As of 2024, MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, is expected to be worth $36 billion. Her 4% ownership position in Amazon, which she obtained as part of their 2019 divorce settlement, is the main source of her wealth. Despite her enormous fortune, Scott is most recognized for her extraordinary generosity, having donated more than $16 billion to organizations that support public health, racial fairness, and education. She continues to transfer her riches at an unprecedented rate through her Yield Giving project. Even if market fluctuations cause her net worth to vary, her influence on global charity is still profound and revolutionary.
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MacKenzie Scott’s Husband & Children: A Life of Family and Philanthropy
From 1993 to 2019, MacKenzie Scott was wed to Jeff Bezos, the man who founded Amazon. Their four children together include a daughter who was adopted from China and three sons. She married former high school science teacher Dan Jewett in 2021 because he shared her charitable beliefs. But in 2023, their marriage ended in divorce. Scott is still committed to her children and her goal of donating billions to worthy charities in spite of the changes in her personal life. Beyond her enormous riches, her legacy is still shaped by her dedication to family and philanthropy.
Early Life and Education
On April 7, 1970, MacKenzie Scott (née Tuttle) was born in San Francisco, California. She studied under Nobel Prize-winning novelist Toni Morrison at Princeton University after discovering her early love of writing and reading. Morrison, who subsequently referred to Scott as one of her greatest students, saw her potential and took the time to coach her. Scott worked a variety of jobs to support herself while pursuing a career in writing after graduating in 1992.
Marriage to Jeff Bezos and Role in Amazon’s Early Days
While MacKenzie was employed at the financial firm D.E. Shaw, she got to know Jeff Bezos. After getting married in 1993 and relocating to Seattle, Bezos founded Amazon there in 1994. Scott was one of the first workers at Amazon and was essential in the company’s growth, managing administrative tasks, negotiating contracts, and laying the groundwork. Even though she eventually left the company, she made a substantial contribution to Amazon’s growth.
In 2019, Scott and Bezos announced their divorce after 25 years of marriage. She was given a 4% interest in Amazon, which was worth around $36 billion at the time, as part of the settlement. Scott shifted her attention to giving rather than utilising her fortune to create a public empire.
A New Model of Philanthropy
MacKenzie Scott has a novel approach to giving. Scott has opted for a more straightforward strategy, in contrast to many affluent contributors who set up intricate foundations with many levels of red tape. She gives significant quantities of money, frequently billions of dollars, to nonprofits, who are then free to use the money anyway they see right. Her giving strategy, which empowers organisations without needing drawn-out applications or stringent scrutiny, is founded on speed and trust.
Her donations focus on a wide range of causes, including:
- Racial and gender equity
- Education and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs)
- Public health and poverty alleviation
- Climate change and sustainability
- Community development and grassroots initiatives
Scott’s extraordinary rate of giving, which distinguishes her from more conventional philanthropists, has seen her gift over $14 billion to over 1,600 organisations worldwide since her divorce.
Writing Career and Personal Life
In addition to his charitable work, MacKenzie Scott is a published novelist. The American Book Award went to her first book, The Testing of Luther Albright (2005). Themes of human connection and resiliency are explored in her second book, Traps (2013). Although her charitable work has taken precedence over her writing career, her expertise as a writer contributes to her profound empathy and comprehension of the human condition.
She wed high school science teacher Dan Jewett in 2021, but the two parted ways in 2023. Her altruistic aim is persistent despite changes in her personal life.
MacKenzie Scott: A Billionaire Philanthropist Transforming Global Giving
By using her enormous riches to promote social change, MacKenzie Scott has reshaped what it means to be a billionaire. Her personal fortune is $36 billion, and she has given more than $16 billion to nonprofits that support public health, racial equality, and education. She differs from conventional contributors in that she is dedicated to quick, no-strings charity. Her commitment to donating is persistent despite changes in her personal life, such as her divorce from Jeff Bezos and then Dan Jewett. Scott’s influence goes beyond her monetary gifts; she is revolutionising philanthropy and demonstrating that money can be an effective instrument for significant, long-lasting change.
