Cheryl Saban

Cheryl Saban (/səˈbɑːn/; born April 30, 1951) is an American psychologist, author, and philanthropist. She is a former Senior Advisor to the United States Mission to the United Nations. She is the author of several children's books and self-help books. She is the president of the Saban Family Foundation, and the founder of the Cheryl Saban Self-Worth Foundation for Women & Girls.

Early life and education

Cheryl Saban was born as Cheryl Lyn Flor^[1] on April 30, 1951 in San Diego, California.^[2] Her father worked for the local telephone company.^[3] Saban worked as a telephone solicitor, waitressed at a barbecue-pit restaurant, and worked summers as a lifeguard at a Navy training center.^[3]

Saban attended San Diego State University.^[3] She earned a doctorate in psychology from California Coast University in 2005.^[4]

Career

Saban started her career as a model in San Francisco, California in 1973 and Los Angeles in 1975.^[3] She recorded her first album in 1978 under the name Flower.^[3] In 1979, Playboy included her in a nude pictorial titled “Disco Queens".^[3]

Saban accepted a job as an assistant for Israeli-American Haim Saban, a self-made millionaire who later became her husband, in 1986.^[3] She wrote for television multiple times, including 19 episodes of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, produced by Saban. She is the author of four children's books, a thriller, and several self-help books. She is a member of the American Psychological Association.^[5]

Saban was nominated as Senior Advisor to the United States Mission to the United Nations by President Barack Obama in September 2012.^[6][7]

Philanthropy

Saban serves as the president of Saban Family Foundation.^[2] Through a $10 million donation, Saban established the Cheryl Saban Self-Worth Foundation for Women & Girls in 2009.^[2] The foundation will provide micro-financing programs to women in the U.S. and in Israel.^[3] Saban formerly served on the board of the Westside Children’s Center,^[8] where she pledged $250,000 to fund foster-parenting programs.^[3] With her husband, she donated $10 million to the Los Angeles Free Clinic, where she was a patient in her years of financial difficulty, and it was renamed the Saban Free Clinic in 2008.^[9]

Saban serves on the board of directors of the Clinton Foundation.^[5] She also serves as an honorary member of the board of trustees of the Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.^[10] She received an honorary doctorate from the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel in 2014.^[11]

Personal life

Saban has been married three times. She married her first husband, Ray Lenhart, at the age of 20.^[4] They had two daughters, Tifanie Lenhart Chaney and actress Heidi Lenhart Stills, and divorced soon after.^[4] She later divorced her second husband, a music producer, and struggled to provide for her children.^[3]

Saban married her third husband, Israeli-American billionaire Haim Saban in 1987.^[12] They had two children through a surrogate (Saban had previously had a hysterectomy): Ness and Tanya. Ness was the eighth surrogate-born baby in the world and Tanya was the fortieth.^[13] Although Cheryl follows Lutheranism, she agreed to raise the children Jewish. The family always puts up a Christmas tree and celebrates Shabbat weekly. Saban told the rabbi who married them: "Think of me as a Christian who believes in Judaism.”^[3] They reside in Beverly Hills, California.^[2]

Works

• Saban, Cheryl (1993). Miracle Child: Genetic Mother, Surrogate Womb. Far Hills, New Jersey: New Horizon Press. ISBN 9780882821221. OCLC 28394531. 
• Saban, Cheryl (1995). Griffin's Day at the Zoo. New York: Modern Publishing House. ISBN 9781561446032. OCLC 36659026. 
• Saban, Cheryl (1995). Griffin's Busy Day. New York: Modern Publishing House. ISBN 9781561446025. OCLC 35559271. 
• Saban, Cheryl (1995). Griffin's Shopping Trip. New York: Modern Publishing House. ISBN 9781561446049. OCLC 35865589. 
• Saban, Cheryl (1995). Griffin's Play Group. New York: Modern Publishing House. ISBN 9781561446056. OCLC 35762814. 
• Saban, Cheryl (1997). Sins of the Mother. Los Angeles, California: Dove Books. ISBN 9780787112684. OCLC 37023348. 
• Saban, Cheryl (2002). 50 Ways To Save Our Children: Small, Medium & Big Ways You Can Change a Child's Life. New York: Harper Trophy. ISBN 9780064490382. OCLC 48046056. 
• Saban, Cheryl (2005). Recipe For a Good Marriage: Wise Words and Quirky Advice for Happy, Long-lasting Relationships. New York: Ryland Peters & Small. ISBN 9781841727868. OCLC 57685783. 
• Saban, Cheryl (2007). Recipe for Good Parenting: Words of Wisdom for Parents of all Ages, From Parents of All Ages. New York: Ryland Peters & Small. ISBN 9781845975104. OCLC 81860720. 
• Saban, Cheryl (2008). New Mother's Survival Guide. New York: Ryland, Peters & Small. ISBN 9781845977139. 
• Saban, Cheryl (2009). What Is Your Self-worth? A Woman's Guide to Validation. Carlsbad, California: Hay House. ISBN 9781401923952. OCLC 262892445. 
• Saban, Cheryl (2010). Recipe For a Happy Life. New York: Ryland Peters & Small. ISBN 9781845979454. OCLC 465368297. 
• Saban, Cheryl (2011). All About My Mother. New York: Ryland Peters & Small. ISBN 9781849750875. OCLC 666246749. 
• Saban, Cheryl (2013). Soul Sisters: The Special Relationship of Girlfriends. New York: Ryland Peters & Small. ISBN 9781849753555. OCLC 851655723. 
• Saban, Cheryl (2014). The Gift of Grandparenting: Sharing the Delights of Being a Grandparent: A Treasure Trove of Stories and Memories About People We Hold Most Dear. New York: Ryland Peters & Small. ISBN 9781849755122. OCLC 857880296. 

References