Dr. Anita Friedman

Dr. Anita Friedman has a distinguished record of public service, both as a professional and as a volunteer leader. Her roles in the Jewish and general communities extend from the Bay Area to the national and international arenas.

Professionally, Dr. Friedman heads Jewish Family and Children’s Services (JFCS) in the San Francisco Bay Area, one of the largest and oldest family service institutions in the United States. Dr. Friedman also serves as Board President of the Koret Foundation, one of the Bay Area’s most prominent philanthropies.

As a speaker, lecturer, and author, Dr. Friedman’s expertise includes social policy and programming for diverse populations—from children and youth to families and the aged; the provision of health and human services; and the development of innovative social enterprise business models.

Dr. Friedman is also an expert on Holocaust and genocide education. She is the editor of the English-language edition of Rywka’s Diary (HarperCollins), which has been published in more than a dozen languages and is the subject of a forthcoming film. Another major documentary produced by Dr. Friedman on Eastern European Jewish life is scheduled for completion and global distribution this year. She co-chairs the Governor’s Council for Holocaust and Genocide Education, which has been developed to elevate awareness of and to promote Holocaust and genocide education throughout the State of California.

Dr. Friedman has also served on various other local, state, national, and international commissions, including as Commissioner of the San Francisco Human Services Commission. She is the recipient of numerous awards for her public service leadership.