Laura Baxter-Simons

Laura Baxter-Simons is General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Meritage Group LP, an investment management firm which operates a series of hedge funds. Laura previously served as Associate Counsel at Renaissance Technologies LLC from June 1996 until January 2011, when she joined Meritage.

Laura is an advocate for several charitable causes focused on climate and clean energy. Along with her husband Nat Simons, she co-founded Sea Change Foundation, a family foundation dedicated to addressing the most pressing issues facing the world today through philanthropy.

In 2015, Nat and Laura joined the Breakthrough Energy Coalition, an organization committed to helping accelerate the cycle of innovation through investment, partnership and thought leadership. Additionally, they became members of Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a group of investors who have chosen to work together in a new investment fund. Laura is also a co-founder of Prelude Ventures, a cleantech investment fund.

In 2017, Laura and Nat joined the Giving Pledge, a global effort that encourages wealthy individuals to donate the majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes. The Giving Pledge was started in 2010 by Bill and Melinda Gates and now has over 100 signatories.

Laura earned a J.D. from Stanford University (1992), an M.A. in German Literature from UC Berkeley (1994), and a B.A. in both Economics and German from UC Berkeley (1989). She served as a member of the Board of Trustees at Head - Royce School for ten years, in addition to serving on various committees at the school. She is a member of the Advisory Board for Berkeley College of Letters & Science.