Barnard College has announced the appointment of four new members to its Board of Trustees. This new class includes Amy Crate ’94, P’24, founding Board Member of Think of Us, Board of Trustees member at the Professional Children’s School, and philanthropist; Francine A. LeFrak, president of the Francine A. LeFrak Foundation and the Same Sky Foundation Fund, philanthropist, social entrepreneur, and women’s rights advocate; Vivien Li ’75, a not-for-profit executive, member of Boston’s Municipal Lobbying Compliance Commission, co-chair of the national Sierra Club’s Finance and Risk Management Advisory Committee, and civic leader; and Jyoti Menon ’01, a fin-tech expert, founding member and co-chair of the Athena Leadership Council, and Board Member of the Shanti Bhavan school in India.
“My fellow Trustees and I are thrilled to welcome Amy, Francine, and Vivien to the Board, as well as Jyoti Menon ’01, who completed her term as an Alumnae Trustee and has transitioned to a role of at-large trustee,” said Cheryl Milstein ’82, P’14, who was elected chair of the Board in June 2018. “Their unique backgrounds and experiences will be great assets in our commitment to further Barnard’s mission.”
The Trustees of Barnard College are responsible for the overall governance of Barnard College, including oversight of strategic direction and large-scale programmatic initiatives, approval of the budget, and stewardship of the endowment.
“I’m looking forward to working with these new Board members, especially as we embark on an exciting year, including the Barnard Year of Science and growing our physical, mental, and financial well-being programs through the Francine A. LeFrak Foundation Center for Well-Being,” said President Sian Leah Beilock. “These four changemakers will bring so much additional knowledge and perspective to our already exceptional Board of Trustees.”
Barnard College’s new Trustees are:
Amy Crate ’94, P’24 is a founding Board Member of Think of Us, Board of Trustees member at the Professional Children’s School, co-chair of the Development Committee for the
Board of Directors of Youth Villages, and philanthropist. She began her career in marketing and advertising at Saatchi & Saatchi, BBDO, and DDB Worldwide, where she worked in account management for TV and film. Later she worked in senior marketing, development, and advisory roles for Carolina Herrera, Zac Posen, Mikimoto, New Yorkers for Children, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and American Ballet Theater. Most of her philanthropic efforts have focused on at-risk youth by engaging corporate partners and building strategic partnerships to support innovative programs for young adults involved in the foster care system. She currently resides in Florida with her husband, Darell, and is the proud parent of a student in Barnard College’s Class of 2024. She and her husband also enjoy sustainable farming at their farm in Hamilton, Massachusetts.
Francine A. Lefrak is the president of the Francine A. LeFrak Foundation, and the Same Sky Foundation Fund, philanthropist, social entrepreneur, and women’s rights advocate. Francine founded the trade initiative Same Sky to help women feeling invisible become visible through their work. She is the daughter of Samuel and Ethel Stone LeFrak ’41, who served as a Barnard Trustee from 1981 to 1985. Before her philanthropic work, Francine was the founder and president of her theatrical, television, and film company, LeFrak Productions, and received several Tony, Emmy, and Peabody awards for her successful career on Broadway and as a social issues film producer.
In October 2020, President Sian Leah Beilock announced the creation of the Francine A. LeFrak Foundation Center for Well-Being at Barnard College, which expands the Feel Well, Do Well @ Barnard campaign. The new Francine LeFrak Center, made possible by a generous gift from the Francine A. LeFrak Foundation, will ensure that all Barnard students have access to a multitude of resources, including comprehensive physical and mental health, holistic wellness, and financial literacy support services.
Francine began her humanitarian work through employment and training programs serving HIV+ survivors of the Rwandan genocide and women recently released from prison looking for a second chance. By providing access to training, education, and fluency programs, she has helped thousands of women and girls find opportunities for success and rise out of poverty. Through her foundation, Francine has impacted over one million people.
She was recognized for her humanitarian work and philanthropic efforts by receiving the Chevalier of the Legion of Honor from the French government, the Women Together Award from the United Nations, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the Human Spirit Award from the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, the 2019 Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Accessories Pioneer Award, and the UNFCU Foundation’s Women’s Empowerment Award. Francine has also received Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degrees from Manhattanville College and Mount Ida College and is a longtime member and chair emerita of Harvard Kennedy School Women’s Leadership Board. Most recently in 2021, she was awarded the George H.W. Bush Points of Light Award.
Vivien Li ’75 is a not-for-profit executive focused on waterfront redevelopment and climate change strategies in Boston and Pittsburgh, a member of Boston’s Municipal Lobbying Compliance Commission, co-chair of the national Sierra Club’s Finance and Risk Management Advisory Committee, and civic leader. In addition to this work, Vivien volunteers at food pantries and soup kitchens and has served as a longtime active volunteer for Barnard, as a Class Agent for Change in 1975, host of Barnard Club of Boston’s send-off, and conductor of waterfront tours for Barnard club members.
In 1994, Vivien and her sisters Dr. Christine Li and Lorraine Li established and continue to support a scholarship fund honoring their parents that benefits Barnard students. Previously, she was also the co-chair of the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs’ Advisory Council under deans Christina Paxson and Cecilia Rouse. Her other accomplishments include serving as the public, non-architect director of the American Institute of Architects, an overseer of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and a member of Princeton University’s Committee to Nominate Alumni Trustees.
Jyoti Menon ’01 is a product management, strategy, and development professional with 20 years of experience in delivering next-generation financial services products. Jyoti has developed strategy and led execution for large-scale, global products through her ability to define vision, collaborate across multiple teams, and work through changing environments and priorities.
Jyoti is currently Head of Digital Product and Analytics for Bread (a subsidiary of Alliance Data Services), where she owns the digital product for Bread’s complex lending product suite. She manages a complex product road map with multiple stakeholders while setting strategic product vision.
Prior to Bread, Jyoti was Director and Head of Digital Wallets/eCommerce, Bill Payments, and Funding at Citi. She managed relationships and led strategy for multiple digital wallet partnerships, and was responsible for Citi’s bill payments and consumer-centric funds transfer product and strategy.
Jyoti started her career in digital product management as a member of the Global Corporate Services team at American Express, where she focused on building robust mobile travel and expense solutions for corporate travelers. In prior roles, she launched global marketing tools, redesigned client reporting solutions, and developed key partnerships.
Jyoti is an active mentor to several Barnard students and young alumnae and is on the advisory committee for Beyond Barnard. In 2016, she received the Service to Barnard Award from the Alumnae Association for her contributions to the College. Jyoti is on the Board of the Shanti Bhavan school in India, which aims to bring children and their families out of poverty through a world-class education.
Jyoti holds a master’s in international affairs from the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs.