The Jackie Robinson Foundation mourns the passing of Kevin Littleton, a devoted alumnus, accomplished financial professional and generous champion of the next generation of JRF Scholars.
A native of Michigan, Kevin attended Detroit Country Day School before enrolling at Yale University as a Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholar. He graduated magna cum laude in 2007 with a degree in political science and religious studies. Kevin also played four years as a defensive back on Yale’s football team and received the university’s African American House Scholar-Athlete Award upon graduation.
Kevin went on to build an impressive career in finance. After beginning his professional journey at UBS, he spent much of his nearly two-decade Wall Street career at Goldman Sachs, specializing in equity derivatives and trading across asset classes. He later held senior positions at Bank of America, BNP Paribas, Odeon Capital Group and Beyond Alpha Ventures. In 2025, Kevin founded Napoleon Partners, an investment firm named in honor of his grandfather, Napoleon Littleton, a United States Army veteran, church elder and mentor. Kevin envisioned the firm as another means of investing in the future and expanding opportunity for others.
Kevin’s relationship with JRF extended far beyond the scholarship he received. He remained an active and deeply committed member of the JRF family, serving as President of the JRF Alumni Association from 2020 through 2022. In that role, he helped strengthen the alumni network and encouraged fellow alumni to remain connected to one another, to current Scholars and to the mission of the Foundation.
Most notably, Kevin translated his gratitude into direct support for young people following in his footsteps. He co-sponsored three JRF Scholars, helping to make possible for others the educational opportunities that had helped shape his own life. His generosity reflected his conviction that achievement carries with it a responsibility to create opportunities for those who come next.
That commitment was evident even before Kevin became a JRF Scholar. In his original scholarship application, he described Jackie Robinson as a leader who possessed the “courage, perseverance and integrity to face adversity.” Kevin wrote that a good leader stands up for what is right, regardless of the circumstances or the potential personal cost. He also shared a principle learned on the football field: “I am third”—God first, others second and oneself last.
In the closing words of his application, Kevin expressed the aspiration that would come to define his life: “It is my goal to do my best and make a positive contribution to the world.” Through his professional accomplishments, leadership of the JRF Alumni Association, investment in three JRF Scholars and steadfast commitment to service, Kevin fulfilled that promise in ways both meaningful and lasting.
Kevin will be remembered with great affection and gratitude throughout the Jackie Robinson Foundation community. We extend our deepest condolences to his son, Levi; his family; and the many friends, colleagues, fellow alumni and Scholars whose lives he touched. His passing is a profound loss, but the example he set and the opportunities he created for others will remain an enduring part of his legacy.
