MacKenzie Scott’s new husband, Dan Jewett, was a Harriton High School chemistry teacher

After her high-profile divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has married schoolteacher Dan Jewett, who used to teach at Harriton High School.

The couple announced their nuptials Saturday, when Jewett posted a letter on the philanthropic nonprofit website the Giving Pledge, joining Scott in her promise to give the majority of their fortune to charity. Scott, worth $54 billion, joined the pledge that was created by Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett in 2010 and urges the ultra-wealthy to give generously.

“It is strange to be writing a letter indicating I plan to give away the majority of my wealth during my lifetime, as I have never sought to gather the kind of wealth required to feel like saying such a thing would have particular meaning,” Jewett wrote. “I have been a teacher for the majority of my life, as well as a grateful student of the generosity of those around me.”

He continued, “And now, in a stroke of happy coincidence, I am married to one of the most generous and kind people I know — and joining her in a commitment to pass on an enormous financial wealth to serve others.”

“Dan is such a great guy, and I am happy and excited for the both of them,” Bezos said in a statement through an Amazon spokesperson provided to the Wall Street Journal, which first confirmed the marriage. Bezos and Scott divorced in 2019 after 25 years of marriage.

Jewett has taught at Lakeside School, a prestigious private school in Seattle that Scott’s children attend (Lakeside did not return requests for comment). Before his private-school gig, Jewett taught chemistry from 2002 to 2011 at Harriton, an official at Harriton confirmed.

Josh Verlin was a student in Jewett’s AP chemistry class in 2006 and remembers him as a “genuinely good person” and a passionate, energetic teacher.

“Of all the teachers in my life, if you had to pick one I would want to marry a billionaire to help give away her money, it would be Dan Jewett,” Verlin said. “He loved the students, he loved helping us. and he loved imparting knowledge.”

Jacob Eidinger was a sophomore in Jewett’s chemistry class in 2010 and remembered him as one of the most beloved teachers during his high school tenure. Eidinger said students — even those who didn’t care about chemistry — would be jealous if they weren’t placed in Jewett’s class.

Eidinger said his graduating high school class’ Facebook group became active for the first time in eight years when a classmate posted about Jewett’s marriage, with peers reconnecting over shared joy for their former teacher.

“I’m thrilled for him — not only that he found someone to spend the rest of his life with, but also someone who has the same passion to give back to the community,” Eidinger said.