Julia Koch (née Flesher)

Julia Koch (née Flesher) is an American socialite and philanthropist born on April 12, 1962 in Des Moines, Iowa[1]. She is one of the richest women in the world, with a net worth estimated at $57.9 billion as of August 2022[2]. Koch married her late husband David Koch in 1996 and they had three children together[1]. After his death in 2019, she and her family inherited 42% of Koch Industries[2]. Koch serves on the boards of both Koch Industries and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center[3], and is president of the David H. Koch Foundation which has made grants in excess of $200 million for various causes including science and medical research, education, the arts, and more[3]. She also supports local organizations throughout New York City during this unprecedented crisis with personal gifts to food banks[1]. Koch has funded several initiatives such as Roy I. Davidovitch's muscle-sparing approach to hip replacement surgery at NYU Langone’s Hip Center[4], Kari Nadeau's Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research at Stanford Children's Hospital[4], and Little Sisters of the Assumption's organization that strengthens vulnerable families and children by meeting their basic needs for food, healthcare, education and a safe environment[4].