BARBARA FINBERG
1929–2005

Barbara Denning Finberg was a philanthropist and nonprofit leader credited with focusing the nation’s attention on the need for early childhood education policy. During her 38 years at Carnegie Corporation of New York, her work spotlighted research about how babies and toddlers learn and revealed the absence of crucial national attention to the early years of children’s development. While at Carnegie Corporation, Finberg, both a program officer and corporate officer, made many grants that advanced research and practice in the child development field. Among many other accomplishments, her work led directly to the creation and launching of the PBS television show Sesame Street, which was funded by the Corporation. When she retired from Carnegie Corporation in 1996, Finberg was executive vice president overseeing the administrative and programmatic work of the foundation begun by Andrew Carnegie in 1911. Upon retirement, she became a partner in MEM Associates, a consultancy for philanthropy and nonprofits.