Katy Knight

President and Executive Director at Siegel Family Endowment

Katy Knight is President and Executive Director of Siegel Family Endowment, a foundation focused on the nexus of technology and society. Under her leadership, equity, flexibility in grantmaking, and systems-level thinking have been key touchstones for the organization. Since joining as Deputy Executive Director in 2017 she has pioneered an inquiry-driven approach to philanthropy, grounded in the scientific method, and centered on reframing big questions and learning alongside grant investments. She previously led Community Engagement at Two Sigma and held positions on Google’s Communications and Public Affairs teams, in addition to prior experience in nonprofit and real estate.

Growing up in New York City, Katy’s curiosity about the way things worked, from the subway to local government, bloomed into an interest in infrastructure, a key investment area for Siegel. Giving back to her community has always been paramount. In high school, Katy worked as a literacy tutor with READ Alliance, where she now sits on the Board. She also holds board seats at Center for an Urban Future, CSforALL, Pursuit, the Regional Plan Association, and Teaching Lab. Katy is an alumna of the University of Pennsylvania and was recently recognized for her leadership in Crain's Notable Black Leaders in 2022. She and her husband currently split their time between Brooklyn, NY and northeast Pennsylvania.

2024 Back to School
2025 Back to School
Back to School VIP

Katy Knight

President and Executive Director at Siegel Family Endowment

Katy Knight is President and Executive Director of Siegel Family Endowment, a foundation focused on the nexus of technology and society. Under her leadership, equity, flexibility in grantmaking, and systems-level thinking have been key touchstones for the organization. Since joining as Deputy Executive Director in 2017 she has pioneered an inquiry-driven approach to philanthropy, grounded in the scientific method, and centered on reframing big questions and learning alongside grant investments. She previously led Community Engagement at Two Sigma and held positions on Google’s Communications and Public Affairs teams, in addition to prior experience in nonprofit and real estate.

Growing up in New York City, Katy’s curiosity about the way things worked, from the subway to local government, bloomed into an interest in infrastructure, a key investment area for Siegel. Giving back to her community has always been paramount. In high school, Katy worked as a literacy tutor with READ Alliance, where she now sits on the Board. She also holds board seats at Center for an Urban Future, CSforALL, Pursuit, the Regional Plan Association, and Teaching Lab. Katy is an alumna of the University of Pennsylvania and was recently recognized for her leadership in Crain's Notable Black Leaders in 2022. She and her husband currently split their time between Brooklyn, NY and northeast Pennsylvania.

2024 Back to School
2025 Back to School
Back to School VIP
2025 Back to School Summit
Wednesday, September 10, 2025
2:00 pm

Tech Done With Us: A Technopragmatist Vision for Work, Learning, and Opportunity

What’s behind the teenage disengagement crisis—and how can we fix it? Journalist Jenny Anderson and Brookings’ Rebecca Winthrop explore how re-engaging teens is critical not only for education, but for building skills, expanding social capital, and unlocking economic mobility. Drawing on their new book The Disengaged Teen, they’ll unpack how relevance, agency, and real-world learning can reconnect young people to school, work, and opportunity.
2024 New York, 'Back to School' Summit Day 2
Wednesday, September 11, 2024
3:00 pm

Technology Infrastructure for Tomorrow's School Systems

K12 school systems are grappling with outdated systems that struggle to keep pace with the dynamic demands of modern education. The digital infrastructure for tomorrow must be evidence-based, AI-enhanced, cloud-native, open, secure, adaptable, and interoperable. Join us for an exploration of the essential technology framework for the future of K12 education.