Laura Sparks

Laura Sparks serves as Managing Director, Head of Corporate Engagement at Future Standard and President of the Future Standard Foundation (the philanthropic arm of Future Standard).

As Head of Corporate Engagement, Ms. Sparks oversees and develops strategic approaches to several key functions of the business, including government affairs, communications and the firm’s global real estate footprint. In her role as President of the Future Standard Foundation, she works to advance equitable opportunity across the firm’s communities through civic engagement, philanthropy and employee engagement initiatives.

Ms. Sparks has an extensive background in both financial services and civic leadership. Prior to joining Future Standard, she served in both public and private finance roles at Citi, Goldman Sachs, and UBS. She also served as Executive Director of the William Penn Foundation, a then $2 billion private foundation dedicated to improving the Philadelphia region. Most recently, Ms. Sparks served as the 13th President of The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science at Art. She was the first woman to serve in the role and orchestrated a historic financial turnaround.

She earned a BA from Wellesley College, a JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

Ms. Sparks is a member of the Board of Trustees for The Julliard School, Temple University and Rockefeller Foundation Catalytic Capital.