The members of the Studio in a School Association Board of Directors mourn the passing of our former Board Chair and fellow board member, Dr. Vivian Pan. Vivian passed away on August 13, 2023, after a prolonged illness. She joined the Board in 2015 and served as Chair from 2018-2020. Vivian’s dedication and commitment to our mission to bring art to school-aged children in underserved communities and to prepare teens and college students for careers in cultural spaces were always high priorities. She was a wonderful friend and dedicated supporter of Studio in a School.
Vivian Pan retired as Senior Co-Founding Partner at Hamlin Capital Management, LLC. She was raised in Queens and the Bronx in an immigrant family, and she attended New York City public schools in the 1970s, the time of Studio’s founding. She then enrolled at SUNY Binghamton where she studied geology. She went on to receive an M. Phil and Ph.D. in Geology & Geophysics from Yale University.
Prior to her second career as an investment manager, Dr. Pan worked as an analyst with the U.S. Department of Energy, a Congressional Science Fellow serving the U.S. Senate, and a Faculty Research Associate at Arizona State University. In addition to her service on Studio’s Board, Dr. Pan was a Trustee of the CUNY Graduate Center Foundation and previously served as Board Chair and Governor of the Investment Adviser Association.
Upon being elected Chair of the Studio in a School board, Vivian said: “As a former New York City public school kid, I am especially grateful for this opportunity to give back to my community.” Dr. Hasna Muhammad, current Chair of the Studio in a School Board of Directors, shares, “Vivian’s leadership was unwavering. We will miss her greatly.”
Studio in a School Founder, Agnes Gund, said, “Vivian’s legacy will continue to inspire us as we work to nurture creativity in all students. She was a cherished board member and friend who will be deeply missed.”
Vivian is survived by her husband, Mark A. Norell, and daughter, Inga Norell, of New York City. Information about a memorial will be forthcoming. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, a donation be made to Studio in a School in memory of Dr. Vivian Pan.
