Catherine Adler’s long-standing and deep commitment to philanthropy, service and her lifelong appreciation for the arts have been major influences throughout her life. In 2025, we were honored when she joined the Board of Directors of the Darbster Foundation.
Supporting the performing arts was always part of her life, however, 11 years ago she began a professional career as a Broadway producer. Since then, she has garnered 9 Tony Awards, 9 Drama Desk Awards, 5 Drama League Awards, 4 Outer Critics Circle Awards and an Olivier Award. Some of her productions on Broadway, Off Broadway, and in the West End include The Lehman Trilogy, Tom Stoppard’s Leopoldstadt, Tina, The Inheritance, Angels in America, and The Elephant Man starring Bradley Cooper.
Catherine’s philanthropic work reflects a strong belief in access, compassion, and long-term impact. As a former board member of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, she supported significant research into canine diabetes and established the Adler Charitable Care Gift Fund, which provides financial assistance to clients of the Ryan Veterinary Hospital who might otherwise be unable to afford care. More recently, a scholarship fund was created in memory of Dr. Rebecka Hess, honoring her legacy as a renowned professor and researcher at PennVet.
Together with her late husband, Frederick R. Adler, Catherine endowed the Catherine & Frederick R. Adler Chair for Junior Faculty at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, supporting early-career scientists, and established the Catherine & Frederick R. Adler Named Scholarship at the University of Pennsylvania—initiatives that reflect their shared commitment to education, medical research, and access to care.
Supporting and attempting to right the world of abused animals has always been a cause of Catherine’s. She supports many organizations, including the ASPCA, Soi Dog Foundation, The Gentle Barn, Westie Rescue of Missouri, TriCounty Animal Rescue, Peggy Adams Rescue. Environmental issues are of great importance also; Environmental Working Group and Conservation International have factored into her charitable giving.
Born in Tokyo, Japan, Catherine spent her early childhood in Japan and Copenhagen, Denmark. Her life in the United States has been centered in the Palm Beaches, New York, and New Jersey. She earned a BA in English Literature from Boston University.
She is the proud matriarch of a blended family that includes six children and eight grandchildren. Momo, her rescued Yorkie mix is her constant companion, and continues to inspire her dedication to community, learning, and compassionate action.
