Kira Bonder has built a life shaped by education, charity work, fundraising and competitive equestrian sport. Professionally known as Kira Kerkorian, she comes from a family connected with business, entertainment and professional sport. Yet her own path has focused strongly on helping charities and improving the lives of disadvantaged communities.
Born on 9 March 1998, Kira is 28 years old as of September 2026. Her mother is former professional tennis player Lisa Bonder, while her biological father was businessman and film producer Steve Bing. Billionaire Kirk Kerkorian also played an important paternal and legal role during her childhood.
Who Is Kira Bonder?
Kira Bonder is an American non-profit professional, fundraiser and former competitive equestrian. Although the Bonder name comes from her mother, she has used Kira Kerkorian throughout much of her education, sporting career and professional life. She has built experience in philanthropy, donor development, charity management and community service.
Her academic background is equally focused. She studied Public Affairs at UCLA before completing a Master of Science in Nonprofit Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania. Her education covered public policy, social welfare, urban planning, leadership, fundraising and corporate social responsibility.
Kira has also worked with organisations such as JustWorld International, St. James School, Breathe Southern California, the Emphysema Foundation of America and Make-A-Wish Metro New York. These roles have given her practical experience in fundraising, communications, donor relations and organisational development.
Kira Bonder Age and Early Life
Kira Bonder was born on 9 March 1998 in the United States. She turned 28 years old on 9 March 2026. Her early years attracted attention because of her parents and a well-known legal dispute concerning her biological father.
Despite the complex family circumstances, Kira later developed a life that was very different from the business and entertainment world associated with her family. Sport, education and charitable service became central to her identity. Her achievements show a strong interest in discipline, leadership and helping others.
Her youth also included serious equestrian training. Horse riding developed into competitive show jumping, taking her into national and international events. Those experiences later became closely connected with her work for JustWorld International.
Kira Bonder Parents
Lisa Bonder – Kira Bonder’s Mother
Kira Bonder’s mother, Lisa Bonder, is a former American professional tennis player. Lisa competed successfully during the 1980s and became one of the leading players of her era. Her career placed her among the better-known American women in professional tennis.
Lisa later became closely connected to businessman Kirk Kerkorian. Their relationship and brief marriage gained attention because of questions concerning Kira’s paternity. The matter eventually established that Kerkorian was not Kira’s biological father.
Lisa remained an important figure in Kira’s upbringing. Through her mother, Kira also belongs to a family with a strong sporting background. Her own achievements in equestrian competition continued that athletic tradition, although she chose a very different sport.
Steve Bing – Her Biological Father
Kira Bonder’s biological father was Stephen Leo Bing, widely known as Steve Bing. He was an American businessman, investor, film producer and philanthropist. He came from the wealthy Bing family and became involved in films, business ventures and political philanthropy.
DNA evidence established that Steve Bing was Kira’s biological father. Their relationship became part of a major legal matter during Kira’s childhood. Bing did not play the same day-to-day paternal role that Kirk Kerkorian had held during her early years.
Steve Bing died in Los Angeles in June 2020 at the age of 55. After his death, questions concerning Bing family trusts again brought attention to his children, including Kira and her paternal half-brother Damian Hurley.
Kirk Kerkorian and Kira’s Childhood
Kirk Kerkorian was not Kira’s biological father, but his role in her life cannot be ignored. He was a billionaire businessman who built major interests in hotels, casinos, property and entertainment. He was also closely connected with MGM during different periods of his business career.
Kira carried the Kerkorian surname, and Kirk had an important legal and paternal place in her childhood. Even after biological paternity became clear, he remained connected to her life. This explains why Kira continues to be widely known as Kira Kerkorian rather than by her mother’s surname.
Kira Bonder Siblings
Kira’s best-known paternal half-brother is Damian Hurley, the son of actress and model Elizabeth Hurley and Steve Bing. Kira and Damian share the same biological father but have different mothers. Damian was born in 2002, making him younger than Kira.
Damian has developed a career within fashion, modelling and entertainment. His family connection to Kira became especially important during legal proceedings involving Bing family trusts. Both were recognised as Steve Bing’s biological children.
Taylor Jennings Kreiss
Kira also has a maternal half-brother named Taylor Jennings Kreiss. They share the same mother, Lisa Bonder. Taylor’s father is Thomas Kreiss. Taylor has his own sporting background, continuing the strong athletic influence within the wider family. UCLA athletics material has identified Kira as one of his sisters. This family connection provides further confirmation of Kira’s relationship through her mother’s side.
Kira Bonder Education
Kira Bonder attended the University of California, Los Angeles, from September 2017 until June 2021. She completed a Bachelor of Arts in Public Affairs, with study areas covering public policy, social welfare and urban planning.
Her courses included microeconomics, macroeconomics, civil society, non-profit organisations, urban poverty, public policy, social movements and communication. The degree gave her a broad understanding of the social and economic forces that affect communities.
Kira also took part in the UCLA Equestrian Team and Kappa Delta Sorority. From 2018 to 2021, she served on Kappa Delta’s Standards Board. More than 180 fellow members elected her to a role centred on values, ethics and accountability.
Leadership Through Kappa Delta
Her Standards Board work required fair judgement and careful handling of internal matters. She helped organise meetings when conduct issues needed attention. The experience strengthened skills connected with ethics, responsibility and communication. These qualities later became useful in her non-profit work. Managing people, maintaining standards and understanding different points of view are valuable abilities in any organisation.
University of Pennsylvania
After graduating from UCLA, Kira joined the University of Pennsylvania in August 2021. She completed a Master of Science in Nonprofit Leadership in May 2023. Her postgraduate studies included corporate social responsibility, leadership theory, philanthropy, fundraising, ethics of social impact and organisational dynamics. She also studied the way successful non-profit groups develop stable structures and serve communities. The degree closely matches her career interests. Kira has focused on helping charitable organisations improve fundraising, strategy, workplace culture, donor relations and project management.
Kira Bonder Career and Philanthropy
One of the strongest parts of Kira’s professional life is her work with JustWorld International. She has served as an Ambassador since October 2017 in Wellington, Florida. The organisation supports children living in disadvantaged communities.
Kira states that she has contributed more than 100 volunteer hours each year. She also served as co-captain during fundraising programmes, leading teams of 20 people that raised more than $25,000 in each of two consecutive years.
Her fundraising work went even further. She hosted more than 30 bake sales, contacted potential donors and helped secure charitable contributions. Across eight years, she states that her personal fundraising efforts generated roughly $300,000.
St. James School
From October 2022 to May 2023, Kira worked as an Advancement Intern at St. James School in Philadelphia. Her duties included identifying potential donors, gaining in-kind and cash contributions and helping with fundraising events. She contacted more than 300 corporate donors for an annual scholarship benefit. In May 2023, she also served as Day Of Coordinator for the event. She managed supplies, staff, deliveries, set-up and the event schedule.
Breathe Southern California
Kira worked as a Development Communications Intern with Breathe Southern California from October 2020 to October 2021. She created internal documents, helped secure speakers and sponsors, and supported audience engagement. She also worked with the social media team on an e-commerce platform and ideas that could produce income for the organisation. The experience combined fundraising, marketing and communications.
Emphysema Foundation of America
During the same period, Kira worked with the Emphysema Foundation of America. She completed competitor analysis, studied successful advertising campaigns and helped develop ideas for organisational growth. She also created materials designed to help establish new chapters across the country. This role gave her practical experience in strategy, expansion planning and development.
Make-A-Wish Metro New York
Kira worked as a Donor Service Intern at Make-A-Wish Metro New York from June 2019 until August 2020. She prepared more than 100 personalised thank-you letters connected with close to $200,000 in donations. She also developed a training process for the donor tracking system and helped coordinate merchandise for volunteers. Her responsibilities included confirming details and arranging deliveries, giving her experience in both donor care and daily charity operations.
Kira Bonder Equestrian Achievements
Kira Bonder was an accomplished equestrian before building her non-profit career. She competed as a show jumper and achieved strong results while still young. In July 2015, she earned team silver at the North American Youth Championships. In October that year, she won team gold at the Neue Schule/USEF National Junior Jumper Championship. Her success continued in March 2016 when she earned USA Team Gold at the Hollow Creek Farm Nations Cup. These achievements show that riding was far more than a casual hobby.
From Equestrian Sport to Charity Work
Equestrian sport helped connect Kira with JustWorld International. The organisation has strong links with the international equestrian community, giving riders opportunities to support children and charitable programmes. For Kira, competitive sport and philanthropy became closely linked. Discipline learned through riding also supported her later approach to leadership, fundraising and teamwork.
Where Is Kira Bonder Now?
Kira Bonder’s professional page gives West Palm Beach, Florida, as her location. Her career has also taken her through Los Angeles, New York and Philadelphia. Her main interests remain non-profit leadership, philanthropy, donor development and social impact. Her experience combines academic training with direct work inside charitable organisations.
Kira Bonder’s Life Beyond Her Family Name
Kira Bonder was born into a family connected with wealth, professional sport and entertainment, but her adult identity is based on different values. She has devoted years to education, fundraising, charity work and equestrian competition.
At 28, she has already developed substantial experience across several respected non-profit organisations. Her story includes a complicated family background, yet her own achievements stand separately. From UCLA and the University of Pennsylvania to JustWorld International, Kira has built a career centred on leadership, service and meaningful social impact.
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