We are proud to present a curated series of cultural journeys and events which will launch in June 2022 beginning with Ausseerland: The Light & The Dark, an experience led by Gioia and a brilliant team of experts in a fascinating region of Austria that she knows intimately. With the assistance of our vast network, our journeys are designed to go beyond the immediate and into the fascinating detail of lesser-known locales and the various histories which shaped them.

 

Gioia Zwack

Gioia has a multicultural background having grown up in New York City, Austria (particularly Ausseerland), and Italy. She is fluent in English, German, and Italian. She has undertaken significant research on Manor Houses and Estates in Hungary abandoned or stolen during the communist years leading to work as the Consultant for Central European Affairs with the World Monuments Fund. She also has been involved in several notable restoration efforts, including the restoration of the Liechtenstein Palace Complex (Lednice and Valtice Palaces) in Moravia, the Varkertbazar in Budapest and Belvedere Gardens in Vienna. For Thyssen Bornemisza Art Contemporary (TBA 21) in Vienna, Gioia created special events along the Danube beginning in Romania and continuing through Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Austria, and Slovakia. She has designed and led patrons’ tours and events for several organizations in Europe and the United States. In New York City, Gioia’s successful career in Luxury Residential Real Estate with Stribling and Associates, now Compass Real Estate, spans some 40 years and includes membership in the Presidents’ Circle.

Testimonial

Gioia knows Austria and Hungary better than anyone, maybe even people who have been living there all their lives.  Through her friendships and connections she has access to special places, and shares her knowledge and access with supreme good will, a huge sense of fun as well as adventure, and the desire for other people to enjoy the places, people and stories that are so dear to her.  It’s a delight to travel with her. 

Bonnie Burnham

President Cultural Heritage Finance Alliance ( CHiFA)
President Emerita, World Monuments Fund (WMF)

Daniel Schwartz

Associate

Daniel Schwartz is the CEO of Dynamica, Inc., a philanthropic foundation and multi-family office serving some of the world’s most generous and effective philanthropists. He is a leader in the nonprofit, philanthropic, and corporate sectors, specializing in donor collaborations, multi-stakeholder engagements, and public-private partnerships. For over 20 years he has been orchestrating meaningful learning journeys for philanthropists, families, business leaders, and the intellectually curious. With an emphasis on effective long-term donor engagement, these immersive and highly interactive travel experiences encourage meaningful intellectual and cultural growth and discoveries while fostering group cohesiveness.

Schwartz is a founding board member of The Commons Project and the former board chair of the GAVI Campaign. He served as the CEO of Porticus, a philanthropic grant-making organization and strategic advisory consultancy, where he led a staff of 200+ colleagues in 15 global offices with activities in 90 countries around the world including leading delegations of philanthropists.  Previously, he was the Executive Director of the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity, where he was responsible for the Conference of Nobel Laureates. He is a co-creator of Arbinet, which was the world’s largest telecommunications bandwidth exchange.

Schwartz received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Harvard University. He also studied at Harvard Business School, the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, the Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He was selected as one of Crain’s New York Business’ “40 under 40” emerging business leaders, and was named as one of the 100 Global Leaders for Tomorrow by the World Economic Forum in Davos.