Wallis Annenberg

Wallis Huberta Annenberg
Born	(1939-07-15) 15 July 1939 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	28 July 2025(2025-07-28) (aged 86) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Heiress, philanthropist
Known for	President and chairwoman of the Annenberg Foundation

Wallis Huberta Annenberg (July 15, 1939 – July 28, 2025) was a notable American heiress and philanthropist. She held the roles of president and chairwoman at the Annenberg Foundation, a philanthropic entity with assets valued in the multibillions within the United States.

Early life and education

Wallis was born in Philadelphia into a distinguished Jewish family, the daughter of publishing tycoon Walter Hubert Annenberg and Bernice Veronica Dunkelman. Her lineage included her grandfather Moses Annenberg, who owned The Philadelphia Inquirer. She spent her childhood on her father’s 15-acre estate named Inwood. At age 10, she witnessed her parents’ separation; subsequently, her mother remarried a Chevrolet dealership owner, while her father wed Leonore Annenberg, who was related to Columbia Pictures President Harry Cohn as his niece.

She completed her studies at Pine Manor College, then a two-year institution, graduating in 1959. Wallis had a brother named Roger, who tragically died by suicide at 22 during treatment for schizophrenia while on a break from Harvard University. In memory of him, she later gave one of her sons his name.

Marriage and divorce

During a trip to Venice celebrating her junior college graduation in 1959, Wallis encountered Seth Weingarten, freshly graduated from Princeton University and en route to attend Yale Medical School. Shortly after she left Columbia University, they married in 1960. The couple relocated multiple times due to Weingarten’s advancing medical career.

They became parents to four children: Lauren (born in New Haven, Connecticut in 1961), Roger (named in honor of Wallis’s deceased brother, born in New York City), and Charles (whose birth took place in Roswell, New Mexico during Weingarten’s tenure as a medical officer). Encouraged by Wallis, Weingarten accepted a role at UCLA, which led them to settle permanently in California.

Their marriage ended in divorce in 1975. Custody initially was awarded to Weingarten in 1978; however, he relinquished full custody back to Wallis in 1979. She did not enter into another marriage thereafter.

Career

Wallis began her professional journey at Triangle Publications, the company behind TV Guide, Seventeen, and numerous radio and television outlets across the country; her father served as chairman of the board. She continued working there for three years following its acquisition by Rupert Murdoch in 1988.

In 1986, she made an appearance on The Joan Rivers Show broadcast on Fox, sharing the stage with actresses Lucille Ball and Michele Lee.

Death

Wallis Annenberg passed away at the age of 86 on July 28, 2025, at her residence in Los Angeles due to lung cancer.

Philanthropy

Following the passing of Leonore Annenberg in March 2009, control of the Annenberg Foundation transitioned to Wallis and three of her children: Lauren, Gregory, and Charles. As chairman and president of the Annenberg Foundation, Wallis Annenberg upheld her father's philanthropic vision by channeling the family’s wealth primarily into initiatives benefiting Los Angeles County. She held board memberships at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, and the University of Southern California, which includes the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Her philanthropic leadership was honored with the 2014 inauguration of Wallis Annenberg Hall at USC and the awarding of the USC University Medallion in 2017.

Her generosity extended to cultural and healthcare organizations, exemplified by contributions to the Wallis Annenberg Concourse at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and the establishment of the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in 2013. She supported innovative accessibility projects such as the Universally-Accessible Treehouse in Torrance, California, which promotes inclusivity for individuals with diverse physical abilities.

Wallis also served on the board of the New York chapter of the foundation affiliated with Princess Charlene of Monaco. Her children Lauren Bon, Gregory Weingarten, and Charles Weingarten are active members of the Annenberg Foundation’s board; however, her son Roger Weingarten, who has schizophrenia, is not involved in board affairs. Although a significant portion of the multibillion-dollar family fortune was dedicated to foundation activities, Wallis Annenberg’s personal net worth was estimated to exceed $500 million.

Among her major philanthropic endeavors were Wallis Annenberg PetSpace, GenSpace, the Center for the Performing Arts, Annenberg Space for Photography, Annenberg Community Beach House, and the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, which is projected to become the largest wildlife crossing globally when it opens in 2026.

In reaction to the Southern California wildfires in January 2025 that impacted Altadena and Pacific Palisades, Wallis Annenberg and her Foundation played a crucial role in relief efforts. She coordinated "LA Check In," a livestream fundraising event featuring artists such as D-Nice and will.i.am. The Foundation remains committed to providing financial aid and raising awareness to enhance community recovery and safeguard projects like the Wildlife Crossing from threats posed by incidents such as the Kenneth Fire.

In 2025, Wallis Annenberg was honored with The Perfect World Foundation Award in recognition of her philanthropic achievements, particularly her dedication to wildlife conservation initiatives including the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing.