Marie Wilson Biography

Marie Wilson is the founder and president of The White House Project, the co-creator of Take Our Daughters to Work Day, and the author of Closing the Leadership Gap: Why Women Can and Must Help Run the World. She has been a champion for women's issues for more than 30 years (Viking 2004). Wilson established The White House Project in 1998 in response to the need to create a truly representative democracy, one in which women and men co-lead in all areas of life. Wilson founded The White House Project while still serving as the president of the Ms. Foundation for Women, which she has led since 1984. On June 30th, 2004, she resigned as president of the Ms. Foundation in order to give her whole attention to The White House Project. For six years, she served as president of both organizations. The Ms. Foundation has established The Marie C. Wilson Leadership Fund in her honor, which will be overseen solely by her. The White House Project has been a major champion and voice for women's leadership since its beginnings. Innovative research and activities have been characteristics of the institution during her leadership. Breakthrough research on young women's political participation, an analysis of women's appearances as guests on influential Sunday political talk shows, the gathering of women CEOs and executives for two national leadership summits, an international women leaders conference, a partnership with The Girl Scouts to launch the Ms. President patch, and initiatives centered on influencing popular culture are just a few of the highlights of the last six years. Wilson announced the launch of Vote, Run, Lead in March 2004, in conjunction with her national book tour for Closing the Leadership Gap, which provides a path for resolving the challenges raised in her book. The White House Project used the effort to recruit and educate 1,000 women to run for political office, as well as more than 25,000 women to help get out the vote in the 2004 election. Wilson's achievements include being the first woman elected as a member-at-large to the Des Moines City Council in 1983, co-authoring the critically acclaimed Mother Daughter Revolution (1993, Bantam Books), and serving as an official government delegate to the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China in 1995. Wilson also presented President Barbie to the globe in the year 2000, in collaboration with Mattel. Wilson raised the Ms. Foundation for Women's budget from $400,000 to $8.6 million as president, established an endowment fund that is now worth $22 million, and produced creative and sustainable programs. Wilson has been featured in The New York Times Public Lives column, has appeared on The Today Show, CNN, NPR, and other national shows, and is frequently quoted for her knowledge. Wilson is a Georgia native with five children and four grandkids.

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