Home: Westchester County, NY. Age: Nearly 60. Birthplace: Cleveland, OH. Organization: Cimplifi. Title: General Counsel. Significant other: My husband, James. I knew he should have married me in 1981, but it took him until 2016. Alma mater: Duke University; Boston University School of Law.
Recent recognition: Fastcase 50 award winner, honoring the law’s smartest, most courageous innovators. Recent professional development: Acceptance to Chief, a private network for the most powerful women in leadership. Hobbies: Yoga, gardening, travel; friendships; single malt Scotch, good food. Recent travel or adventure: The National Parks – Grand Canyon, Bryce, and Zion. Last book read: The Cellist, by Daniel Silva.
Personality profile: Persistent, empathetic, clear-eyed. No-nonsense, cheeky. What one word would your closest friend use to describe you? Brave. What is your greatest joy? My two children. Every decade has been a wonder. What is your guilty pleasure? Grey’s Anatomy. I’ve seen every single episode. What is at the top of your bucket list? The Great Pyramids. What is your go-to workout? I love my Peleton.
What’s prominently featured on your home or office wall? A framed bumper sticker “My Lawyer Can Beat Your Lawyer” given to my father by a client. What’s the best advice you received growing up? Always stick up for yourself. You can do anything you put your mind to. What’s the best advice you received in your career? Try to get to “yes”. What company or organization do you most admire? The ACLU. What world event has had the greatest influence on your life? The Holocaust. A reminder of the degree to which hate can be unleashed with complacency. What personal circumstance has had the greatest influence on your life? I am under 5 feet tall, or as my fourth-grade teacher remarked: tiny, but mighty.
What change are you working on to effect in your profession or field?
The efficient integration of legal technology across enterprises.
What change would you like to see in the world? Less hate, more love. What message do you want to send out into the world? Equality should not be threatening. What widely held belief do you reject? It is what it is. What mega-trend most excites you? 60 is the new 40!
What title would you choose for the movie about your life? Victim of Her Own Conscience. What actor would you choose to play you in the movie about your life? Holly Hunter. After your loved ones, what object would you first save from your burning home? My engagement ring, personally designed for me by my husband. How would you choose to spend tomorrow, if you knew it was your last day on earth? Dinner with my family, to include Grey Goose martinis (dirty) and steak frites with Bearnaise sauce. What advice would you give your younger self? Be patient.
Personal motto: Life is an “And”. Favorite quote: “Life is a banquet and most poor bastards are starving to death” (Auntie Mame). Desired epitaph: She was the calm and the storm.
