AC_1965_Web

115 AN T I OC H CO L L E G E C L A S S O F 19 6 5 5 0 t h A N N I V E R S A R Y B O O K A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z M U L H A U S E R zations, I was often the one who convened coalition and networking meetings. I thought it was fine that there were many organizations with common goals because they often had different tactics and offered dif- ferent doors to enter the common challenge and the policy debates. Some wanted to chain themselves to theWhite House fence while others wanted to sit in meetings. As long as they respect each other—why not many as they work on common goals? It just made more sense to me to collaborate, to build community, rather than to compete. WOMEN FOR OBAMA: Now that I think of it, it is likely that Barack Obama’s community organizing back- ground and collaborative approach is what attracted me early to his 2008 campaign resulting in a contract as Senior Advisor to coordinate Women for Obama in the D.C. area.That, plus I know Michelle Obama and had helped hire her from a corporate law firm to lead Public Allies in Chicago. Life has been a series of unantic- ipated surprises. I have served on 35 nonprofit boards, have organized in- ter-national conferences, have raised millions of dollars, worked in presi- dential campaigns, taken huge risks, and now, devote most of my time to volunteer activities and to mentor- ing young professionals. Over the years, I have also started organiza- tions such as America’s Impact, a political committee to support can- didates with responsible foreign pol- icy positions, and Trusted Sources, a voter engagement project.Currently, I chair the U.N.Association-USA with its 150 chapters, serve on Antioch’s alumni board and chair theWomen’s Information Network advisory council. One constant in my eclectic life is my wonderful husband, Fritz, whose life has been as eclectic as mine. We met in a faculty meeting back in September 1967 and we were married the following August. After 20 years working for Congress and federal agencies,Fritz let GAO buy him out and give us health benefits for the rest of our lives. I thought he’d become a consultant because he saw how much fun I was having, but he joined a band instead, something he’d obviously wanted to do since junior high. He volunteered at the local ACLU during the day and played music at night. This was his good right brain/left brain balance until he fell asleep and drove off the road one early morning. After three months in the hospital and three months in a hospital bed at home, he went back to ACLU and decided he could be more help if he were an attorney. So, in his 50s, he contin- ued to volunteer at ACLU and go to Georgetown law school at night.He’s been a senior staff attorney ever since. I love that story of reinvention. Sara and Chris. We have one son, Chris, who, with his wife, Sara, makes us end- lessly proud. They live in Oakland, where he finds ways to feed his pas- sion for music by playing in bands and making guitars and she is an ar- chitect at Bloom Energy. With regard to victories for hu- manity, my all-time favorite birthday card is from anAntioch student who was co-oping in D.C. in 2007.When I turned 64, she made a lovely card that said, “Be ashamed to die un- til you have won some victory for humanity—so I guess you can keel over any time you’d like to.” Karen and Gloria Steinem with WIN members. For good right brain/left brain balancing, I make gingerbread houses in December to prepare for winter. This Antioch Main Building raised almost $1,000 for Antioch with an online raffle.