MacKenzie Scott Biography: Life, Career, Success & Wealth

Estimated read time 4 min read
source: Reuters
FactDescription
Full NameMacKenzie Scott (formerly MacKenzie Bezos)
BirthdateApril 7, 1970
BirthplaceSan Francisco, California, USA
EducationBachelor’s degree in English from Princeton University, 1992
Career HighlightsAuthor of two novels: “The Testing of Luther Albright” (2005) and “Traps” (2013); philanthropist and advocate for social justice
Wealth and PhilanthropyOne of the world’s wealthiest women; has donated over $8 billion to charitable causes since 2020
Giving StrategyFocuses on supporting organizations led by women and people of color; seeks to address systemic inequalities
Personal LifeWas married to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos from 1993 to 2019; has four children

MacKenzie Scott is an American novelist, philanthropist, and billionaire. She was born on April 7, 1970, in San Francisco, California, and grew up in Connecticut. She attended Hotchkiss School and then went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in English from Princeton University in 1992.

MacKenzie Scott started her career as a writer, and her debut novel, “The Testing of Luther Albright,” was published in 2005. The book was a critical success and won the 2006 American Book Award.

However, MacKenzie Scott is best known for her immense wealth, which is estimated to be around $60 billion, making her one of the richest women in the world. Her wealth comes from her divorce settlement with Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, whom she was married to for 25 years.

After her divorce, MacKenzie Scott signed the Giving Pledge, a commitment to give away the majority of her wealth to charitable causes during her lifetime. In 2020, she announced that she had donated nearly $6 billion to various charitable organizations, including historically black colleges and universities, food banks, and organizations that work to combat racial injustice and inequality.

MacKenzie Scott’s philanthropy has been widely praised, and she has been recognized for her commitment to making a difference in the world. She has been named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people and was awarded the 2020 Smithsonian American Ingenuity Award in social progress.

Overall, MacKenzie Scott is a prominent figure in the world of philanthropy, known for her immense wealth and dedication to making a positive impact in society. Her generosity has made her one of the most significant philanthropists in the world today.

Here’s a timeline of MacKenzie Scott:

  • April 7, 1970: MacKenzie Scott is born in San Francisco, California.
  • 1992: MacKenzie Scott graduates from Princeton University with a degree in English.
  • 1993: MacKenzie Scott begins working at D.E. Shaw, a quantitative hedge fund in New York City.
  • 1994: MacKenzie Scott meets Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, while working at D.E. Shaw. They get married later that year.
  • 2005: MacKenzie Scott’s debut novel, “The Testing of Luther Albright,” is published and wins the American Book Award in 2006.
  • 2012: MacKenzie Scott founds Bystander Revolution, an anti-bullying organization.
  • 2019: MacKenzie Scott and Jeff Bezos announce their divorce after 25 years of marriage. MacKenzie Scott receives 25% of the couple’s Amazon stock, worth roughly $36 billion at the time.
  • 2019: MacKenzie Scott signs the Giving Pledge, committing to give away the majority of her wealth to charitable causes.
  • 2020: MacKenzie Scott begins donating large sums of money to various charitable organizations, including historically black colleges and universities, food banks, and organizations that work to combat racial injustice and inequality. By the end of the year, she has donated nearly $6 billion.
  • 2021: MacKenzie Scott marries Dan Jewett, a science teacher at a Seattle private school.

Note: This timeline is accurate as of April 2023 and may not reflect any updates or changes that occur after this date.

Here are 5 interesting facts and 5 quotes from MacKenzie Scott:

5 Interesting Facts:

  1. MacKenzie Scott is a novelist, and her debut novel “The Testing of Luther Albright” was well received by critics.
  2. She met her ex-husband Jeff Bezos while working at the investment firm D.E. Shaw in New York City.
  3. She signed the Giving Pledge, a commitment to give away the majority of her wealth to charitable causes, and has donated nearly $6 billion in 2020 alone.
  4. In 2019, after her divorce from Jeff Bezos, she became one of the wealthiest women in the world.
  5. She remarried in 2021 to Dan Jewett, a science teacher.

5 Quotes:

  1. “There’s lots of resources each of us can pull from our safes to share with others.”
  2. “We are all attempting to deal with tremendous uncertainty, and navigating it as best we can.”
  3. “Recognizing the wealth gap, and acknowledging the systems that perpetuate it, is a good place to start.”
  4. “In this effort, we are governed by a humbling belief that it would be better if disproportionate wealth were not concentrated in a small number of hands, and that the solutions are best designed and implemented by others.”
  5. “It is strange to be writing a letter indicating I plan to give away the majority of my wealth during my lifetime, as I have never sought to gather the kind of wealth required to feel like saying such a thing would have a particular meaning.”

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