Raised in Queens, NY, she earned a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences and a master’s degree from New York University. She met her beloved, the late Daniel H. Present M.D., while at college.
A force of nature who infused every situation with energy and wit, Jane was noted for her philanthropy, community involvement and love of family. A travel consultant for 27 years, she later worked as a patient educator for pharmaceutical companies, traveling to 99 cities in the United States to speak with patients and families about advancements in Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and other inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).
Among honors she received are the Frederick Law Olmstead Award from the Central Park Conservancy, the SU Apple/Orange Award for Outstanding New York Alumni, and the Syracuse George Arents Award – the University’s highest alumni honor. A breast cancer survivor, she completed the New York Marathon at age 57.
Jane founded the Friends of Leadership & Public Service High School, the Syracuse University Mentor/Mentee Alliance, and was a founding member of the Mt. Sinai Comprehensive Breast Resource Center. She was executive director of the Foundation for Clinical Research in IBD (which she created with her husband), and served for seven years as national president and chair of the board of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America. As a trustee of the Central Park Conservancy, she conceived of the “You Gotta Have Park” fund-raising event and was a trustee of the Parks Council of New York.
Loving mother of Tracy, Stephanie (Michael) Podolak, and Douglas (Susan) Present, she was a devoted grandmother of William, Katherine, Adam and Margot, sister of Lloyd, and cherished friend to many.
