Michele Hoza serves as General Counsel at the American Endowment Foundation (AEF), where she oversees the Office of Compliance, Legal and Risk. In her capacity as General Counsel, Michele leads the legal function and guides corporate strategic and tactical legal initiatives to promote and protect AEF’s business interests. She also leads AEF’s risk management system to assess and mitigate significant challenges and threats to AEF’s business.
Michele oversees AEF’s compliance program to improve and mature compliance policies and controls regarding various laws and regulations and industry standards. Her role is pivotal as she manages corporate governance and provides senior management and others with effective advice on organizational strategies and their implementation. Michele’s expertise extends to reviewing the acceptance of illiquid assets ensuring alignment with AEF’s gift acceptance and investment policies.
With a career that spans more than 20 years, Michele has provided her legal acumen to a diverse range of companies, from startups to publicly traded entities, focusing on securities law and corporate governance. She is an expert at guiding businesses through sophisticated mergers and acquisitions and offering counsel to boards of directors on various legal matters.
Michele’s educational background is as impressive as her career, holding degrees from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and Kent State University. Beyond her professional endeavors, Michele is dedicated to giving back to the community, serving on the board of directors for the Revere Schools Foundation.
Her work at AEF underscores her commitment to leveraging legal expertise in helping to expand philanthropy. Under her oversight, AEF continues to excel as one of the nation’s largest independent donor-advised fund sponsors.