John Oddy

Head of Philanthropy Services at Corient

New York, New York, United States

About

I work closely with philanthropic foundations, corporations, and high net-worth individuals to help them design and implement high-impact charitable giving strategies. With over 25 years of experience in the sector, I have overseen grant-making totaling over several hundred million dollars to a wide variety of causes both domestically and globally. I have had the pleasure of working for some well-established foundations and high-profile individuals, yet I also derive particular satisfaction working in a startup environment with new entities, helping donors research and launch philanthropic initiatives. Additionally, I have provided guidance to numerous family-led private foundations as they seek to identify core values and areas of communal interest, especially as they plan for succession and transitioning leadership to the next generation. While I am by nature a generalist I have enjoyed past work focused upon the following fields: arts & culture, environmental conservation, children’s health, scholarships and education, public health, historic preservation, and social entrepreneurship in Africa.

Experience

  • Head of Philanthropy Services at Corient
    Jul 2026 - Present · 1 mo

    I advise Corient clients on philanthropic strategy, helping them clarify their charitable goals, structure giving thoughtfully, and maximize the impact of their generosity.

  • Vice President for Donor Experience (Senior Director of Donor Services 2/2019 to 6/2021) at The New York Community Trust
    Feb 2019 - May 2026 · 7 yrs 4 mos

    I work directly with generous New Yorkers to help them carry out their charitable giving through a variety of special purpose funds at this community foundation established in 1924, with assets today of more than $3 billion.

  • Senior Philanthropic Director at Foundation Source
    2010 - Jan 2019 · 9 yrs 1 mo

    I was a philanthropic strategist and advisor to individual philanthropists, families, corporations and boards of directors of private foundations. I designed and implemented new grantmaking programs and ensured that client private foundations achieved a high level of charitable impact, best governance practices and compliance with IRS regulations. Today, Foundation Source supports more than 2,000 private foundations with collective assets of greater than $18 billion.

  • Executive Director at Royal Oak Foundation
    Jan 2004 - Jul 2010 · 6 yrs 7 mos

    I served as chief executive of this American partner of the National Trust of England, Wales & Northern Ireland overseeing growth of its endowment from $400,000 to over $4 million. The National Trust is Britain’s largest charity with over 5 million members and over 500 important historic sites and conservation areas.

  • Program Officer, Getty Grant Program at J. Paul Getty Trust
    1999 - 2003 · 4 yrs

    The Getty is an internationally-focused private operating foundation in Los Angeles, CA with a current endowment of over $10B. I managed a diverse and global grant-making portfolio including: art & architectural conservation, cataloguing of art collections; leadership and professional development.