Penny Friedman

Penny serves as a member of the executive committee of KnowledgeWorks Foundation, where she has been Vice Chair and is currently Treasurer.

Penny Friedman was President and Founder of BeneFactors, LLC, a consulting and management firm that provided strategic, advisory, and administrative services in the field of philanthropy before BeneFactors joined with the Health Foundation Fund to create InterAct for Change.

Penny has 30 years of distinguished professional and community leadership experience and has been the recipient of numerous honors and awards for her civic involvement and leadership. She has bachelor's and Juris Doctor degrees from The University of Michigan and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Penny practiced corporate law with Taft, Stettinius and Hollister before becoming director of Property Development and then Vice President for Property Development for Taft Broadcasting Company. In addition to her corporate responsibilities with strategic acquisitions, maximizing real estate assets, and managing businesses associated with Kings Island, she created a strategy for and managed the company's charitable contributions. As a real estate portfolio manager for Bartlett & Co., she managed $100 million in real estate investments.

After 20 years in the business world, where she also gained extensive leadership experience in the nonprofit world, Penny turned her focus to advancing the field of philanthropy and strategic giving. In 1998, she launched the consulting firm BeneFactors, which has served as advisor to numerous families and foundations. In 2007, she increased the capabilities, visibility, and reach of BeneFactors' philanthropic services by joining with the Health Foundation Fund to create InterAct for Change.

Penny works to advance community and organizational agendas through hands-on participation, leadership, and financial support. She has held leadership positions in more than two dozen top civic, arts, human services, and religious organizations. She is on the executive committees of the Greater Cincinnati Arts and Education Center and the Cincinnati Arts Association. She also serves as President of the Foundation for Family Service and as Vice Chair of the Board of Project GRAD Cincinnati. Penny has participated actively in the Ohio Grantmakers' Forum and provided leadership to a team that created the Greater Cincinnati Common Grant Application, which served as a model for the Ohio Common Grant Application.