Jean Shafiroff is a philanthropist, humanitarian, TV host, writer, and the author of the book Successful Philanthropy: How to Make a Life by What You Give. Jean is often referred to as “the first lady of philanthropy” by the press because of her generosity and extensive work as a volunteer fundraiser and leader in the philanthropic world. She serves on the boards of many charitable organizations and each year, she chairs upwards of eight to ten different charity galas. She also hosts and underwrites large cocktail parties for different charities in her New York homes. Among the many causes she champions are those involved in women’s rights, the rights of underserved populations, health care, and animal welfare.

Jean serves on the boards of the Southampton Hospital Foundation, Mission Society of NYC, Couture Council of the Museum at FIT, French Heritage Society, Casita Maria, the NY Women’s Foundation, Global Strays, and Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation Honorary Board. A Catholic, she has served on The Jewish Board, a large mental health service charity, for 28 years and now is one of their Honorary Trustees.

Jean served as the national spokesperson for American Humane’s “Feed the Hungry” COVID-19 program, an initiative that raised $1,000,000 to provide food for over 1,000,000 animals living in 100 different shelters across the United States.

 Jean Shafiroff has been honored many times by groups including American Humane, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, The Urban Resource Institute, Mission Society of NYC, French Heritage Society, Southampton Animal Shelter, Surgeons of Hope, Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation, Viennese Opera Ball, Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, the Ellen Hermanson Foundation, Dominican Women’s Development Center, Fashion for Development, NYS Assemblywoman Rebecca Seawright’s Women’s Leadership Awards, She Exist Magazine, Pet Philanthropy Circle, Animal Zone International, Health Advocates for Older People, Southampton African American Museum, Women’s eNews, Youth Counseling League, the NYC International Film Festival Foundation, The Jewish Board, and Hadassah. In December 2020, Dan’s Papers named her “Philanthropist of the Year” at its Power Women of the East End award ceremony. Since then, Dan’s Papers has honored Jean Shafiroff at least four additional times for her philanthropic work.

In September 2022, she was officially proclaimed the “First Lady of Philanthropy of New York” by New York State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright, who represents New York’s 76th District, in Manhattan. Then in November 2022, the 117th US Congress recognized Shafiroff for her work in philanthropy. This recognition was given by US Representative Carolyn Maloney, who represented the 14th Congressional District, in New York.

Jean is the producer and host of the television show “Successful Philanthropy,” which airs six times weekly through LTV studios in East Hampton, NY, and several times each week on Sun20TV in Southampton, NY. On her TV program, Jean interviews politicians, celebrities, business leaders, philanthropic leaders, and has even interviewed a US presidential candidate.

Jean is a graduate of Columbia University, earning a BS in Physical Therapy and an MBA in Finance from its Graduate School of Business. In between college and graduate school, she worked for one year as a physical therapist at the inner-city hospital, St. Luke’s Hospital in New York City. She worked with patients living at or below the poverty level. After earning her MBA, she worked as an investment banker on Wall Street for a number of years.

Jean Shafiroff is also widely recognized as an Instagram influencer. Her Instagram account  @JeanShafiroff has over 1.2 million followers.