George H.W. Bush Lifetime of Leadership Award
Elizabeth Munson, ‘78, an All-Ivy squash player and four-year tennis player, is now an acknowledged expert in the far-reaching field of non-profit and charitable investment and giving. Captain of the squash team during her senior year, she was awarded the John Blum Award as the greatest overall contributor to the team.
Following Yale, Munson earned a law degree from Harvard, joining the law firm of White and Case as an associate in 1983. Her specialty was tax and estate planning for families with high net worth but her work also included foundations, endowments, and not-for-profits. She became a partner in 1993, the year she received an LL.M. degree in taxation from New York University Law School.
In 2001 Munson was appointed president of the Rockefeller Trust Co., New York, and the Rockefeller Trust Co., Delaware. The firms manage approximately $4 billion in assets for Rockefeller family members, foundations, endowments, and private groups. Munson has structured innovative plans for charitable giving, particularly with regard to tax issues.
Munson serves as a trustee of St. Paul’s School, a member of the board of the Wildlife Conservation Society, and a board of managers member for the Episcopal Social Services of New York. A member of the Yale Development Board, she has served as president of the squash association, Skillman Associates.
