Gloria Feldt

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Gloria Feldt. Photo by Maryanne Russell Photography

Gloria Feldt is an author, keynote speaker, and leading expert in women’s rights, women’s health, politics, and organizational leadership. Her newest book, written in collaboration with the actress Kathleen Turner, is tentatively called Take the Lead, Lady! and will be published by Springboard Press in 2008. Gloria is the author of two previous books: the critically acclaimed The War on Choice: The Right-Wing Attack on Women's Rights and How to Fight Back (Bantam, 2004) and Behind Every Choice Is a Story (University of North Texas Press, 2003), which was recommended for secondary school libraries by the American Library Association's Amelia Bloomer Project. She has contributed chapters to several other recent books, including Our Bodies, Ourselves Menopause; Becoming Myself: Reflections on Growing up Female; and Abortion under Attack: Women on the Challenges Facing Choice. Her commentary is frequently published by major print and on-line outlets, seen on television and heard on radio.

Feldt’s expertise as an independent voice for women comes from her 30-year career in the leadership of the women’s reproductive rights movement. She served as the national president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) from 1996-2005, and led its affiliates in West Texas and Central and Northern Arizona during the 22 years before that.

1 Early Life and Career
2 Present
3 Honors
4 Recent Works
5 External Links

[edit] Early Life and Career

Born in Temple, Texas, April 13, 1942, Feldt moved with her family to Stamford, Texas in 1954. As a young wife and mother, Gloria raised three children while attending college in Odessa, Texas. She taught in the Head Start program and was active in the civil rights movement and many interfaith activities. She determined that women's civil rights and social justice depend on the human right to make one’s own sexual and reproductive decisions., [1]

Her leadership helped bring over a million people to Washington D. C. in 2004 to March for Women's Lives. Internationally, she launched PP Global Partners, and served on the U.S. delegation to the U.N.'s Cairo plus Five meeting in The Hague.

Feldt also served as president of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, PPFA's political arm, which became the largest nonpartisan, pro-choice action fund and political action committee. In 2004, it made its first presidential endorsement.

[edit] Present

Today, Feldt continues to write, speak and remain active at the forefront of politics and women’s rights. She serves on the board of the Women’s Media Center and is a member of the Independent Women’s Forum and Women in Communications International. She and her husband, Alex Barbanell, have a combined family of six children, nine grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. They live in New York and Arizona.[2]

[edit] Honors

Women’s E-News 21 Leaders for the 21st Century (May, 2007)
Planned Parenthood Federation of America Margaret Sanger Award (2005)
Women Lawyers Assoc. of Los Angeles Courage Award (2005)
Planned Parenthood Golden Gate Sarah Weddington Award (2005)
ACLU-Arizona Civil Libertarian of the Year (2005)
Glamour Magazine Woman of the Year (2003)
American Humanist Society Award
Vanity Fair Magazine Top 200 Women leaders, Legends, and Trailblazers (1998)
Texas Monthly Magazine Texas Twenty (1996)
City of Phoenix Martin Luther King Living the Dream Award (1996)
National Executive Directors Council Ruth Green Award (1990)
Woman of Achievement Award (Jr.League, Soroptimist, Mujer) (1987)

[edit] Recent Works

[edit] Books

The War on Choice: The Right-Wing Attack on Women's Rights and How to Fight Back (Bantam, 2004),
Behind Every Choice Is a Story (University of North Texas Press, 2003),
Take the Lead, Lady! (Springboard Press, late 2007) in collaboration with Kathleen Turner

[edit] Contributions

Our Bodies, Ourselves Menopause,
Becoming Myself: Reflections on Growing up Female,
Abortion under Attack: Women on the Challenges Facing Choice

[edit] Commentary

Women’s E-News,
Women’s Media Center,
The New York Times,
USA Today,
the Wall Street Journal,
The Washington Post,
TomPaine.org,
Common Dreams,
Alternet,
Salon,
www.ilfpost,
www.rhrealitycheck.org,
Maxim’s News

[edit] Representative Speaking Engagements

Aspen Institute,
National Asian Women's Health Organization,
92nd Street Y,
National Press Club,
Hadassah's National Convention,
Democratic National Convention,
University Schools of Public Health, Women’s Studies, and Business and nonprofit management programs, Law schools