Top leaders across the hedge fund industry gathered together and raised more than $2.5 million at the 100 Women in Hedge Funds Fifth Annual black-tie Gala Celebration at Cipriani in New York City.

Teach For America received funding to expand its national corps of college grads who will commit two years to teach in low-income urban and rural public schools, working to eliminate educational inequity and close the academic achievement gap.

Funds for Building with Books will go to programs that support at-risk youths by engaging them in intensive community service and leadership programs. In addition to contributing to their own communities locally in the U.S., students also help to build schools in remote villages around the world, helping people in developing countries increase their self-reliance through education.

Mr. Carl C. Icahn

Dr. Anne Dinning

100 Women in Hedge Funds presented two of the most coveted awards in the hedge fund industry at the Gala:

• Renowned financier Carl C. Icahn was honored with the 100 Women in Hedge Funds Effecting Change Award for his outstanding contributions to improving education, presented to him by Maria Bartiromo of CNBC.
   
• Dr. Anne Dinning, a Managing Director of D.E. Shaw was honored with the 100 Women in Hedge Funds Industry Leadership Award, presented to her by David E. Shaw of D.E. Shaw & Co., L.P., for her talent, ethics and passion that help define the hedge fund industry's standard of excellence.

The Gala culminated with a Live Auction conducted by Guest Auctioneer Eliza B. Osbourne of Sotheby's and Michael Litt of FrontPoint Partners that drew in substantial proceeds through the competitive bidding on 17 luxurious lots that were generously donated, including four VIP passes to a 2007 Ferrari Challenge in North America, a luxury vacation for two on the Greek Island of Corfu, and a one-on-one meeting with Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs twice named to Time Magazine's list of 100 Most Influential Leaders in the World.

To see photos from from the festive event, please click here.

To read about the Gala in detail, please click here.

We look forward to seeing you at the Gala next year!