Oral history interview with Eleanor Lerman, 2012.

Biographical Note

Director of Public Affairs and Publications, Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Scope and Contents

Childhood in Bronx and Rockaway, New York: discussion of personal writing and goal to become a writer; first job at Carnegie Corporation of New York as editorial assistant; leaving Carnegie Corporation in 1985; return in 1999; carryover of technical skills from Carnegie Corporation to other organizations and companies; professional development; supportive environment at Carnegie Corporation; mentorship of Avery B. Russell; importance of precision in writing; work at American Lung Association: early use of computers, discussion of change in technology; legacy of Andrew Carnegie; impact of McKinsey & Company report; work as ghostwriter for Vartan Gregorian; support for individual scholarship; impressions of dedication of staff; leadership of Susan R. King; national influence of Carnegie Corporation: integrity of organization, incubation of ideas; evaluation of success in philanthropy; role of public affairs department at Carnegie Corporation: range of publications, purposes and readership; trustee activities; influence of events on corporation work: September 11, 2001, Hurricane Katrina, 2008 recession; centennial celebration; institutional memory and identity; work with writers at Carnegie Corporation; importance of Carnegie Corporation to personal and professional life.

Subjects

• Authors--Interviews.
• Carnegie Corporation of New York.
• Charitable uses, trusts, and foundations--Political activity.
• Endowments.
• Ghostwriters.
• Gregorian, Vartan.
• Grele, Ronald J., interviewer.--http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators/ivr
• Interviews.
• Lerman, Eleanor, 1952---Interviews.
• Oral histories (literary works)
• Public relations.

Access Conditions

Copyright by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, 2013. The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York hold a non-exclusive license to enable library activities.