This Monday, we are featuring Junior League of Charlotte, Inc. (JLC) member Whitney Feld as part of our Member Monday series. Whitney is the Vice Chair of the Leadership Development and Support Committee and currently works for the Foundation for The Carolinas. Read more about the Cincinnati native below.
1) Thanks for taking time to share some personal insights with us today. Can you give us some background information about you?
I’m a Cincinnati native and a proud product of Wyoming Public Schools (Wyoming is a suburb of Cincinnati). I earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts from Miami University in 2005 with a concentration in photography and metalsmithing. After graduation, I moved to New York City where I taught special education as a New York Teaching Fellow and simultaneously earned my Masters of Science in Teaching from Pace University. I received my Juris Doctor degree from the Charleston School of Law, where I completed more than 500 hours of pro bono service. While interning at the Council for Children’s Rights I met and fell in love with my now husband, Mitchell Feld. I currently work at the Foundation For The Carolinas as Assistant Vice President of Development for the Robinson Center for Civic Leadership. Additionally, I’m enjoying being a new mom to my six-month old son, Cooper.
2) What is the best and worst decision you’ve ever made?
The best decision I’ve ever made was to marry my husband Mitchell! He’s my best friend, partner in crime, and an incredible father to Cooper. I’ve certainly made plenty of mistakes along the way. There is not one that stands out, but the older I get, the more I realize I make mistakes when I don’t trust my instincts or I act from a place of self-doubt.
3) What woman inspires you and why?
There are many women that inspire me. Certainly, my own mother has influenced me tremendously. She taught me how to balance having a significant career with being a wife and mother. She also throws a great party!
Locally, I’m incredibly inspired by photographer Sonia Handelman Meyer. During the 1940s, Meyer was a member of the Photo League, a group of artists who set up a school, darkroom, gallery, and salon in Manhattan to produce work that was both aesthetically beautiful and politically potent. Their work was powerful enough to prompt the U.S. government to enact child-labor laws. In 1947, the U.S. Attorney General blacklisted the Photo League as a “subversive” organization and it was shut down shortly thereafter. Meyer’s work was re-discovered by her son in the early 2000’s which led to a local show at Hodges Taylor called “Into the Light” and later an exhibit at the Mint Museum. Meyer now has images in the permanent collections of the Jewish Museum in New York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Bank of America.
4) From start to finish, what would your ideal day be like?
An ideal day would be spent with my extended family (on both mine and my husband’s side) eating great food, enjoying good wine, and experiencing natural beauty.
5) What keeps you up at night?
Our political climate and the state of public education! There is much work to be done internationally, nationally, and locally. However, the bright spot is seeing all the incredible organizations and individuals who work to make our community more vibrant and opportunity-rich. I feel very fortunate to work at Foundation For The Carolinas with people like Carol Morris and Brian Collier who are trying to solve some of these pressing community issues. It has been a pleasure to raise money and awareness through the Robinson Center for Civic Leadership. If you have interest getting involved I’m always thrilled to meet for lunch or coffee! Additionally, my husband and I are both supporters of the Council for Children’s Rights.
6) If you could tell your 23-year-old self one thing what would it be?
Trust yourself and have more confidence! I’m a pretty risk adverse person so I would also tell my 23-year-old self to be less afraid.
7) One thing people would be surprised to learn about you?
I learned how to speak Hebrew at 31. My mother-in-law, Barbara Feld, taught me and it was both challenging and incredibly rewarding. I try to speak from the Torah once a year.
8) How has the Junior League helped you develop your potential, taught you something unique, and/or given you an opportunity that you never would have had otherwise?
I’ve learned a lot through my involvement with the Junior League but I’m most grateful for the friendships I’ve made. I never would have met all the incredible women I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside through my Junior League experience.
Written by Marielle Harris
