A Conversation with Cynthia Brandt, PhD, Chief Executive Officer & President, Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health

Bright Spots in Healthcare

Dr. Cynthia Brandt joins Eric to discuss her mission to unlock philanthropy to improve health for children and mothers around the world through the foundation, which directs all fundraising for the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford and for the maternal and children's health programs at Stanford University School of Medicine. Cynthia shares some “bright spots” in children’s healthcare today. In addition to the foundation’s mission, the discussion also touches on topics from health equity to the evolution of philanthropy in healthcare.

Cynthia Brandt is Chief Executive Officer & President of the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health. Since 2018 she has been on a mission—with the outstanding team at the Foundation—to unlock philanthropy to improve health for all kids and moms, in Silicon Valley and around the world.

During 20+ years in fundraising and communications, Cynthia has contributed to important missions and great teams as Campaign Director for the Smithsonian Institution, VP for Advancement at Mills College, and Associate Dean for External Relations at Stanford University’s School of Humanities & Sciences. She is grateful and motivated to give back because others’ generosity allowed her to pursue a PhD and MA in sociology at Stanford and a BA in English and fine arts at Vanderbilt.

Cynthia is passionate about the potential for science to heal humanity and the planet. She is emphatic that this work must be grounded in empathy and a commitment to lift up all people equally.