Abstract
Organized by Caitie Whelan, Brown University class of 2007.5, this three-part oral history captures the experiences of several members of the Women’s Leadership Council (WLC), a Presidential Leadership Council in operation from 2004 – 2024 that advocated for the inclusion of women in the University’s leadership structures and inspired and engaged women as active participants in the University’s life.
Interviewees include Ana Bermudez ’86, Andra Ellingson ’78, Shelley Fidler ’68, Laya Khadjavi ’84, Resa Lewiss ’92, Chandra Metzler ’95, Marsy Mittlemann, Joelle Murchison ’95, Irene Sudac ’81, Donna Weiss ’89, Donna Williamson ’74, and Mary Vascellaro ’74.
In the first interview, Vascellaro shares her memories of the founding of the WLC under the leadership of President Ruth J. Simmons. Several members across the three interviews highlight alumnae’s demands to have a more active role in the University. Other participants discuss building programs for alumnae across the country and diversifying the Council’s membership. All of the participants emphasize the significance and impact of the mentorship program with undergraduates. In recalling their first meetings on the Council, many participants share the insecurities they had when they first joined, and they discuss the deep connections that grew among members over time. They also lauded the amount of latitude they had to decide what they felt was important work for the University. The 120th and 125th anniversaries of women at Brown are two main events that come up as inspiring and fulfilling events that successfully bonded alumnae and brought many back to campus for the first time since graduation.
In thinking of more difficult memories of their time on the Council, some members discuss a lack of support for transitioning out of co-chair positions, others feel their work and the work of the Council overall was not recognized by the University. Many of the interviewees disagreed with how and why the Council was ended and expressed concern with future models.
At the end of the first interview, the participants emphasized how wonderful so many staff members were in filling critical roles of supporting the Council in their work and at events. They also express how proud they are of the work the council was able to achieve on behalf of the University.
In looking at their time on the WLC more critically, some members share that the mentorship program could have been stronger, others discuss a lack of diversity among members and the time and financial expectations that could have been limiting factors. Some members also mention feeling disconnected from the President’s office toward the end of the WLC’s existence.
In closing the second interview, interviewees discuss the power of the 120th and 125th anniversaries of women at Brown and related events. They emphasize that the mentorship program was vital for undergraduates, but also existed among WLC members who shared personal and professional advice. Overall, they explain that the Council meetings were full of vigor that inspired deep connections to the University and the work the members were doing on behalf of it.
In the final interview between Whelan and Shelly Fidler, Fidler begins by explaining her lifelong connection to the University. She discusses the climate of the campus when she was a student in the ‘60s and the open curriculum that allowed her to explore her interests and abilities. She goes on to explain how she entered a career in politics focusing on energy and environment issues. The sister-in-law of Genine Fidler, a founding member of the WLC, Shelly shares her memories of the Council’s early days and conversations she had with Genine. Like the other interviewees, Fidler talks about feeling uncertain when she was asked to join the council. She also reiterates how crucial it was for the WLC to have so much leeway in deciding what to focus on, how important it was to have regional events to build and maintain connections to other alumnae, and how meaningful the mentorship program was to her and her 12 mentees. She notes that the start of term limits and greater restrictions on the supporting staff members contributed to a decline of the dynamic work the Council was once able to do. In closing, Fidler shares more ideas about work the WLC and the University could do, and insists that the WLC must return.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Recorded on April 2025 via Zoom
Interviewed by Caitie Whelan
Suggested Chicago style citation: Women’s Leadership Council. Interview. By Caitie Whelan. Pembroke Center Oral History Project, Brown University. April 2025.
Organizational History
The Women’s Leadership Council (WLC) was a Presidential Leadership Council established in 2004 to advocate for the inclusion of women in the University’s leadership structures and to inspire and engage women as active participants in the University’s life. The Council’s innovation, insight, and philanthropy led to the development of successful engagement programs and initiatives that have helped shape Brown’s student and alumnae experience.
The legacy of the Women’s Leadership Council includes:
Ensuring the inclusion of women’s voices and perspectives in University-level discussions on all Presidential councils as well as the Brown Corporation. As of 2024, 54% of the members on the Presidential Advisory and Leadership Councils identify as female, while 49% of the corporation members identify as female.
Helped the university build a first-in-class mentorship program through the creation of the Women’s Launch Pad, which has engaged and impacted over 5,500 students and alumnae since its inception.
The WLC had a significant impact on expanding alumnae philanthropic engagement. A notable example of this effort was the 2023 Women’s Leadership Council Challenge, which, through the Brown Women’s Network, successfully raised $533,379 from 997 donors to support the Pathways to Diversity and Inclusion Fund.
Champion major anniversary celebrations marking 120, 125, and 130 years of women at Brown, engaging thousands of alumnae and community members in honoring the enduring legacy and remarkable achievements of Brown women.
In 2019, the WLC partnered with the Brown Alumni Relations department to establish and manage the Brown Women’s Network, which focused on creating a strong community through programming and initiatives that regularly engaged and supported the 48,000+ alumnae, students, and community members on their life journeys.
In 2024, University leadership recognized that the Brown Women’s Network had evolved into a thriving alumnae community, and the next step in the community’s evolution was to transition the BWN into an official University affinity group with a focus on fostering professional, intellectual, and community connections based on a shared Brown experience. With this transition, there was a recognition that the Women’s Leadership Council had accomplished the goals it set out to achieve as a Presidential Advisory Council.