Jeanne Curtis Hurwitz has proudly served on the board of the Lamp of Learning since 2019—the same year NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir made history with the first all-woman spacewalk, a milestone that continues to inspire her commitment to supporting educational opportunities for local students.

Jeanne's own academic journey includes earning her B.A. from Duke University, followed by an M.B.A. with a finance focus from American University. She was the only woman finance major in her class. She started her career in finance with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, where she was one of the few women bank examiners in the 1970s, a role that presented unique challenges in a traditionally male-dominated field.

After her time with the Comptroller, with her experience in analyzing troubled organizations, Jeanne was invited to join the federal Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration. Her team was responsible for overseeing the financial survival of Conrail, a major rail company formed from multiple bankrupt entities. Her work involved assessing monthly funding requests to ensure the viability of railroads crucial to national transportation.

Seeking new horizons, Jeanne moved to Kansas, where she became only the second Certified Financial Planner (CFP) in the state, opening her own business in 1988. She later moved to California, where she retired and began focusing on volunteer work.

With her unique blend of financial expertise and dedication to community service, Jeanne brings invaluable insights and passion to the Lamp of Learning, helping shape its mission to empower students through educational opportunities.