Two new members named to Board of Tulane

William Marko, managing director at an investment banking group based in Houston, and Ann Tenenbaum, a philanthropist in New York City focusing on the arts and education, have been elected to the Board of Tulane, the main governing body of Tulane University.

“William Marko and Ann Tenenbaum are two remarkable members of the Tulane community who are guided by a deep desire to improve the lives of individuals and society as a whole through through their support and leadership in education, research and the arts,” Tulane President Mike Fitts said.

Marko is a Tulane engineering graduate and currently serves as chair of the Tulane University President’s Council. In addition, he is a member of the School of Science and Engineering Board of Advisors and a regional chair of the National Campaign Council for “Only the Audacious: the Campaign for a Bolder Tulane.” Marko is also a former chair of Tulane’s 35th Annual Reunion Committee and a former member of the university’s Engineering Board of Advisors.

He is a managing director of Jefferies LLC in the Energy Investment Banking Group. He also worked in various leadership roles at Mobil Oil and was COO of Madison Energy Advisors.

Marko and his wife, Marta, provided the lead gift to the Tulane Brain Institute, which was used to build the administrative offices and labs for the institute’s Memory and Cognition Research Cluster. The gift also supports the Marko Spark Innovation Research Fund and established an endowment to provide support for future Brain Institute research initiatives.

“The university is where it is today because of the efforts of many people over a long period of time,” says Marko. “We’re attracting more research money, we’re attracting more donor participation, and this is a superb time to be part of Mike Fitts’ team.”

Ann Tenenbaum is a philanthropist who serves on a number of boards in New York City, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Studio Museum in Harlem, Channel 13/WNET, and the Film Society of Lincoln Center, where she is chairman. She has previously served on the boards of Sarah Lawrence College and Northfield Mount-Hermon School, as well as the Dia Art Foundation and Second Stage Theatre. She was a Commissioner for the Public Design Commission of the City of New York for 10 years.

Tenenbaum and her husband Thomas H. Lee, who is managing partner of Lee Equity Partners and credited with being one of the early pioneers in private equity and leveraged buyouts, are co-chairs of the National Campaign Council for Tulane’s “Only the Audacious” campaign. They also serve on the Parents Council. Their gifts to Tulane have supported critical initiatives in career development, student success, and faculty support. The couple have three children together, and two are currently students at Tulane. Tenenbaum also has a nephew enrolled at Tulane.

“The relationship that Tulane has with New Orleans is a model for how institutions of higher education should be integrated into communities and working not only for their students but for the benefit of all,” says Tenenbaum. “I’m really interested in being a part of that growing relationship and endeavor. I’m also very much looking forward to joining the Tulane board in their efforts to increase diversity across all aspects of the university.