The mission of the Woman’s Club of Washington University is to provide opportunities for friendship, learning and service to its members and to the broader Washington University community.

Membership is open to all who are interested in joining the Woman’s Club and supporting our mission.

History

Organized in 1910 by a group of faculty wives from the Medical School and the Danforth Campus, the purpose of the Woman’s club was to stimulate friendship among the wives of leaders at the different schools. We offer a welcoming environment and encourage friendship and inclusiveness by creating opportunities for education, growth and stimulation for our members. We also promote service to the larger Washington University community.

Detailed History of the Club

Member Newsletters

Governance

The actions of the Woman’s Club are led by several committees of dedicated women.

Executive Committee
  • SARAH FOWLER-DIXON President
  • MARGARET ISRAEL  Vice-President
  • JANE SCHAEFER Director, Membership
  • IRIS MALONE Director, Educational Programming
  • PHYLLIS MARKUS Director of Finance
  • CHARLENE KASS Director Service to the University
  • HELEN WALL Director of Communications
  • ELENA MAKSAEVA Director, Symposium Luncheons
  • ANNALIESA HANEBRINK Secretary
  • LISA SCHMIDT Treasurer
  • CARMEN DENCE Immediate Past President
  • ELIZABETH OJO Coordinator
2024-25 Board Meeting Schedule
Operations

Membership

  • Director of Membership – Jane Schaefer
  • Membership Chair – TBD
  • Courtesy Notes – Judith Joerding
  • Tributes – Margaret Israel

Educational Programming

  • Director of Educational Programming – Iris Malone
  • Arts & Entertainment – Faith Berger
  • Fall Welcome Reception and Butterfly Garden Party – Elena Maksaeva, Lee Anne Quatrano
  • Galleries and Sights – Assimo Azariadis
  • Enjoying Nature – Linda Smith, Jennifer Luner, Jane Schaefer, Elena Maksaeva
  • Interest Sections – Various

Service to the University

  • Director of Service to the University – Charlene Kass
  • Lecture Endowment Chairs – Barbara Feiner, Margaret Israel, Judy Joerding, Jane Schaefer
  • Elizabeth Danforth Butterfly Garden – Elena Maksaeva, Lee Anne Quatrano
  • International Women – Gloria Lubowitz
  • Risa Zwerling Wrighton University College Scholarship Committee – Linda Smith, Jennifer Luner, Karen Johnson Fields, Judy Joerding
  • Scholarship Game Day – Jennifer Luner
  • Mini-Grants – Linda Smith, Sarah Fowler-Dixon, Barb Feiner, Carmen Dence, Jane Schaefer, Judy Joerding, Charlene Kass, Margaret Israel

Communications

  • Director of Communications – Helen Wall
  • Archivist – Gloria Lubowitz
  • Newsletter, Website & Club Updates – Helen Wall
  • Newsletter Chair – TBD

Symposium Luncheons

  • Fall Symposium Luncheon – Elena Maksaeva, Suzanne Greenwald
  • Risa Zwerling Wrighton Scholarship Luncheon – Cynthia Kahn, Ann Rothery
  • Spring Symposium Luncheon – Barbara Bindler, Jennifer Luner

Other Committees

  • Bylaws Committee, ad hoc – Barbara Feiner
  • Nominating Committee – Judy Joerding, Chair
Past Presidents

2021-23 Carmen S. Dence
2018-21 Judith H. Joerding
2016-18 Karen Johnson Fields
2014-16   Jennifer Luner
2013-14   Jane Schaefer
2011-13   Gloria Lubowitz
2010-11   Susan Colangelo
2009-10   Margaret Israel
Spring 2009 Lorraine Gnecco
Fall 2008 Assimo Azariadas
2007-08   Ingrid Neuefeind
2006-07   Mrs. Pat Sarantites
2005-06   Mrs. Judith McKelvey
2004-05   Mrs. Luisette Behmer
2003-04   Mrs. Jen Jensen
2002-03   Mrs. Louise Spielman
2001-02   Mrs. Nancy Scussel
2000-01   Mrs. Pat Owens
1999-00   Mrs. Pat Sarantites
1998-99   Mrs. Nancy Thompson
1997-98   Mrs. Sylvia Silver
1996-97   Mrs. Lorraine Gnecco
1995-96   Mrs. Gini Lappas
1994-95   Mrs. Jan Kardos
1993-94   Mrs. Ingrid Neuefeind
1992-93   Mrs. A. M. Engebretson
1991-92   Mrs. Renata Rotkowicz
1990-91   Mrs. Barna Szabo
1989-90   Mrs. Daniel L. Rode
1988-89   Mrs. Rodolphe L. Motard
1987-88   Mrs. Clemens Nicholas
1986-87   Mrs. Graydon Ballard
1985-86   Mrs. Donald Eldredge
1984-85   Mrs. Ronald A. Feldman
1983-84   Mrs. Joseph M. Klamon
1982-83   Mrs. Joseph Backers
1981-82   Mrs. Sol Garfield
1980-81   Mrs. William S. Brandhorst
1979-80   Mrs. James W. Davis
1978-79   Mrs. Steven Schwarzschild
1977-78   Mrs. C. Ronald Stephen
1976-77   Mrs. Neil N. Bernstein
1975-76   Mrs. Karl A. Hill
1974-75   Mrs. Bryce Hudgins
1973-74   Mrs. Richard Koopman
1972-73   Mrs. Albert C. Stutsman
1971-72   Mrs. Owen J. Sexton
1970-71   Mrs. John P. Welty

1969-70   Mrs. Martin L. Bell
1968-69   Mrs. H. Hadley Grimm
1967-68   Mrs. Harold L. Rosenthal
1966-67   Mrs. S. Richard Silverman
1965-66   Mrs. Franklin Shull
1964-65   Mrs. Pierre M. Honnell
1963-64   Mrs. Carl E. Harford
1962-63   Mrs. Wayne T. Townsend
1961-62   Mrs. Roland W. Bockhorst
1960-61   Mrs. Everett H. Hopkins
1959-60   Mrs. Gerald L. Clem
1958-59   Mrs. David M. Skilling, Jr.
1957-58   Mrs. Stuart Queen
1956-57   Mrs. Wendell Carnahan
1955-56   Mrs. C. Carter Lewis
1954-55   Mrs. Leroy R. Boling
1953-54   Mrs. William W. Burke
1952-53   Mrs. Arthur S. Gilson, Jr.
1951-52   Mrs. Kenneth E. Hudson
1950-51   Mrs. Lawrence E. Stout
1949-50   Mrs. Carl V. Moore
1948-49   Mrs. Stephen C. Gribble
1947-48   Mrs. Willis H. Reals
1946-47   Mrs. Wm. Glasgow Bowling
1945-46   Mrs. John P. Nafe
1944-45   Mrs. H. Rommel Hildreth
1943-44   Mrs. William H. Stead
1942-43   Mrs. Alexander Langsdorf
1941-42   Mrs. Alexis F. Hartmann
1940-41   Mrs. George W. Stephens
1939-40   Mrs. George W. Lamke
1938-39   Mrs. Ernest O. Sweetser
1937-38   Mrs. Leo Loeb
1936-37   Mrs. Ernest L. Ohle
1935-36   Mrs. Ernest B. Conant
1934-35   Mrs. Roland G. Usher
1933-34   Mrs. Sherwood Moore