Beth and Ken Higbee
Beth Higbee wanted to do something to honor her parents, Mary Ellen and Thomas R. Brigante, Claremont-based psychologists who lived their lives to the fullest and inspired many others.
“My parents focused on bringing health and happiness to people,” says Higbee, a former assistant superintendent with the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools. “That was the core of what they believed mattered most in the world.”
Recently, Higbee and her husband, Ken, a semi-retired civil engineer, partnered with IECF to create four charitable funds courtesy of a six-figure charitable gift they believe will capture the spirit of the Brigantes.
The Thomas R. and Mary Ellen Brigante Jazz Performance Endowment for the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra is a nod to Higbee’s father’s love of playing and listening to jazz. Two other funds — the Dr. Mary Ellen Brigante Arts Endowment for David & Margaret Home in La Verne as well as the Dr. Mary Ellen Brigante Foster Endowment Fund for the UC Riverside Office of Foster Youth Support Services — honor Higbee’s mother’s career as a psychologist.
The Higbees hope to develop a fourth fund in partnership with a college/university and dedicated to supporting students who are returning to college or starting a career later in life.
“We feel that these endowments in my parents’ names can do a little bit more of what they wanted to do for the world,” Beth says, noting that she’s proud to nurture their legacy.
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This story originally appeared in our 2024/2025 Annual Report.
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