Franci Neely is an accomplished corporate attorney and philanthropist.
She was a pioneer in the field of women’s rights and was a founding member of the Women’s Legal Defense Fund, launched by her lifelong friend, Gloria Steinem.
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Neely has been described as a “force for change” and “one of the greatest women’s rights leaders of our time.”
She has been called “the mother of all pro bono lawyers” because she is credited with creating an effective legal work model that benefits society and the individual.
Neely has served on numerous boards and organizations, including the National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA) Board of Directors from 2001 to 2009.
In addition to her work on behalf of women’s rights, Neely has championed children’s issues and is actively involved in many organizations working to support children in need.
She serves on the board of directors for Children International (CI), as well as serving on its board from 1990 to 2004 and since 2011.
In 2010, Neely received CI’s Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding contributions to children’s causes.
Neely is a founding member of The Children’s Trust, established in 2002 to raise money for children’s causes and to provide assistance to children in need.
Franci Neely is working on two projects right now for the Foundation. One is the Franci Neely Scholars Program, a scholarship program for needy children.
It has existed since 2000, and we have been awarded 16 scholarships this year.
We also recently launched a new project called the Franci Neely Foundation:
Inspire Future Leaders Program. We are working on launching this program next year.
This program will be an innovative way to educate young people about social justice issues and help them develop their leadership skills.
Neely has been honored with several awards throughout her career. In 1980, she was named one of the 100 most influential women in America by “Harper’s Bazaar.”
To be successful in any field, Neely says, one must be “very tenacious.”
Connect to Franci on Linkedin.com
Learn more about Neely: https://www.francineely.com/