Mission
Vision
Values
Propagation
Bios
Contact Info

Mission

The kasina Youth Foundation exists to :

• Help disadvantaged children fall in love with learning
• Engage for profits to give more than money

Vision

Purpose:

• Through the development and execution of educational programs, the kasina Youth Foundation inspires disadvantaged youths to love learning
• The Foundation campaigns for and helps to initiate similar programs sponsored by other corporations

Impact:

• The Foundation affects the lives of 10,000 children every ten years, and enables them to convey the lessons learned through work with the Foundation to other children of comparable need
• Every year, the Foundation inspires 1,000 employees from unrelated corporate organizations to positively affect the lives of disadvantaged children

Values

Education:

• We believe that making education fun is the most effective vehicle for successful learning
• We value the potential for individuals to improve themselves
• We value the themes of innovation, creativity, collaboration, and intellect

Impact:

• We value serving the neediest individuals
• We believe the most effective projects focus on understanding the unique needs of individuals and the distinct needs of their communities
• We believe learning is a long-term, double-edged instrument for change – we want to help educate children, but at the same time we recognize that there is much we can learn from them and their communities
• We believe that impact is measured both quantitatively and qualitatively

Propagation:

• We value breaking established cycles in two ways:
  • Breaking the cycle of dependency found in communities by helping members of the community to help themselves
  • Breaking the cycle of apathy found in for-profit organizations
• We value the integration of public and private enterprises

Bios:

Lee S. Kowarski
President

Lee is one of the founders of the kasina Youth Foundation and is involved in the planning, operational, and fundraising efforts for the foundation. Through the Foundation, Lee has become active with Peace Games and greatly enjoys the time he spends with the kids at PS 191. He also supports other organizations, including the James Beard Foundation (which celebrates America's culinary heritage and diversity), LINC (which provides opportunities for people with disabilities to explore adaptive technology and the Internet), the New York Philharmonic, and the Libertarian Party.

For kasina, Lee manages numerous relationships with asset management clients, providing strategic insight into how they can improve their marketing and distribution initiatives. As a core member of kasina’s team, part of Lee’s time is devoted to enhancing the company’s organizational processes, including attracting, motivating, and utilizing the best possible talent, as well as assisting in the formulation of kasina’s corporate strategy and operational effectiveness. Lee is frequently quoted in the industry press, including The Wall Street Journal, Ignites.com, Investment News, etc. Additionally, Lee is involved in numerous industry associations, including the National Investment Company Services Association (NICSA).

Lee is a graduate of New York University's Stern School of Business.

Johanna Willer
Secretary & Treasurer

As the Foundation’s Secretary and Treasurer, Johanna is involved with the Foundation’s strategic planning and budgeting, and also assists with the coordination with its partner organizations Peace Games and Cents Ability. In addition to her work with the kasina Youth Foundation, Johanna also volunteers in the open heart unit at the Lennox Hill Hospital, where she supports the nursing staff and assists patients.

At kasina, Johanna is the resident expert on the ETF market, intermediary segmentation, and e-mail strategy. Johanna has led several key strategy consulting engagements and research efforts, including work around targeting research analysts at distribution partners and 529 plan Web design. She also directs kasina's recruiting efforts, and has focused on developing a strategy for bringing top talent to kasina across all levels of the organization. Hailing from Maryland, Johanna recently purchased her first Redskins jersey, but is also an avid Duke Basketball fan. A former rugby player at Dartmouth College, Johanna is now a member of the Dartmouth Women’s Rugby Club Board of Governors, helping the current team administration liaison with the College Administration and alumni.

Prior to joining kasina, Johanna was a Senior Manager at the Advisory Board Company, a leading health care consulting and research firm based in Washington, DC. During her time there, Johanna focused on marketing and business development research. Johanna is a graduate of Dartmouth College with a degree in Economics.

Contact Info:

If you're interested in participating in or contributing to the kasina Foundation's programs, please contact us at:

kasina Foundation
581 Avenue of the Americas, 5th Flr.
New York, NY 10011
Tel. (212) 349-7412
Email: foundation@kasina.com