboration with the Investment Office, the IIAG designs and implements research related to impact investing, evaluates issues and trends, makes recommendations to the committee, and educates 91ֱ�� students and the community more broadly on impact investing and the endowment overall.</p> <p>The IIAG consists of four student members, known as IIAG Fellows. This summer, the Investment Committee appointed an IIAG Coordinator to guide the group’s efforts, recruit new members, develop the IIAG agenda and projects for the coming year, and serve as primary liaison to the committee. The inaugural coordinator, Iman Abdullah, is a 2024 91ֱ�� graduate who majored in Economics. She was an IIAG Fellow in 2023-24.</p> <p>A previous advisory group, the Impact Investment Platform Subcommittee, consisted primarily of members of the Investment Committee and the Board of Trustees, as well as faculty and alumni. The IIAG, by comparison, involves a greater number of students and provides rigorous opportunities to apply classroom learning to real-world challenges—and to play a key role in the future of 91ֱ��. </p> <p>“Impact investing is a natural fit with 91ֱ��’s mission of education and global engagement while generating necessary financial returns,” says Sean Gavin ’98, chair of the Investment Committee. “Engaging students in this process facilitates learning and gives agency to students in acting as a catalyst for good. The addition of a full time on-campus fellow facilitates this process and is a critical step in the realization of our vision.”</p> <p>Current 91ֱ�� students may submit applications for <a href="https://jobs.oberlin.edu/postings/15543">2024-25 IIAG Fellowships</a> through August 31. Applicants are required to have completed their first year of 91ֱ�� studies, and all majors are welcome. This year’s fellows will be announced in mid-September.</p> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Carmen Twillie Ambar Named 15th President of 91ֱ��</h1> <p>bdenneen — Tue, 30 May 2017 20:19:39 +0000</p> <span>Carmen Twillie Ambar Named 15th President of 91ֱ��</span> <span><span>bdenneen</span></span> <span><time datetime="2017-05-30T16:19:39-04:00" title="Tuesday, May 30, 2017 - 16:19">Tue, 05/30/2017 - 16:19</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Ambar, currently president of Cedar Crest College, will be on campus full time beginning in September.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-left" style="width: 300px; max-width: 100%"> <figcaption>Carmen Twillie Ambar addresses the campus community during an announcement ceremony on May 30, 2017. Photo credit: Scott Shaw.</figcaption> </figure> <p>Ambar’s values align closely with 91ֱ��’s mission. “91ֱ�� is a singular institution in American higher education, with an historic commitment to social justice, academic and musical excellence, and the liberal arts,” Ambar says. “I look forward to my work with 91ֱ��’s faculty, staff, students, board, and alumni to think creatively and collaboratively together. I am humbled to be joining this institution and excited about the opportunity to lead it into its next era.”</p> <p>Lillie Edwards ’75, chair of the Presidential Search Committee, says, “I look forward to seeing the ways in which 91ֱ�� and President Ambar will inspire each other. She is passionate about the ways music and the liberal arts are powerfully transformative. She is visionary in thinking about how we can carry our mission into the 21st century. She is compassionate about who has access to this transformation. These principles are not only professional; for her they are also movingly personal. They reveal how much learning and labor are already in her DNA.”</p> <p>Ambar has served as the 13th president of Cedar Crest College since 2008, following a highly successful tenure as vice president and dean of Douglass College at Rutgers University, where she was the youngest dean in the University’s history. Cedar Crest has thrived under her leadership. Three straight years with budget surpluses and a 35 percent growth in net assets have allowed the college to make significant investments in the campus without borrowing, and the college’s endowment has increased by almost 92 percent. Ambar has presided over the launch of 18 new academic programs and, during her tenure, Cedar Crest has seen enrollment growth in six of the last seven years and this fall will welcome its largest freshman class since 2007.</p> <p>“I'm incredibly excited to work with Carmen Ambar as 91ֱ��'s next president,” says Chris Canavan ’84, chair-elect of 91ֱ��’s Board of Trustees. “Her life story, her academic achievements, her devotion to the liberal arts and her love of music make her the very embodiment of 91ֱ��. Under her leadership, I'm confident that 91ֱ�� can advance with the times without losing sight of who we are.”</p> <p>The Presidential Search Committee was impressed with Ambar’s deep commitment to helping students see their potential in new and creative ways, achieve at the highest levels in whatever field they choose, and ultimately change the world for the better. "President Ambar has a record of recognizing and embracing the importance of participatory governance, knowing that the community is integral to an institution's trajectory,” says Jeremy Poe ’18. “She understands both the challenges of equitable access to education and the equity disparities students face after matriculating. Her theories about how an institution can and should adapt will forestall concerns about a top-down approach. I'm excited to see and be a part of what 91ֱ�� is able to do under her leadership, and I know other students will be similarly excited."</p> <p>Access and retention are paramount priorities for Ambar. At Cedar Crest, she led initiatives to expand the access of high-impact practices for all students including: “The Sophomore Expedition,” a shared short-term study abroad experience funded almost entirely by the college for all sophomores beginning spring 2018; campus vibrancy initiatives and a robust First-Year-Experience that have increased retention by 11 percent; the 4-Year Guarantee, which provides a clear path to graduation; dual degrees, to help students get their master’s faster; and living learning communities. Under her leadership, the diversity of the student body increased from 16 percent in fall 2008 to 37 percent in fall 2016, with the highest increases in Hispanic and African American populations.</p> <p>91ֱ�� faculty who served on the Presidential Search Committee were inspired by Ambar’s vision. Jennifer Bryan, associate professor of English, says, “I think of Carmen Ambar as the pragmatist's idealist. She's clear-eyed and tough-minded, honest and smart, and she believes passionately in the transformative power and social impact of what we do. I think she's really inspiring, and I'm confident that she's going to be a powerful voice for 91ֱ��'s mission and values.”</p> <p>Jan Miyake '96, associate professor of music theory, echoes: “I was impressed by her broad thinking, mission-driven approach, and listening skills, and I am confident that she is an experienced leader who is ready to guide us through these next years at 91ֱ��.”</p> <p>Ambar serves on several boards including the Colonial States Athletic Conference, for which she is chair; the Women’s College Coalition; and the Pennsylvania Campus Compact board. In 2014, she was honored by the governor’s office as a Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania. Additionally, she has earned several awards for her support of women including the 2012 Girls Scouts “Take the Lead” Award, the 2011 American Association of University Women (AAUW) Gateway to Equity Award from the organization’s Allentown Branch, and the 2010 Athena Award from the Women’s Business Council (WBC) of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce.</p> <p>Prior to her time at Rutgers, Ambar served as assistant dean of graduate education at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. As an attorney, she previously worked in the New York City Law Department as an assistant corporation counsel.</p> <p>Ambar earned a juris doctorate at Columbia Law School, a master’s in public affairs at Princeton University, and a BS in Foreign Service at Georgetown University. She is married to Saladin Malik Ambar, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Political Science and Senior Scholar at the Center on the American Governor at the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Ambar has 10-year-old triplets, Gabrielle, Luke, and Daniel.</p> <p>Carol Levine '84, president-elect of the 91ֱ�� Alumni Association, also welcomes Ambar’s selection: “Carmen Ambar is compelling, warm and engaging. She drew us in with her insight and commentary based on thoughtful research. She immediately got the pulse of 91ֱ��—both strengths and weaknesses—and delved right into even the most difficult subjects. I believe she will be a great motivator. She is present, driven, and ready to take on everything 91ֱ�� is and hopes to be.”</p> <p>The nationwide search for 91ֱ��’s 15th president began in autumn 2016, when Marvin Krislov announced his resignation from the presidency effective June 30, 2017. A search committee, which included representatives from the Board of Trustees, alumni, faculty, staff, and the student body, solicited nominations, closely reviewed the credentials of the candidates, and conducted extensive interviews.</p> <hr> <p><i>Watch the <a href="https://youtu.be/LeZzPIPz_tg">video of the announcement event</a>.</i></p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2017-05-30T12:00:00Z">Tue, 05/30/2017 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The 91ֱ�� College Board of Trustees announced today that Carmen Twillie Ambar will become the College’s 15th president and first African American leader in the institution's 184-year history.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2359">Administration</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2554">Board of Trustees</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2577">Office of the President</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/carmen-twillie-ambar" hreflang="und">Carmen Twillie Ambar</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> </main></body></html>