Esther Coopersmith

Esther Lipsen Coopersmith (January 18, 1930 – March 26, 2024) was an American diplomat, philanthropist, political lobbyist, and a champion for women's equality. For over 70 years, she organized gatherings, from small dinners to grand formal ones, across the world. Her guest list varied from politicians and visiting royals to academics and actors. In 2009, UNESCO named her a goodwill ambassador for "fostering intercultural dialogue".

Early years Esther Lipsen was born on January 18, 1930, in Des Moines, Iowa; her father was an emigrant cattle dealer from present-day Moldova and her mother was a homemaker from Romania. She became actively involved in politics in 1952, when she filled in to chair an event for the presidential Democratic hopeful, Tennessee senator Estes Kefauver, who went on to win the Wisconsin primary election and 11 of the 15 others across the country, even defeating sitting President Harry S. Truman, who then withdrew his re-election campaign.

In 1972, she supported Joe Biden when he ran in the United States Senate election. She even hosted a fundraiser for him at her home in 2023.