Warren and Chris Hellman

Alumnus, Lowell High School

"Warren and Chris Hellman have made immeasurable impact on San Francisco, as graduates of the public school system, as philanthropists who believed in big change, and as community members who have created spaces of art and togetherness."

F. Warren Hellman was born in 1934 in New York, graduated from Lowell High School in San Francisco, and gave back mightily to the community through his life. He was a partner at Lehman Brothers, was the founded of Hellman and Friedman, and served as the Director of multiples companies. Warren Hellman was the Founder and Principal Sponsor of the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, which continues to this day as a free music festival for any San Franciscan to attend; one day of the festival is deliberately set up for public school youth to attend. Warren served on the Board of the San Francisco Foundation, the Jewish Community Federation, the San Francisco School Alliance, and many more. He was the Founder and President of the Hellman Foundation.

Patricia (Chris) Hellman was born in London England and was a scholar at the Royal Academy of Dancing. She was awarded the Solo Seal and Adeline Genee silver medal of the Royal Academy of Dancing in 1951. She danced with London’s Festival Ballet for four years, retiring in 1955 as a Soloist. Chris Hellman married F. Warren Hellman and moved to New York, raised her children, and began her long involvement with groups promoting ballet, physical education, arts and culture, as well as community programs. After moving to San Francisco, she became a member of the Board of Trustees of the San Francisco Ballet Association, and also served on the San Francisco Art Organization’s Task Force and was a board member of the San Francisco Free Clinic.

Warren Hellman passed in 2011, and Chris Hellman passed in 2017.