Nancy & Don deLaski

Donald and Nancy deLaski’s collaboration lasted a lifetime- from raising their family together, to traveling the world, to their family business. Their work in philanthropy began in earnest in 1999, when they formed the deLaski Family Foundation.

The deLaski’s work in philanthropy began with a grant that would be emblematic of the future of the foundation - Don and Nancy, with the help of Dr. Floyd Malveaux of Howard University College of Medicine, formed a free clinic for asthmatic children attached to Howard University. This initiative was a space for parents of asthmatic children experiencing poverty to gain access to cutting edge information and treatment. Don, a lifetime sufferer of asthma, had spent many hours researching both allopathic and alternative strategies for treating the illness, and wanted to help families learn about the disease, make it easier to manage their child’s condition, and give them the information that had not been available to him and his parents.

In 2005, Don’s interest in spirituality and holistic medicine led him to another doctor - James Gordon. Jim is the founder of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine at Georgetown University, and a Harvard Medical School graduate, who embraced mind-body practices and alternative medicine long before it was “on-trend” to do so. At Don’s request, Jim initiated research on alternative treatments for asthma, which related closely to work he was doing on post-traumatic stress disorder. Jim began bringing ground-breaking, cost-effective techniques to war zones, post-Katrina-New Orleans, and post-earthquake Haiti, and is now helping veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan (watch their 60 Minutes segment here). From 2005 onward, Don pursued this partnerships and others in integrative medicine, consciousness and education.

Nancy introduced and championed organizations that supported the arts, particularly dance and theater. Nancy was a dancer herself, as was her daughter and two of her granddaughters (one even went on to become a professional ballerina!). As such, Nancy was also proud to support many local organizations in Washington, DC, such as the National Gallery of Art, Arena Stage, and the Washington National Opera. Nancy’s passion for the arts, and bringing arts education to the DC community, spawned the Donald & Nancy deLaski Education Center at Arena Stage, a space for arts education for K-12 students and professional development workshops for adults. These programs impact 20,000 students and adults annually.

Nancy was also passionate about local Virginia history, and genealogy - her mother traced their heritage there back to the 1600s. Nancy supported historical education through Colonial Williamsburg and Mount Vernon, and passed on a respect for history, ancestry, as well as a love of ballet, music and art to her children and grandchildren. Don was also passionate about the arts - one such organizations that was dear to him was the Patricia M. Sitar Center, which enables low-income students in DC to participate in theatre and music programs.

Nancy was diagnosed with ALS in 2008 and died in 2009. Don passed away from lung disease in 2012.

The foundation’s focus has been on leaders who inspire with their vision, their perseverance and their talent. The board is now made up of Nancy and Don’s three children, making grants for their own communities, in the parts of the US they each call home. They hope to continue the entrepreneurial spirit and joyful generosity that their parents brought to their work.