Female Faces of Philanthropy: Dr. Anna Jolivet

Dr. Anna Jolivet has been a supporter of the Women's Foundation since its inception. "I was part of a group that saw a need to have a specific focus on women and girls," she recalls. "The Foundation's focus on improving the lives of women and girls through diverse programs is something I believe in."

As an African-American woman, Anna knows something about overcoming political, social and gender barriers. During her early career in the Tucson Unified School District, she could only teach at Dunbar School -- the district school reserved for African-American students and teachers. By the time she retired in 1990, she was the assistant superintendent for all high schools in the district.

While working full-time, Anna managed to earn her M.Ed. and Ed.D. at the University of Arizona, raise two children of her own, and volunteer for a plethora of civic, social and professional organizations. She has chaired boards for organizations as diverse as the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, Camp Fire of Tucson, Tucson Urban League, Pima Council on Aging, the Downtown Development Corporation, the American-Israel Friendship League and the Tucson Partnership, and has been the recipient of numerous awards for her service.

In addition to giving of her time, Anna believes it is important to make a personal financial commitment to the causes she supports, and to encourage others to give philanthropically as well. "You don't have to have a lot of money to be a philanthropist," she observes. "If you give what you're able, to causes you believe in, you're a philanthropist."