The Trustees’ Council of Penn Women is an international network of Penn Alumnae. These leaders, by power of their example, support, foster, and promote the advancement of women and women’s issues within the University, thus enriching the University community as a whole.
Council Chair - Jennifer B. Krevitt, Esq., C’86, L’92
Vice Chair - Stacey Deutsch Shoer, C'89
Immediate Past Council Chair - Lori Pearlman Wachs, W'90
Advancement of Women Faculty
Co-Chairs:
Ruth M. Farber-Horowitz, C'83, WG'88
Rena Cohen Kopelman, C'92
To be a positive influence and support for female faculty through out their career and across sectors of the University Community. We seek to act in partnership with the Provost’s office to facilitate communication and stimulate gender equity initiatives.
Responsibilities:
• Gender Equity
• TCPW/Provost Award for advancing the role of women in higher education
• Administration and Faculty Dialogues
• Interactive Faculty Programming
Athletics
Co-Chairs:
Julie Denisenko Morris, C'99
Terese (Terry) Friel Portell, C'89
To increase the support and recognition of women’s athletic teams and Penn women’s access to physical activity and recreational facilities on campus. Equal access to sports and sports facilities under Title IX is a key tenet of the Committee. To increase endowments and annual giving for women’s sports, as well as increase alumni, student, and public attendance at women’s games both at Penn’s home fields and courts and in the regions our teams frequently play. To focus on the needs of women coaches and coaches of women’s teams to monitor concerns about equality of pay, financial support for team activities, endowed coaching positions, and publicity of women’s events. To host an annual career networking panel providing female athletes an opportunity to learn from alumnae, network among peers, and connect with TCPW former athletes.
Responsibilities:
• Choose Sports that TCPW will support each season
• Work with team’s coach to determine team’s needs
• Help recruit members onto team boards
Career Networking
Co-Chairs:
Brook Jaffe, C'01
Jamie Kramer, C’93 WG’01
To foster networking and mentoring among Penn women. To act as role models and mentors for students and recent alumnae.
Responsibilities:
• Career Panels
• Summer Networking Events – NY, London, LA, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, DC, Beijing
• Mentoring Initiatives
• Serve as an advocate for resources for the Career Services office
Communications
Chair:
Sapna Shah, C'93 W'93
To publicize the actions and activities of TCPW and generate knowledge and excitement in the Penn Community about the work being accomplished by Council members on behalf of the University. To foster a strong sense of community among Council members by enhancing internal communication. The Committee seeks to act in partnership with Communication Liaisons to accomplish its mission.
Responsibilities:
• Annual Communiqué and eCommuniqués
• Web Site, Facebook page, Twitter account, Linked In accounts
• Press Relations
Development
Co-Chairs:
Nina Hurst, W'96
Amy Raskin, ENG'93
To ensure the support and growth of TCPW initiatives and to continue to play an important role in the annual and long-term giving goals of the University.
Responsibilities:
• Participate in the cultivation and solicitation of TCPW members
• Work in partnership with Penn development professionals and alumni relations staff members
• Assist in the recognition of TCPW members and Annual Membership Review
• Identify Other Sources of Funding
Diversity Equity and Inclusion
Co-Chairs:
Ali Cudby, C'91, WG'97
Lolita Jackson, ENG'89
Joan Lau, ENG'92, WG'08
Emerita
Co-Chairs:
Susan T. Marx, CW'66
Maryann Sudo, CW’63
Recent bylaw changes requiring active TCPW members to become emerita members at age 70 was welcomed by the majority of our membership. This committee was created to make certain that all members know that Emerita members are just as valued as active members. We don’t want to risk disenfranchising those involved and potentially losing much-valued institutional knowledge, the last thing we want for these important members. This committee will be one way to retain engagement of our emerita members, and continue their valued input.
Responsibilities:
• Set up/maintain an Archives with the TCPW Director
• Sit on and participate in any Anniversary committees
• Help plan Beacon Awards
• Honor emerita members
• Emerita member engagement
Grants
Co-Chairs:
Amy Ruth Finegold, C'02
Randi Nielsen, W'84
To channel the resources of TCPW to support campus organizations and sponsored activities for the benefit of all women within the University community - undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and staff. TCPW Grant awards should serve to further the Council’s mission, and to increase its visibility, recognition, and leadership role. TCPW liaisons to Annual Grant recipients serve to monitor Grant progress and execution.
Responsibilities:
• Solicit Grant Applications
• Review Applications and Determine Awards
Leadership
Co-Chairs:
Lisa LeFort, C'76 GED'87
Karen Chance Mercurius, C'99, G'08
To serve as a liaison to the Office of the Secretary and the Office of Development and Alumni Relations to promote and support TCPW members to the highest levels of leadership in the University. These opportunities include highly visible volunteer opportunities across Development and Alumni Relations, schools and centers, Boards of Overseers and the Board of Trustees.To support ongoing leadership development and volunteer engagement opportunities within the TCPW internal management structure with the goal being to engage as many members as possible in ways which are personally rewarding and which further TCPW’s mission and TCPW’s reach within the University community.
Responsibilities:
• Identify Members for University Boards
• Work with Liaison in Secretary’s Office
• Assist in Membership Awareness regarding TCPW and University leadership opportunities
• Creative leadership development initiatives and volunteer engagement programming
Membership
Co-Chairs:
Karen Dougherty Buchholz, G'97
Heather Sarno Getman, C'91
Corrine Irish, C’99
To identify outstanding Penn alumnae who will help to further the mission of the Trustees' Council of Penn Women by becoming active and engaged members of TCPW as well as of the Penn Alumni community. To work to ensure that the membership of TCPW is both dynamic and diverse and that members remain active and engaged in their support of Council initiatives. TCPW strives to be reflective of Penn today and encourages the nominations of candidates from diverse regions, professions, years of graduation, ethnicities, charitable and community service commitments, and school/center affiliations.
Responsibilities:
• Annual membership review with a focus on membership engagement and composition
• Identification of potential new members
• Review of annual new member nominations with membership recommendations to TCPW’s Executive Committee
• Accountable for new member integration, including oversight of a robust mentoring program
Programming
Co-Chairs:
Dara Afia Cook, W'95
Caroline Waxler Levitt, C'93
Karen M. Quigley, CW'71
To provide diverse, University-centered educational programming at TCPW’s semi-annual conferences. Present opportunities for TCPW members to develop and expand leadership skills and to network amongst fellow members, students, and faculty.
Responsibilities:
• Provide Programming for Bi-Annual Conferences
• Set Annual Meeting Calendar
Regional Programming
Co-Chairs:
Robin Gordon, C'80, GCP'81
Sarah Jones, NU'95, GNU'13
To strengthen our regional member involvement as a way to maintain momentum between our biannual meetings and help increase engagement of our members. To help the regions, we should put into place best practices and support their programming. The needs of the 8 regions are quite different from each other and this is not an attempt to standardize everything across all of the regions.
Responsibilities:
• Member engagement within regions where there are enough members to warrant holding events.
• Continuing the connection of members throughout the year, in between conferences
• Regions: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington, DC
Student Life
Co-Chairs:
Jackie Einstein Astrof, C'93
LaRhonda Brown-Barrett, ENG'89
Leanne Huebner, W'90
To support and enhance the lives of female undergraduate and graduate students at Penn. This mission will be accomplished by exploring pertinent issues, establishing liaisons with student organizations, cultural resource centers and Office of Student Affairs administrators, identifying needs, serving as a resource and taking appropriate actions.
Responsibilities:
• Mentoring selected student groups
• Examining issues effecting Student Psychological Well Being including Health, Social, Housing and Safety Issues
• Student Award selection
• Outreach/Work with student organization leaders, including Penn Women’s Center, cultural resource centers, sororities and performing arts groups
• Inform TCPW members about relevant student issues