She Traded in Law for Family 

Amy went to Yale University and the University of Michigan Law School and always assumed she’d be a judge or partner in a law firm. “When my husband, Pete, and I first moved to Baltimore, I took the Maryland Bar. I had an infant at the time and was living in a brand new city. Then, 16 months later, I had my daughter and went back work part-time. I stopped working 18 months after I had my third child. I realized it worked better for my family if I was more flexible and available. And, I haven’t looked back.”   

She’d Love to Meet Dr. Leana Wen

“Dr. Wen (emergency physician and former Baltimore City Health Commissioner) has an amazing background and knowledge of healthcare inequities, and I’d love to talk to her about her thoughts on how we might solve these issues. In addition, when I was raising young children, I struggled with the balance between family and work life. I am always amazed at women who are able to do both.” 

The Death of Freddie Grey Motivated Her to Join JWGF 

A long-time volunteer, Amy had heard about JWGF for years, but never found the right time to get involved.  Freddie Grey’s death was the catalyst. “I always knew there were problems in Baltimore City, but never realized to what extent. Freddie Grey opened my eyes. I realized then that JWGF gave me the opportunity to combine my volunteer work in the Jewish community with trying to make a difference in Baltimore City.” 

The Big Three: Equity, Mental Health and Sex Trafficking 

“There are several areas I hope we can address. First of all, for many women and girls, their inability to access good education and health care make it difficult to succeed.  I also would say there is a critical need to address mental health services. The number of teen girls in Baltimore who attempt suicide is growing and it isn’t all about poverty. It’s happening at all socioeconomic levels, but it is made worse if you don’t have enough to eat. 

In addition, sex trafficking is a big problem in Baltimore, in huge part, because we are located right off I95.” 

As JWGF Chair She Hopes to Give More Women a Seat at the Table 

For Amy, that means making sure everyone feels welcome from younger women to professionals to retired women – even snowbirds. The pandemic made it clear that virtual meetings are a good tool for making JWGF more accessible.  

“In addition, I want to expand the table in terms of diversifying the organizations that we give grants to. I have found that there are many smaller organizations which may not have professional grant writers. Just because a grant isn’t polished, doesn’t mean the program can’t be fantastic.” 

Her Daughter Taught Her an Important Life Lesson 

“When I first started working, my generation expected there would be sexism in the workplace. If it wasn’t blatant, we were told to ignore it and move forward. 

A generation later, my daughter in grad school was studying in a male-dominated field and felt she wasn’t treated right. She went to the professor and spoke up and told him it wasn’t acceptable. My daughter taught me that as women, we need to speak up when there is a problem, and we have a right not to put up with it.” 

Being a Grandmother is One of Her Favorite Roles (and the perfect cure for sleeping through the night) 

“May I just say (after two days babysitting her grandson Reuben) watching a one-year-old puppy (mine) and a two-year-old active boy is exhausting, but so much fun. By far the best part is being able to enjoy his energy and laughter and know that at the end of the day I will be able to sleep through the night! Also, of course, realizing how our family is growing, and the next generation has begun.” 

Her Grandfather was a Pittsburgh Steelers Announcer 

A huge football fan, growing up in Pittsburgh, football season meant rooting for the Steelers. To top it off, her father’s father was the announcer for the team for years. Yet, when the Ravens came to town Amy made a decision that it would be better if everyone in her family rooted for the same team. Since then, she’s become a huge Ravens fan and even has season tickets. During Steeler and Ravens games, she and her brothers (still Steelers fans), enjoy a healthy rivalry, texting back and forth. “It’s always better when we win.” 

Meet other JWGF women, including Julie Newman and Jodi Moskowitz.