Judith Rodin

Judith Rodin
Born	Judith Seitz (1944-09-09) September 9, 1944 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Psychologist, executive leader, university president
Years active	1972–present
Known for	7th president of the University of Pennsylvania; 12th president of the Rockefeller Foundation; pioneering impact investing and resilience frameworks

Judith Rodin (née Judith Seitz, born September 9, 1944) is a distinguished American psychologist, executive leader, university president, and internationally recognized thought influencer. She held the position of the 12th president at the Rockefeller Foundation from 2005 until 2017. Prior to that, from 1994 to 2004, Rodin served as the 7th president of the University of Pennsylvania, marking her as the first permanent female to lead an Ivy League university. Her expertise and impact span behavioral medicine, health psychology, higher education administration, philanthropy, as well as pioneering efforts in impact investing and resilience frameworks.

Early life and education

Born Judith Seitz in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 9, 1944, Rodin grew up in a middle-class Jewish household as the younger daughter of Morris and Sally Seitz. She graduated with distinction from the Philadelphia High School for Girls and was awarded a scholarship for undergraduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania.

At Penn, she pursued a major in psychology, earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1966. During her time there, she was elected president of Penn’s Women’s Student Government and played an instrumental role in its merger with the Men’s Student Government. This union led to the creation of the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education (SCUE) in 1965, which significantly advanced co-educational policies within the College of Arts and Sciences. Rodin completed her doctoral studies with a Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1970 and conducted postdoctoral research at the University of California at Irvine in 1971.

Career

Following a brief teaching stint at New York University in 1972, Rodin joined the Department of Psychology at Yale University as an assistant professor, where she quickly gained acclaim as an engaging lecturer. Her academic focus included obesity, eating disorders, stress management, and aging. Over her tenure from 1972 to 1994, she advanced to become the Philip R. Allen Professor of Psychology and held professorships in medicine and psychiatry. She also assumed several leadership positions including director of graduate studies, chairperson of the Department of Psychology, dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and provost.

In 1994, Rodin was named president of the University of Pennsylvania, becoming both its first permanent female president and its first alumna to occupy this top leadership role. She took over after interim president Dr. Claire M. Fagin. During her presidency, she spearheaded transformative growth that strengthened Penn’s academic foundation while enhancing community engagement and campus life. Her initiatives included revitalizing University City and surrounding West Philadelphia neighborhoods through public safety programs; fostering partnerships between the Wharton School and local small businesses; developing infrastructure serving community needs; and founding the Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander University of Pennsylvania Partnership School.

Under Rodin’s guidance, research funding at Penn doubled while annual fundraising efforts and endowment values tripled. She also launched Penn Medicine, attracted record numbers of undergraduate applicants resulting in increasingly selective admissions classes, and elevated Penn’s ranking in U.S. News & World Report from 16th place in 1994 to 4th by 2002.

Rodin assumed leadership of the Rockefeller Foundation in March 2005 as its first female president, succeeding Gordon Conway. Her tenure emphasized resilience as a strategic focus to tackle global issues such as environmental sustainability, urban growth challenges, healthcare accessibility, and economic disparities. She advocated for collaborative efforts among government bodies, nonprofit organizations, academia, and private enterprises to scale innovative solutions that foster systemic transformation.

In response to Hurricane Katrina, Rockefeller initiated urban resilience programs aimed at rebuilding New Orleans while enhancing preparedness against future catastrophes. The foundation played a pivotal role in shaping impact investing during its 2007 gathering at the Bellagio Center in Lake Como, Italy. In 2008, it committed $38 million toward grants supporting initiatives like the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN). After Hurricane Sandy struck in 2012, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo appointed Rodin as co-chair of NYS 2100, a commission dedicated to enhancing state infrastructure resilience.

A hallmark achievement during her Rockefeller presidency was launching the 100 Resilient Cities (100RC) initiative in 2013. This program aimed to assist cities globally in preparing for complex challenges characteristic of the 21st century by offering technical support, funding resources, and access to a worldwide network of experts to craft customized resilience plans.

Throughout her career at Rockefeller, Rodin championed philanthropic leadership centered on achieving quantifiable social outcomes. She advanced programs that empower disadvantaged populations, encourage inclusive economic development, and bolster civil society institutions with an emphasis on transparency and accountability to ensure sustainable impact.

Professional affiliations and publications

Rodin has held board positions at prominent public corporations such as Citigroup, Comcast Corporation, and Aetna. In addition, she has contributed her expertise to a variety of venture-backed startups and nonprofit organizations, including Athena Technology, Prodigy Finance, New World Symphony, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), and Carnegie Hall. Her advisory roles have extended to institutions like the Brookings Institution, the Council on Foreign Relations, the American Psychological Association, and the White House's President's Council of Advisors in Science and Technology (PCAST). Presently, she leads the National Academy of Medicine's Grand Challenge initiative focusing on Climate Change, Human Health, and Equity.

With a prolific output, Rodin has written or co-written more than 200 scholarly articles and book chapters, alongside 15 books. Notable titles include The University & Urban Revival: Out of the Ivory Tower and Into the Street, The Power of Impact Investing: Putting Markets to Work for Profit and Global Good co-authored with Margot Brandenburg, The Resilience Dividend: Being Strong in a World Where Things Go Wrong, and Making Money Moral: How a New Wave of Visionaries is Linking Purpose and Profit, written with Saadia Madsbjerg.

Awards and honors

Rodin’s election to prestigious bodies began with the National Academy of Medicine in 1982, followed by induction into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1990, and the American Philosophical Society in 1995. She has been awarded nineteen honorary doctorates from various universities, including New York University (2004), Johns Hopkins University (2016), and most recently Yale University in 2024.

Among her distinguished recognitions are the Philadelphia Award received in 2004, becoming the first female honoree of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce's William Penn Award that same year, as well as earning the Pennsylvania Society Gold Medal for Distinguished Achievement in 2006.

Rodin was repeatedly acknowledged as one of Crain's 50 Most Powerful Women in New York over three consecutive years. She also appeared on Forbes Magazine’s list of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women. Additionally, she was included in the National Association of Corporate Directors' Directorship 100 for her commitment to exemplary corporate governance standards and was listed among PoliticsPA's "Pennsylvania's Most Politically Powerful Women."

Personal life

Rodin is married to Paul R. Verkuil, who serves as President Emeritus of the College of William and Mary, previously held the position of dean at Tulane University Law School, and was CEO of the American Automobile Association. Verkuil has also been dean and faculty member at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. Rodin’s earlier marriages were to Bruce Rodin and Nicholas Niejelow. She has one son, Alexander Niejelow, who is married to Ioanna Kefalas.

External links

• Dr. Judith Rodin's official website
• Judith Rodin profile at SourceWatch
• Interview on Charlie Rose