Nancy Lee Dorman, Baltimore philanthropist and museum trustee, dies

Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun
·4 min read
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Nancy Lee Dorman, a Baltimore Museum of Art trustee and philanthropist who also funded Enoch Pratt Free Library neighborhood branches, died of cancer Friday at Mercy Medical Center. The Bolton Hill resident was 76.

“There was no one in the world like Nancy Dorman,” BMA Director Asma Naeem and Chief Curator Kevin Tervala said in a joint statement. “She believed in this city and the power of art and education. Humanity, a willingness to roll up her sleeves, and an unshakeable commitment to civic betterment, Nancy embodied these ideals like no other.”

Born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Chevy Chase, she was the daughter of Wayne Elliott Dorman, an insurance executive and World War II veteran, and Nancy Carl Robinson, a community charity volunteer.

“Our mother and father were politically aware and sensitive to equity and justice issues,” said her brother, Ray Dorman.

She was a graduate of Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School and attended Wake Forest University before she joined the staff of U.S. Sen. Joseph Tydings on Capitol Hill. She later completed her undergraduate degree at the George Washington University. She earned a master’s degree in finance from what is now Loyola University Maryland.

After Sen. Tydings left office Ms. Dorman held posts with Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale. She then became a domestic policy specialist for President Jimmy Carter.

In 1969 she met her future husband, attorney Stanley Mazaroff, on Capitol Hill when both were working in the office of Sen. Tydings.

Ms. Dorman went on to become the administrative general partner for New Enterprise Associates, a venture capital firm based on Saint Paul Street in Mount Vernon.

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“She was our third employee and soon became indispensable to the firm by [her] total devotion. She often worked six and seven days a week,” said Charles Newhall, co-founder of New Enterprise. “She created the best back office in the venture capital industry [and] allowed the investing partners to focus almost totally on their investments. … [She] gave everything of herself to make our firm what it is today.”

She and her husband donated $5 million to the Baltimore Museum of Art to establish a center for the presentation, study and preservation of 65,000 photographs, prints and drawings.

In their joint statement, Ms. Naeem, the BMA director, and Mr. Tervala, chief curator, recalled Ms. Dorman as “a dedicated and tireless advocate” for the museum whose commitment “will have a resounding effect on the [institution] for generations to come.”

She served on the BMA board of trustees from 2002 to 2010 and from 2011 to 2022, when she was named an honorary trustee.

“Nancy gave her time, energy, and support in numerous ways, including, along with her husband Stan, creating the Dorman/Mazaroff Contemporary Endowment Fund and their monumental gift to create the Nancy Dorman and Stanley Mazaroff Center for the Study of Prints, Drawings and Photographs,” said their statement.

“A passionate collector of contemporary art, Nancy made an indelible impact on the Museum’s collection,” Ms. Naeem and Mr. Tervala said, citing her gift of 90 “outstanding” artworks.

“Within this remarkable group of works are significant examples of sculpture, assemblage, painting, works on paper, and photography,” they said. “Nancy was also a great champion for the staff’s welfare and made a significant contribution to the Endowment for the Future campaign.”

Ms. Dorman was an advocate for the Enoch Pratt Free Library and its neighborhood branches.

“Nancy was incredibly supportive of the Enoch Pratt Free Library,” said Heidi Daniel, the library’s CEO. “She served on the Pratt Library Board for 16 years. She was generous with her time and wisdom and was a strong supporter of the transformational power of libraries.”

Christine Espenshade, the Pratt Library’s board chair, recalled Ms. Dorman as “a warm, kind, and generous person.”

“Nancy was an accomplished and dedicated professional with a passion for libraries, the arts, and the Baltimore community,” Ms. Espenshade said. “She served multiple terms as the vice chair of the Pratt Boards, was an active supporter of the Pratt Advisory Council, and was continually engaged in community service initiatives.”

Ms. Dorman was a member and co-director of the Art Seminar, a local arts studies organization. She was also a supporter of the Maryland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Ms. Dorman was a world traveler. In addition to her Bolton Hill home, she also had a summer residence in Upperco.

Survivors include her husband of 52 years, Stanley Mazaroff; two brothers, Steven Wayne Dorman, of Potomac, and Ray Robinson Dorman, of Orlando, Florida; and nieces and nephews.