Faith Kates Wikipedia, Biography, Religion, Age, Net Worth, Husband, Career, Resignation, Family

adminMarch 29, 2026

Faith Kates is a prominent American talent and modeling agent best known as the co-founder of Next Management (formerly Next Model Management). Established in 1989 alongside Joel Wilkenfeld and the late Jean-Luc Brunel, the agency grew under her leadership into one of the world’s most influential modeling firms, representing stars such as Milla Jovovich, Billie Eilish, Alexa Chung, and Arizona Muse. Before founding Next, she spent several years at Wilhelmina Models, where she rose to supervise the women’s division.

Beyond her career in fashion, Kates was a major figure in philanthropy for over a decade. She served as the president of the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF), where she is credited with raising more than $30 million for research. She was instrumental in creating high-profile fundraising events like “Super Saturday” and the “Legends Gala,” which became staples of the New York social and charitable calendar.

In late 2025, Kates’s professional reputation came under intense scrutiny due to her long-standing personal relationship with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Following the release of extensive court documents and investigative reports, it was revealed that Kates had maintained an “unconditional” friendship with Epstein for nearly 40 years, even after his initial 2009 conviction. The files documented thousands of mentions of Kates, including gushing emails where she thanked him for gifts and allegedly introduced him to models from her agency.

In December 2025, Kates stepped down from her position at Next Management. While she officially stated her departure was to focus on her charity work, industry reports suggested she was forced out as the agency sought to sever all legal and professional ties with her. Since then, the company has publicly distanced itself from her, stating that her private relationship with Epstein was unknown to the firm’s top executives.

Faith Kates Personal Profile: Age, Religion, and Ethnicity

To understand the woman behind the multi-million dollar deals, one must look at her background and personal identity. Faith Kates was born in December 1957 (making her 68 years old as of 2026). She was born and raised on Long Island, New York, growing up in a region known for producing some of the most influential figures in American business and media.

Regarding her ethnicity and heritage, Kates is of White/Caucasian descent. While she has kept much of her private life guarded, her religious background is Jewish. This aspect of her life became a point of public interest when reports surfaced that she invited Jeffrey Epstein to her son’s Bar Mitzvah in 2015, highlighting how deeply her personal and social circles intertwined.

Early Life, Family, and Education

Faith Kates’s journey began in a traditional middle-class setting on Long Island. Although she did not grow up in the fashion industry, she possessed an early drive for success.

Family Background: Detailed information about her parents is limited, but she has often credited her New York upbringing for her “thick skin” and sharp business instincts.
Education: Kates attended the University of Maryland, where she earned a bachelor’s degree. Her time at university provided the foundational networking skills that would later serve her in the cutthroat world of talent management.

She did not originally set out to be a model agent. In early interviews, she revealed that she began as an assistant in the casting department of an advertising agency. When the casting director quit shortly after she started, Kates was forced to “figure it out on her own,” a moment she cites as the birth of her career in talent acquisition.

The Illustrious Career of Faith Kates

The professional trajectory of Faith Kates is divided into three distinct phases: her rise at Wilhelmina, the founding of Next Management, and her philanthropic leadership.

The Wilhelmina Years (1981–1989)

Kates entered the fashion world in 1981 at Wilhelmina Models, one of the “Big Three” agencies of that era. She quickly proved her worth, rising through the ranks to eventually supervise the Women’s Division. It was here that she learned the art of “scouting” and the logistical complexities of managing international talent.

Founding Next Management (1989)

In 1989, Kates made the bold move to launch her own agency, Next Management (originally Next Model Management). She co-founded the firm with Joel Wilkenfeld and the late Jean-Luc Brunel.

Expansion: Under her direction as Co-President, Next grew from a boutique New York shop into a global empire with offices in Miami, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Milan.
Star Power: She is credited with nurturing the careers of superstars like Milla Jovovich, Joy Bryant, Molly Sims, Anja Rubik, and more recently, Gen-Z icon Billie Eilish.

Philanthropy and the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF)

For over 15 years, Kates was a titan in the non-profit sector. As the President of the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, she helped raise more than $30 million. She is famously the creator of:

Super Saturday: A high-end garage sale in the Hamptons that became a “must-attend” event for celebrities and socialites.
The Legends Gala: A black-tie event at the American Museum of Natural History that combined fashion, corporate sponsorship, and medical research.

The 2025–2026 Controversy and Resignation

The defining chapter of the Faith Kates Biography in 2026 is undoubtedly her connection to Jeffrey Epstein. In December 2025, a massive cache of emails and documents was released by the U.S. Department of Justice.

The Findings: The files contained over 5,000 mentions of Faith Kates. They revealed that Kates remained a close confidante to Epstein even after his 2009 conviction for soliciting a minor.
Professional Ties: More troubling were allegations that Kates introduced models from her agency to Epstein for “social meetings” and “business advice.” In one email, she thanked Epstein for a Prada bag and described him as “a brother.”
The Resignation: Following the public outcry, Kates “retired” or stepped down from Next Management in December 2025. By March 2026, the agency had officially distanced itself, stating her ties to Epstein were “absolutely unknown” to other executives.

Net Worth and Financial Status

As of 2026, Faith Kates’s net worth is estimated to be between $20 million and $40 million. Most of her wealth was accumulated through her majority ownership of Next Management and her various real estate holdings. However, industry analysts suggest that her recent legal troubles and her departure from the agency may have impacted her liquid assets due to ongoing litigation and severance negotiations.

Personal Life: Husband and Children

Faith Kates has maintained a stable family life despite the high-pressure nature of her career.

Husband: In 1993, she married Jeffrey Kogan, a successful real estate investor in New York.
Children: The couple has three children together. One of her sons, Dylan Kogan, has occasionally been seen at charity events with her.
Residence: The family resides primarily in a luxury apartment on East 72nd Street in New York City, with a secondary estate on Long Island.

Conclusion

The Faith Kates Biography is a cautionary tale of how power and association can define a legacy as much as professional achievement. On one hand, she was a visionary who revolutionized the modeling industry and saved lives through her work with the OCRF. On the other, the revelations of 2026 have painted a picture of a woman who maintained a friendship with one of the century’s most notorious criminals at the expense of her reputation. As she retreats from the public eye, the fashion world continues to debate her impact on the industry.