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In His Own Words
By: Mark Wasserman, Managing Partner, Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP; Co-Chief Executive Officer, Eversheds Sutherland Limited
To close out this year’s Women’s History Month, AWF Board Member Mark Wasserman shares why he is proud to serve on The Atlanta Women’s Foundation Board of Directors and to be a champion for women and girls in our community. The issues women and girls in our community, and across the globe, face are complex and interconnected. In order to break down barriers and implement successful solutions, it will take both women AND men working together to help women and girls to live safe, economically self-sufficient, successful lives.
I wanted to share a few thoughts on why I am excited to be assisting the vital work of The Atlanta Women’s Foundation as a member of the Board of Directors.
Society around the world and here in Atlanta is changing rapidly, mostly for the better. Life expectancies are longer, information flows are faster and broader, technology is generally improving our lives and overall poverty has declined. When much of our daily news is negative we can lose sight of the positive advances we have experienced over the last few decades. But these positive developments in society have not been evenly experienced by everyone. Poverty among women and girls around the world and here in Atlanta is at an unacceptably high level. Women in the South have higher rates of serious health issues, both physical and mental, than in other areas of the country. And women are underrepresented in leadership roles both in government and in the business world. I am certain that lives will be better for everyone in the Atlanta metro area if we can improve the situation for women and girls in our region.
The Atlanta Women’s Foundation is the only foundation focused solely on these issues. By supporting organizations which are focused on economic empowerment of women by providing job training and support, childcare, healthcare, transportation and job creation for women, The Atlanta Women’s Foundation is directly affecting outcomes for large numbers of women throughout the community. AWF is also directly addressing leadership issues for women by providing training through Women on Board and Inspire Atlanta to ensure that more women are prepared for leadership roles in government and business. AWF also advocates for all of these causes and does an amazing job of publicizing issues and possible solutions.
My role is small, but I could not be more excited to be helping with the amazing work of the dedicated professionals and volunteers of The Atlanta Women’s Foundation.
Mark Wasserman has been the Managing Partner of Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP for 12 years and is the Co-Chief Executive Officer of Eversheds Sutherland Limited. He leads the firm’s lawyers and staff in collaborating to provide high quality, efficient and creative service to the firm’s clients. He serves as Chair of Emory University’s Law School Advisory Board, and is also a member of Emory’s Transactional Law Advisory Board. Mark participated in the Stanford University Women in Law Hackathon, is a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, and is a member of the Board of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. He is also a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. In 2017, Mark was selected as one of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Most Admired CEOs. Mark received his J.D. from Emory University School of Law and his M.A. and B.S., summa cum laude and with highest honors, from Clemson University.