Welcome to the Forty Over 40 blog. Every week we spotlight one of our honorees and their thoughts on reinvention, mentorship and momentum…plus a peek into what makes them tick.
This week’s Q&A is with Ruth Ann Harnisch, President of The Harnisch Foundation; Co-founder of SupporTED and former Emmy-nominated “recovering journalist”. The Harnisch Foundation, which has been dedicated to creative, progressive philanthropy since 1998, recently relaunched to shift their focus on advancing women and girls. TheHF is celebrating International Women’s Day with a week-long campaign called #NotJustAStat . Read more here: http://thehf.org/
1) What was a pivotal momentum of reinvention for you?
I’ve had many pivotal moments. The most recent? We’ve reinvented the Harnisch Foundation, focusing on advancing women and girls. I became convinced that this is the most effective way to invest our philanthropic capital, working to create a world where all people are treated with dignity and everyone’s potential can be realized.
Other pivotal moments? Choosing to divorce when that felt like the ultimate failure…college dropout collecting a second honorary doctorate… taking a full year sabbatical to completely clear my professional palate. The pivotal moment that brought me to my career as a philanthropist was the closing of the Nashville Banner. I was stunned to find myself without a job for the first time in a quarter of a century. On the day I became unemployed, I kept my commitment to go to an at-home Small Dinner, one of the signature events of the International Women’s Forum’s first chapter, the Women’s Forum of New York.
When it was my turn to speak, I tried not to lose my composure as I told of my most unwelcome disemployment. One of the women I’d long looked up to, Ruth Cowan, then board chair of Pro Mujer, said matter-of-factly, “Of course you must now become a fulltime philanthropist.” And I heard myself saying, “Yes, of course I must now become a fulltime philanthropist,” as if it were the most logical thing in the world, which of course it was, and I did. That was 17 years ago. The pivotal moment not only changed the course of my life, it changed countless others because of the impact of the philanthropy that resulted.
2) Who has been a valuable mentor or sponsor?
I have so many to thank, starting with Buffalo NY Public School 72 Assistant Principal Dorothy Wolf who included me in the group of children who received the accent elimination coaching and declamation lessons that equipped me for my career in broadcasting. In my later years, the most important voice of wisdom has been my longtime coach Renee Freedman. For over eight years, our twice-weekly sessions equipped me for personal growth beyond what I could have imagined when we began. We ended the coaching relationship when we agreed to become partners in the founding and management of SupporTED, the coaching and mentoring program for TED Fellows.
3) What is your biggest goal right now?
To make the most of every moment of my aliveness – that will always be my biggest goal.
4) How did you get your first job?
I got my first job because I had connections. Under 40 readers may not recall a time when paper boys pulled wagons down residential streets to deliver the morning and afternoon newspapers. It was the first step to entrepreneurship and self-sufficiency for many a lad, but No Girls Allowed.
My Uncle Sibby, son of Sicilian immigrants and my mother’s scrappy younger brother, “knew a guy” at the Buffalo Courier Express. At age 16, I became the youngest of the crew of “girls” (adult women, most with grey hair) who did the accounting for the paper boys.
How did you jump to your second job? – I jumped on the NFT (Niagara Frontier Transit, aka the bus) and went to the Statler Hilton Hotel, where upon exiting the elevator on the top floor, I became Karin Kelly, Teen DJ on WYSL-FM, 103.3
5) What time do you typically wake up?
I do not have a typical wakeup time. Throughout my broadcast career I worked every shift on the clock, including one challenging schedule where I did the sign-off news on the CBS-TV affiliate in Nashville around 1am, napped fitfully on the cot in the ladies’ room until 4, then rose to write and anchor the sign-on news in the morning.
My first thought each time I awaken is, “Where am I?” because the answer could be different every time depending on my travel schedule.
6) How do you unplug?
I unplug by choosing to still my mind and remove myself from all distracting thoughts. How often? As often as necessary throughout the day and night.
6) What challenge / achievement are you most proud of?
Stepping up to a leadership role as head of the Harnisch Foundation. Right now, I’m proud to be an Executive Producer of The Hunting Ground, the documentary on campus sexual assault that’s in theaters now. (Please go and buy a ticket to show how important this issue is!) I’m proud that the HF is the presenting sponsor of BinderCon, bringing hundreds of women writers together to amplify women’s voices and perspectives.
7) What was the last business book you read?
It’s not the last one, but it’s the one I insist that my clients read – The Tools: Transform Your Problems Into Courage, Confidence, and Creativity by Phil Stutz and Barry Michels. These are the lessons in self-leadership that allow you to stop whining and start taking charge of your circumstances.
8) What cause do you most want to advance?
I am working to help create a world in which diversity is a source of societal strength, all people have control over their destinies, all are treated with dignity, and everyone’s contributions are valued.
9) What song can’t you get out of your head?
I would NEVER do that to you! However…everyone who has ever been to the closing campfire of Spark Camp knows what song is stuck in my head. I now deeply apologize to all Campers for this, ain’t nothin’ but a mistake.
10) What is the best piece of advice you ever received?
All you have is RIGHT NOW. Make the most of it.
11) What is your “keep me going” quote?
I WAS BORN FOR THIS MOMENT!
12) Who on the list of 2013 Honorees would you like to meet?
Everybody says “all” as do I. But if pressed for one I’ll say Sallie Krawcheck.
Check out Ruth Ann’s full 40 Over 40 profile here!