Leah Reis-Dennis

Snapshot

Leah Reis-Dennis appears in Jeffrey Epstein’s released correspondence through her work on Poetry in America, an educational media project founded by Harvard professor Elisa New and developed through the nonprofit Verse Video Education.

Her involvement is documented through direct emails, requests for media permissions, nonprofit paperwork, and communications concerning a $110,000 grant from Gratitude America, a private foundation associated with Epstein.

The record is important because it demonstrates how Epstein’s philanthropic and professional relationships extended into educational television, academic institutions, and the production of cultural programming years after his 2008 conviction.

Unlike a case involving an uncertain calendar entry or a single appearance in a contact list, the documentary trail includes direct communications by Reis-Dennis and the nonprofit’s accountant correspondence. Independent tax reporting confirms that Gratitude America reported a $110,000 charitable grant to Verse Video Education in 2016.

Those facts establish a professional funding relationship. They do not establish that Reis-Dennis participated in Epstein’s criminal activities or possessed knowledge of the full extent of his abuse.

Key Takeaways

• Reis-Dennis helped lead Verse Video Education. The nonprofit developed the Poetry in America educational television and classroom media project associated with Harvard professor Elisa New.
• She contacted Epstein directly in December 2015. Her message requested assistance securing permission to use footage of Woody Allen discussing poetry.
• Epstein acted as an intermediary. He forwarded the request to Soon-Yi Previn, who expressed conditional openness to the footage being used.
• Reis-Dennis managed grant administration. Emails with Richard Kahn addressed nonprofit recognition, grant documentation, and a $110,000 check.
• Epstein authorized the check’s deposit. On May 9, 2016, he responded affirmatively after Kahn reported the nonprofit had received IRS approval.
• The grant was reported in federal tax records. Gratitude America’s 2016 filing identifies a $110,000 grant to Verse Video Education.
• Harvard excluded the grant from its institutional donation totals. Its 2020 investigation identified the gift as made to a separate nonprofit, not directly to Harvard.
• Questions about donor transparency emerged publicly. A December 2025 Boston Globe investigation examined how Epstein’s involvement was communicated within the poetry project.
• No criminal involvement is established. The reviewed records concern nonprofit administration, fundraising, and media production.

Who Is Leah Reis-Dennis?

Leah Reis-Dennis is a media executive whose professional career has included educational media, podcast production, content partnerships, and nonprofit management.

She was a cofounder of Verse Video Education, the nonprofit organization responsible for developing media projects associated with Harvard professor Elisa New’s Poetry in America initiative.

During the period covered by the Epstein correspondence, Reis-Dennis handled operational responsibilities, including media permissions, production arrangements, nonprofit paperwork, and communications with supporters.

By 2022, she had joined Audacy, a major United States audio and podcast company.

On March 31, 2025, Audacy announced her promotion to Head of Podcasts, placing her in charge of content, partnerships, and marketing across its podcast portfolio.

Before that promotion, she served as Vice President of Podcast Content Strategy and Business Development. Audacy also identified previous work at Stitcher and SiriusXM.

Her later career is relevant for correctly identifying the person named in the Epstein correspondence. It is not evidence that Audacy, its podcast partners, or her subsequent employers had any involvement in the earlier foundation arrangements.

Poetry in America and Verse Video Education

Poetry in America began as an educational initiative associated with Elisa New, a professor of American literature at Harvard University.

The project used filmed discussions of poems to introduce poetry to classroom audiences and viewers outside traditional academic settings.

Its productions involved authors, musicians, political figures, artists, students, and other participants discussing poetry and its cultural significance.

Verse Video Education operated as a nonprofit media organization supporting the development and distribution of this educational material.

The nonprofit’s own description appears in the 2016 grant correspondence.

The materials describe television programming, online courses, classroom videos, teacher resources, and other educational content.

The organization was not presented in the reviewed records as a company owned by Epstein.

Rather, it was an independent educational nonprofit that sought and received funding from an Epstein-associated foundation.

That distinction matters because receiving a grant does not establish that a donor controlled the organization’s operations, selected every participant, or directed the content of its programs.

December 2015: The Woody Allen Footage Request

One of the earliest direct records concerning Reis-Dennis is EFTA00644443, an email dated December 8, 2015.

Reis-Dennis wrote to Epstein concerning previously filmed footage of director Woody Allen discussing a poem by William Carlos Williams.

The footage had been developed for the Poetry in America educational initiative.

Reis-Dennis sought Epstein’s assistance in securing the necessary release so that the footage could be used in the project’s programming.

Her message described the nonprofit’s educational goals and how the footage might be incorporated into the existing production.

This was a request for permission to use already filmed material. It was not a request for Epstein to arrange a new interview with Allen.

Epstein’s Connection to Woody Allen

Epstein had an established relationship with Woody Allen and Soon-Yi Previn.

The released correspondence demonstrates that Reis-Dennis and other project personnel viewed Epstein as someone who could communicate with people involved in the rights decision.

Epstein forwarded the matter to Previn.

A subsequent House Oversight correspondence chain preserves a response attributed to Previn expressing openness in principle to the footage’s use.

That openness was conditional. The response addressed how the footage would be presented and the need for appropriate review of the finished material.

Conditional willingness is not the same as an executed media release or unrestricted permission to publish.

The correspondence establishes the attempt to secure cooperation through Epstein. The ultimate permission and distribution history require separate documentation.

Why the Request Matters

The exchange provides a clear example of Epstein’s role as an intermediary rather than merely a financial contributor.

His social connections could be used to approach prominent public figures on behalf of an academic or cultural project.

The request was made years after Epstein’s criminal conviction.

However, the fact that Reis-Dennis contacted Epstein for professional assistance does not establish what she knew about his broader conduct or allegations.

March 2016: The Gratitude America Grant

The clearest evidence of Reis-Dennis’s administrative work appears in EFTA00827905, an 11-page correspondence chain concerning a $110,000 grant from Gratitude America.

The messages include communications between Reis-Dennis, Elisa New, Richard Kahn, and Epstein.

They concern Verse Video Education’s application for nonprofit recognition, grant documentation, and arrangements for receiving the funds.

The March 8 Conversation

In an email dated March 8, 2016, Reis-Dennis followed up with Kahn after a telephone conversation.

She transmitted materials relating to the nonprofit’s application for recognition under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, including Form 1023 and supporting exhibits.

Form 1023 is the application many organizations use to request IRS recognition as tax-exempt charitable organizations.

The correspondence shows Reis-Dennis managing the paperwork necessary for the foundation’s proposed gift.

She also provided the nonprofit’s administrative mailing information so that the check could be sent while recognition remained pending.

The April 4 Followup

On April 4, 2016, Reis-Dennis contacted Kahn again about the proposed grant.

She asked whether he had everything required to proceed and explained that the organization would wait to deposit the check until it received the IRS determination letter and shared that documentation.

That communication is important because it records an administrative condition attached to the timing of the deposit.

It also establishes that Reis-Dennis knew the grant was being arranged through Gratitude America and was communicating directly with the foundation’s representative.

It does not independently establish that she knew every aspect of the foundation’s ownership, finances, or relationship to Epstein’s criminal history.

May 9, 2016: Epstein Authorizes the Check

The May 9, 2016 portion of the same correspondence chain records a significant development.

Richard Kahn informed Epstein that Verse Video Education had received its IRS approval.

He asked whether the organization could cash the $110,000 Gratitude America check.

Epstein responded affirmatively.

The record therefore establishes that the check had been arranged, the nonprofit’s approval was reported to the foundation, and Epstein authorized its deposit.

This correspondence provides direct evidence of his involvement in the grant’s administration.

However, it should be read alongside independent tax reporting rather than treated as the sole evidence of payment.

The $110,000 Grant Was Reported as Paid

Gratitude America’s federal tax filing for 2016 identifies a $110,000 charitable grant to Verse Video Education in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The information appears in the foundation’s Form 990-PF, which documents its annual charitable activities and reported grants.

The ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer foundation records provide access to the organization’s historical filings.

A grant database compiled from those filings also identifies Verse Video Education as receiving $110,000 in 2016 for general charitable purposes.

Harvard University’s 2020 investigation into Epstein’s institutional connections separately acknowledged that Gratitude America reported this donation.

The evidence therefore supports describing the $110,000 as a grant reported by the foundation, rather than merely an unfulfilled proposal.

Reis-Dennis’s emails document her administrative role in the arrangement. They do not establish that the money was paid personally to her.

Reported Grant Versus Final Spending

The foundation’s tax filing identifies the charitable recipient and reported amount.

It does not provide a complete transaction-by-transaction account of how Verse Video Education ultimately spent the funds.

Such an accounting would require the recipient organization’s financial statements, general ledger, project budgets, or other expenditure records.

The grant amount should therefore not be treated as Reis-Dennis’s personal compensation or as proof of expenditure on any individual production unless separately documented.

The Distinction From Harvard Donations

Harvard University’s detailed 2020 report identifies $9,179,000 in gifts from Epstein between 1998 and 2007, before his 2008 conviction.

The university also noted the 2016 Verse Video Education grant reported in Gratitude America’s tax filing. Page 10, footnote 6 of the report explains that this was not a gift to Harvard and that the review therefore did not examine the circumstances surrounding it.

This distinction is important because the nonprofit was associated with a Harvard professor and originated from an academic project.

An organization can be connected to university personnel without every contribution to that organization being classified as a university donation.

The Verse Video Education grant therefore belongs in Epstein’s broader philanthropy and academic-network record, but it must not be added to Harvard’s institutional donation total as though it were a direct Harvard gift.

Gratitude America and Richard Kahn

Gratitude America Ltd. was a private charitable foundation associated with Jeffrey Epstein.

Its federal filings identify financial and administrative relationships involving several individuals connected to Epstein’s business and legal operations.

The foundation’s 2016 tax records identify Richard Kahn as president, Darren Indyke as treasurer, and Erika Kellerhals as secretary.

Kahn also served in financial and accounting roles for Epstein.

His involvement in the Verse Video Education correspondence provides a direct link between the nonprofit’s grant administration and Epstein’s financial network.

The March through May 2016 emails show Kahn discussing nonprofit recognition, proposed grant documentation, and deposit arrangements with Reis-Dennis.

Epstein’s affirmative response to Kahn’s May 9 inquiry establishes that the donor was involved in authorizing the final administrative step.

The records do not establish that Reis-Dennis personally controlled the foundation’s accounts, selected other recipients, or managed Epstein’s wider financial affairs.

December 2016: Reporting Back to Epstein

EFTA01058746 preserves Elisa New’s year-end update to Epstein, dated December 19, 2016 in UTC. The header lists Leah Reis-Dennis as a copied recipient. New described the project’s activities and plans; the message was written by New, not Reis-Dennis.

In a personal note at the end, New said Epstein’s contribution was now in use and that the nonprofit had hired an editor. She described the contribution as made “last year” and wrote “100K makes so much possible.” That wording differs from the $110,000 grant administered and reported in 2016. These records do not resolve the difference, and the note alone should not be used to infer a separate donation or revise the documented grant amount.

EFTA01058781 is Epstein’s December 19 reply, quoting New’s update and relaying comments attributed to Barnaby about the competitive grant-application process. It is part of the same exchange, not a separate project report.

The exchange documents continuing donor communication after the 2016 grant. New’s descriptions of activities and spending are the organization’s representations, not an independent audit of its finances, educational effectiveness, or production work.

The 2025 Investigation Into Donor Transparency

In December 2025, the Boston Globe published a detailed investigation into Elisa New’s relationship with Epstein and his involvement in the development of Poetry in America.

The December 10 investigation examined correspondence, relationships with prominent participants, fundraising, and the way information about Epstein was communicated within the project.

The newspaper described Reis-Dennis as a cofounder and an important operational figure.

The Mystery Donor Account

A former project employee, Blanton, recalled Reis-Dennis referring to an unnamed contributor as a mystery donor.

The employee later believed the reference concerned Epstein.

That belief was an interpretation expressed after the events. It was not independent proof that Reis-Dennis had specifically used the phrase to conceal Epstein’s identity.

The Globe reported that a spokesperson for New explained that numerous supporters had requested anonymity and that the description could have referred to another donor.

Both accounts should be preserved because they address a contested question about donor transparency.

The direct 2015 and 2016 emails establish that Reis-Dennis communicated with Epstein and Kahn about particular activities and funding.

They do not resolve every question about what she disclosed to coworkers, what organizational disclosure rules applied, or her personal intentions.

Public Reporting and Organizational Consequences

Further reporting in December 2025 described significant consequences for the Poetry in America project after its Epstein connections received renewed attention.

The Boston Globe reported on December 18 that Arizona State University was ending its relationship with Verse Video Education and closing the educational media studio associated with New.

The decision affected the institutional arrangement supporting the project.

It should not be characterized as a criminal finding against Reis-Dennis.

Nor does the decision alone establish which individuals were responsible for particular fundraising disclosures or communications.

Reis-Dennis’s Later Media Career

Reis-Dennis continued her career in media and audio programming after her work with Verse Video Education.

She joined Audacy in 2022 and held senior responsibilities involving podcast content, partnerships, and business development.

Audacy’s March 31, 2025 announcement promoted her to Head of Podcasts.

The announcement described responsibilities spanning content strategy, marketing, partnerships, and development of the company’s podcast slate.

This independently confirms her continued professional work in the media industry.

It does not create a documentary connection between Epstein and Audacy.

Her professional history is included to establish identity, career chronology, and the context for her earlier work in educational media.

Documented Chronology

Evidence Appearances

The following records establish the principal documented appearances concerning Reis-Dennis and the grant. Multiple pages within the same email chain should not be counted as separate grants or transactions.

What the Evidence Does Not Establish

• Participation in criminal abuse: No participation by Reis-Dennis in Epstein’s sexual abuse or trafficking offenses is established by the reviewed records.
• Personal receipt of the grant: The reported $110,000 grant went to Verse Video Education, not Reis-Dennis personally.
• Complete spending history: The available foundation filing does not document every subsequent expenditure by the recipient nonprofit.
• Control over Epstein’s foundation: Handling grant paperwork did not make Reis-Dennis an officer of Gratitude America.
• Final Woody Allen release: Conditional correspondence does not establish that all required intellectual property permissions were formally completed.
• Intentional concealment: The former employee’s interpretation of the phrase mystery donor does not independently prove Reis-Dennis deliberately concealed Epstein’s identity.
• Knowledge of crimes: Professional communications do not, without additional evidence, establish the full extent of Reis-Dennis’s personal knowledge of Epstein’s conduct.
• Employment consequences: Organizational developments in 2025 do not independently establish that Reis-Dennis was personally sanctioned or criminally investigated.

Institutional Accountability and Unresolved Questions

The Verse Video Education grant raises legitimate questions about how cultural and educational nonprofits evaluated financial support from controversial donors.

By 2016, Epstein had already pleaded guilty in Florida to offenses involving a minor and had received extensive public attention concerning his treatment of young women.

Despite that history, an Epstein-associated foundation reported providing $110,000 to an educational media nonprofit associated with a prominent Harvard professor.

Released correspondence documents the role of Epstein’s financial representative and the direct involvement of project staff in preparing paperwork for the contribution.

Subsequent reporting raised questions about how much information about Epstein was shared within the organization.

Those are valid subjects for historical investigation, but they require careful distinction between institutional disclosure requirements, the conduct of individual employees, and knowledge that can be established through documents.

Further review of Verse Video Education’s complete financial records, governance policies, and board minutes could clarify how the donation was evaluated and allocated.

It could also establish which individuals were responsible for accepting contributions, communicating with staff, and making donor disclosure decisions.

Those conclusions cannot be supplied solely from the correspondence included in this article.

Related EpsteinWiki Investigations

• Elisa New, the Harvard professor and founder of Poetry in America whose nonprofit received the reported donation.
• Woody Allen, whose filmed poetry discussion was the subject of the December 2015 permissions request.
• Harvard University and Jeffrey Epstein, covering institutional philanthropy, access, and university relationships.

Conclusion

Leah Reis-Dennis’s appearance in the Epstein files concerns her professional responsibilities at Verse Video Education and her work on the Poetry in America project.

The released correspondence establishes that she contacted Epstein about Woody Allen footage in December 2015 and communicated with Richard Kahn in 2016 about nonprofit recognition and a $110,000 charitable grant.

Epstein’s May 9, 2016 response authorized the organization to cash the check after its IRS approval was reported.

Independent tax filings subsequently identify a $110,000 donation from Gratitude America to Verse Video Education. Harvard’s 2020 investigation separately acknowledged the donation while excluding it from the university’s direct gift totals.

The evidence therefore supports a documented professional and financial connection between the project and Epstein’s philanthropic network.

The 2025 reporting adds important questions about internal transparency and the handling of Epstein’s involvement. It does not establish that every individual associated with the project shared the same knowledge or responsibility.

The most defensible conclusion is that Reis-Dennis participated in specific media and grant administration communications involving Epstein and his representatives. The reviewed evidence does not establish her participation in Epstein’s crimes or direct personal receipt of the foundation’s donation.

The documentary record is strongest when it describes those concrete activities and preserves the distinction between institutional funding, individual knowledge, and criminal wrongdoing.

Questions and Answers

Who is Leah Reis-Dennis?

Leah Reis-Dennis is a media executive and former cofounder of Verse Video Education, the nonprofit connected to Poetry in America. Audacy promoted her to Head of Podcasts in March 2025.

What was her connection to Jeffrey Epstein?

She communicated with Epstein about obtaining permission to use Woody Allen footage and with his accountant Richard Kahn about a grant to Verse Video Education.

Did she receive money personally from Epstein?

The reviewed records establish a grant to Verse Video Education, not a personal payment to Reis-Dennis.

How much did Gratitude America donate?

Gratitude America’s 2016 federal tax filing reports a $110,000 grant to Verse Video Education.

Was the donation merely proposed?

No. Although the correspondence initially concerns a planned check and permission to deposit it, subsequent federal tax reporting identifies the grant as made in 2016.

Why was Woody Allen involved?

Poetry in America had filmed Allen discussing a poem by William Carlos Williams. Reis-Dennis sought Epstein’s assistance securing permission to use the existing footage.

Did Epstein control Poetry in America?

The reviewed evidence establishes funding and professional assistance but does not prove that Epstein owned or controlled the nonprofit or its productions.

Was the $110,000 given to Harvard?

No. Harvard’s 2020 investigation identified the gift as made to Verse Video Education, a separate nonprofit.

Was Reis-Dennis accused of trafficking or abuse?

The sources examined for this article do not establish such an accusation or her participation in Epstein’s criminal activities.

What was the 2025 controversy?

Investigative reporting examined the extent of Epstein’s involvement with the poetry project, its fundraising relationships, and competing accounts about donor transparency.

What happened to the project afterward?

In December 2025, the Boston Globe reported that Arizona State University was ending its relationship with Verse Video Education and closing its associated educational media studio.

Why is Reis-Dennis included in EpsteinWiki?

Her correspondence provides primary evidence about how an Epstein-associated charitable grant was administered and how professional relationships helped support an academic media initiative.

Sources

• EFTA00644443, December 8, 2015 email from Leah Reis-Dennis concerning Woody Allen footage (1 page).
• House Oversight correspondence concerning footage permissions and Soon-Yi Previn.
• EFTA00827905, Gratitude America $110,000 grant and IRS correspondence, February through May 2016 (11 pages).
• EFTA01058746, December 2016 project update from Elisa New, with Reis-Dennis copied (4 pages; relevant material on pages 1 and 3).
• EFTA01058781, Epstein’s December 19, 2016 reply concerning grant applications, quoting New’s update (4 pages).
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, Gratitude America Ltd., federal Form 990-PF filings.
• Grantmakers.io, Gratitude America reported 2016 grants.
• Harvard University, Report Regarding Jeffrey Epstein’s Connections to Harvard, May 2020.
• The Harvard Crimson, April 19, 2019, reporting on Gratitude America’s donations.
• Boston Globe investigation, December 10, 2025, concerning Epstein and Poetry in America.
• Boston Globe, December 18, 2025, reporting on Arizona State University’s relationship with Verse Video Education.
• Audacy, March 31, 2025, announcement of Leah Reis-Dennis’s promotion.