About the Foundation
The James F. Keppel Foundation was created in 2003 as a non-profit entity to honor Jim’s legacy and provide educational scholarships to students in the United States and around the world.
The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) Charitable Trust. Each year the Foundation gives out annual awards to individuals that embody Jim's academic aspirations and spirit for life.
Since its inception, the support has been has been astonishing. However, more funds are necessary to achieve Jim’s goal of making a difference in this world. This foundation will endeavor to meet his goal, one individual at a time but we need your help! This is your opportunity to honor Jim’s life… make your gift today.
The Goal
To share that same educational opportunity that Jim had with young students in the US and around the world.
The Hope
That these young graduates will become leaders in their own countries. In this way, Jim will have achieved his goal of making a real difference in the world, one individual at a time.
About Jim
Jim was keenly aware of how fortunate he was in all aspects of his life. Whether it be in relation to his close-knit family—parents Steve and Brenda and siblings Stephen, Jessica and Matthew—friends, classmates, teammates and co-workers, or the educational opportunities offered to him at Bethlehem Catholic High School and Yale University…he was grateful.
Jim passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in 2003 at the age of 22. He had accomplished much in a short amount of time and seemed to have an impact on everyone he met, from classmates and teammates to co-workers and family members. In an email to his family, Jim wrote, “I am lucky to have so many caring people around me. I have to get back to work but I just want to thank you for always being there for me. And know that I will always be there for you.”
A 1998 graduate of Bethlehem Catholic High School, Jim excelled both academically and athletically. He continued his hard work at Yale University as a member of the football team where he earned All-Ivy honors. After graduation, he went on to work for Sempra Energy with whom he had interned the previous summer. He was enjoying life in New York City until his untimely death of an undetected heart ailment in May of 2003.
The generous outpouring of support and love stemming from Jim’s death resulted in the establishment of the James F. Keppel Foundation. The foundation intends to provide scholarships each year to bright, deserving students at home and around the world who otherwise would not have the opportunity to continue their education.
Jim’s life, though short, was a special gift to all of us. He wanted to make a difference in the world and felt his education and connections at Yale would give him that opportunity. His goal was to work on Wall Street for 10 years and then consider a career in politics.
Meet the Board
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Stephen Keppel
Stephen Keppel is the Keppel Foundation Board Chair and is also President of PVBLIC Foundation, an innovative organization that mobilizes media, data, and technology for sustainable impact around the world. Stephen is leading the organization in its mission to engage global changemakers and mobilize action to advance sustainable development.
Before PVBLIC, he served as the Vice President of Social Impact at Univision and Executive Director of Univision Foundation. He received a UN media leadership award for his work on climate change and representing Univision at the Paris Climate talks and has been recognized as a World Economic Forum (WEF) Media Leader in Davos and China. Stephen graduated from the University of Notre Dame and holds a master’s degree in International Affairs from Columbia University and an Executive Certificate in Non-Profit Leadership from Duke University.
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Katie Parla
Katie Parla is an author, publisher, television and podcast host, and culinary guide based in Rome, Italy. She has written, edited or contributed to more than 35 books including Food of the Italian Islands, Food of the Italian South, Tasting Rome, American Sfoglino, Flour Lab and The Joy of Pizza. In 2022, Katie founded Parla Publishing, a boutique publishing company designed to demystify all facets of the process for other authors, restaurants and brands. She co-hosts Gola, a podcast about Italian food and drink culture. In addition to appearing as an expert on television programs such as “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy” and Netflix’s “Chef’s Table,” Katie hosts culinary shows on Recipe.tv including her Emmy-nominated food and travel series “Katie Parla’s Rome,” “Katie Parla’s Roman Kitchen,” and “Gola on the Road.”
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Jessica K. Higgins Ph.D.
Jessica Keppel Higgins, PhD is a data scientist and healthcare researcher based in North Carolina. She has recently joined the United Organ Sharing Network (UNOS) as a research science manager overseeing multiple teams that are investigating multiple areas within organ transplant related research. Previously, she spent most of her career working on clinical trial data analysis, specifically championing the use of open source tools such as R and python for more efficient and innovative analyses and data reporting.
Jessica graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in Environmental Sciences. She later obtained her PhD in evolutionary climate change biology studying the effects of climate change on rapid evolution of insects. In addition to serving on the board of the James Keppel Foundation, Jessica is a lifetime Girl Scout member and leader of a local troop in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
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Paul Ardire
Paul Ardire is a Partner at GoldenTree Asset Management where he leads a global team investing in various industries. Prior to joining GoldenTree, Paul worked at Deutsche Bank and Citigroup. Paul holds a B.A. in Economics from Yale University. In addition to being an original board member of the Keppel Foundation, he is President of a Yale Alumni charity called The Bulldogs Care Foundation.
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Tim Penna
Tim Penna is an operations leader with a track record of driving data and technology-enabled transformations at Fortune 500 and Private equity-owned businesses. He's known for his ability to modernize and improve operations by leveraging data, analytics, and technology. Tim is a former Bain consultant and PE portfolio company executive who has consistently led cross-functional teams to collaborate and deliver results. He currently leads Digital Transformation and Portfolio Operations at Cerberus Capital Management.