Denise Littlefield Sobel — Philanthropist

A Williams Life

Denise Littlefield Sobel takes us on a highly personal journey through her varied and interesting life. It starts with her experience as a member of the first class of women to enroll at Williams for a full four-year term. Denise talks candidly about her mental health struggles as a student, including serious bouts of depression. Continuing in this personal vein, she discusses her conversion to Judaism against the strong wishes of her mother, and how she has come to practice acceptance as a parent herself. Another intensely personal portion of the interview focuses on the loss of Denise’s son, Elliot, who died at a tragically young age. Denise closes the episode with a discussion of her many years of philanthropy—focusing on arts and culture—and her recent appointment as Chair of the Clark Art Institute’s Board of Trustees, the first woman to hold the position.
00:00 Introduction
00:30 Choosing Williams College
02:57 Experiences as a Woman at Williams
04:45 Challenges and Triumphs of Women at Williams
08:24 Struggles With Depression and Journey to Judaism
13:25 Family Reactions to Denise’s Conversion
15:31 Embracing Diversity and Acceptance as a Parent
19:06 Philanthropy: A Family Tradition
19:34 Promoting Diversity and Inclusion through Philanthropy
20:30 The Tikkun Olam Foundation: Repairing the World
25:06 The Loss of Denise’s Son
34:53 Denise’s Early Philanthropy
43:47 Leading the Clark Art Museum
49:15 Reflections and Future Aspirations
This interview was recorded in January 2023 at CDM Studios in New York City.

Click here to view pictures and transcripts, and hear more episodes of A Williams Life.
Producer: Jon Earle ('09)
Web designer: Kathy Bogan ('75)