Ben Feder (MBA 1991) and Victoria Lindenbaum Feder (MBA 1994)

When Ben Feder attended his 25th Reunion, he was inspired by something that then Dean Nitin Nohria said: “HBS has the power to change lives.” Feder, a history major at Columbia University who had financed his undergraduate degree with loans, came to HBS after working in development at the World Bank. “The School absolutely transformed my life,” he says. Over the years, Ben and Victoria Feder have supported three key priorities at the School: the HBS Fund, the Gender Initiative, and work on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

The Feders met in 1989 just as Ben was accepted at HBS. They give to the School in part to express gratitude for the experience they each had and the doors that have been opened to them because they earned an MBA at HBS. They are also quick to reflect on the broader influence of the School as a motivation for their philanthropic support. “When we consider the impact that we personally can have on society versus the impact that HBS can have, the School wins, hands down,” says Ben.

The couple has designated their recent support for DEI, one of the key priorities at HBS and an area they believe is crucial to society. “You need to invest in the pipeline in order for things to change,” says Victoria, an independent consultant focused on health care and technology. “We believe that we need more diversity—race, gender, perspective—in leadership roles. And we believe that HBS can help by training the next generation of leaders.”

They appreciate how the Black Lives Matter movement has shined a light on both the overt and hidden racism in society. Victoria says, “It is upon all of us to do the work required to be anti-racist.”

“We’ve achieved some success in our lives and want to put our resources to good use,” says Ben, a former executive at the News Corporation who has launched several media companies and now serves as president of international partnerships at Tencent Games (North America). “HBS is in a unique position to influence a more expansive, diverse, and inclusive cadre of corporate leaders.”

While moved by the “current imperatives and desperate need for action” on DEI, the Feders are also longtime supporters of the HBS Fund. With their experience working with and serving on boards of nonprofits, they understand the importance of unrestricted funds. “If you trust the organization and the leadership, you want to give them the flexibility to put donor dollars where they are most urgently needed,” says Victoria, who joined the Boston Consulting Group after graduating from Yale. In 2002, she founded the Jewish Community Project of Lower Manhattan, an organization she ran for 10 years.

The Feders are eager to use their experience to help others. Whether that is giving advice, time, or financial support, they are a couple who leverage their influence to make a difference in the world.

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