Jonathan Kempner

Jonathan Kempner

Scholar in Residence
headshot of Jonathan wearing a purple button up shirt

Jonathan is a Mignone Center Career Fellow, Counselor to the Harvard Law School Project on Disability and was a 2019 Harvard University Advanced Leadership Initiative Fellow (advancedleadership.harvard.edu). He is President Emeritus of TIGER 21, having served as President from October 2009 through June 2016. His present focus is participating in the planning of TIGER 21’s various membership events, including its Annual Conference, and leading its partnership with Search for Common Ground and Soliya on the college orientation program First Year Connect.

Prior to joining TIGER 21, Jonathan was President and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association for 7 years and President of the National Multi Housing Council for 14 years, with both national associations based in Washington, DC. Previously, he was Vice President and General Counsel of Oxford Development Corporation; Assistant Director and General Counsel of the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation; held positions at the Charles E. Smith Companies; the Law Firm of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Kampelman; the United States Department of the Treasury, Office of Capital Markets; and served as a Law Clerk to Federal Judge David W. Williams.

Jonathan received his B.A. from the University of Michigan (with High Honors and High Distinction, Phi Beta Kappa), and his J.D. from Stanford Law School, where he served on the Stanford Law Review and as Chairman of the Law Forum.

Jonathan serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Ciesla Foundation and on the Advisory Boards of MAXX Properties, Cardel Homes, Feed the Fridge, and KiwiTech. He is a Member of the President’s Leadership Council of Search for Common Ground. He served on the Board of Directors of Monogram Residential Trust, a REIT based in Dallas, TX listed on the New York Stock Exchange, before it was sold in 2017.

He is married to Dr. Lise Van Susteren, a psychiatrist and environmental activist, and they have three daughters.

Contact Information