Honoring Women’s History Month & Jenny Pressman

In March 1978, the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women planned the first ever “Women’s History Week.” The week-long celebration in Santa Rosa, California was coordinated around International Women’s Day on March 8. The event sparked interest across the country, and other communities joined in the festivities the following year.

As the movement grew across the United States, Women’s History Week was recognized by President Jimmy Carter for the first time in 1980. Women’s History Week later expanded to Women’s History Month and became an official resolution in 1987.

Each March, the purpose of Women’s History Month is to honor women’s contributions in American History. Within the AFP Greater Madison Chapter, there are dozens of incredible women who are working to better the lives of those around them and contribute to positive changes in our world. 

One incredible example of this is Jenny Pressman, Director of Development and Community Partnerships for the UW Odyssey Project and AFP Greater Madison’s 2023 Outstanding Fundraising Professional.

The UW Odyssey Project is an access-to-education program for families facing economic or other adversities. In more than 20 years of service, the project has empowered more than 500 adults with low incomes to find their voices and get a jump start to earn college degrees they never thought possible. UW Odyssey Project has continued its mission thanks in part to the life-changing work and the leadership of Jenny Pressman.

“I was stunned, but honored, especially knowing that AFP Leadership nominated me for the Outstanding Fundraising Professional,” Jenny shared. “I appreciated the opportunity to share some of my story, as well as my parents’ story, with those at National Philanthropy Day and in subsequent news stories. I wholeheartedly believe in the ethos of love of humanity, which is at the core of philanthropy, and I was touched by how people responded to my remarks.”

A significant part of Jenny’s story is tied to being a woman in the nonprofit sector – she stated that it’s the core of her identity and impacts everything she does. Jenny came of age during the 1970s and 1980s, when the feminist movement was highlighting and addressing gender inequities in education, employment opportunities, politics, parenting, sports, and so many other parts of life. She first moved to Madison in the early 1980s for the new graduate program in Women’s History. While completing her JD from the University of Wisconsin Law School, she was also active in the Women’s Law Student Association and Women’s Law Journal.

Outside of school, Jenny spent time marching down State Street and around the Capitol, for peace, justice, and freedom. This passion for change has remained a constant in her life and she is committed to continuing the fight. “While there’s been improvement in some areas, we’ve recently taken big steps backwards in others, such as reproductive rights,” said Jenny. “There continues to be even bigger inequities for women of color, queer, and trans women. I am committed to making systemic change through both activism and fundraising.”

Decades after receiving her degree and putting the lessons learned from school into practice, there are many accomplishments Jenny is proud of, both professionally and personally.

On a professional level, Jenny is proud that she helps to ensure that the UW Odyssey Project can sustain its award-winning programs, thanks to generous donors such as Pleasant Rowland, Diane Ballweg, and Bob Auerbach. Currently, the organization is leading a $100,000 matching gift campaign, thanks to Bob Auerbach. Additionally, Jenny noted that UW Odyssey Project is expanding to serve more students, including people who are incarcerated, veterans, and older adults.

On a personal level, Jenny is proud of the time she spends fighting for gender, racial, and economic justice. A highlight for her is the community building that has taken place to address injustices, including helping form a coalition of Muslim, Jewish, and Latina women to oppose the Muslim Travel Ban in 2017. This group still meets to address issues such as the heartbreaking devastation in Gaza, and to support each other personally.

While the work to create systemic change can be challenging, Jenny is able to remain motivated thanks to the students she connects with each week. Jenny said it best, “the way Odyssey students show up each week, eager and ready to dive into class despite the many challenges they face, motivates me to help them achieve their education dreams. In general, young people, especially LGBTQ+ and BIPOC activists, inspire me daily. They’re working to make systemic change and creating new paradigms for what’s possible for the liberation of all people. What could be more motivating than that?”

Happy Women’s History Month to Jenny, and all of the women within the AFP Greater Madison Chapter!