Leonore Annenberg Biography

Born Leonore Cohn, Mrs. Annenberg graduated from Stanford University and was married and divorced twice before she met and married Walter Annenberg, a billionaire publisher from Philadelphia. In 1969, Walter Annenberg was named United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom, and Leonore went with him, renovating the Ambassador's house while she was there. Later on, President Ronald Regan appointed Mrs. Annenberg Chief of Protocol, a position in which she planned and hosted official events for visiting heads of state in Washington, as well as oversaw protocol for the overseas travel of the president and vice president. In later life, Leonore and Walter Annenberg were primarly engaged as philanthropists. In 2002, she succeeded her late husband to become the chairman and president of the Annenberg Foundation, which has given out over $2.5 billion in grants since its inception. Mrs. Annenberg passed away on March 12, 2009 at the age of 91.