Heather Arnet

Heather Arnet is the Executive Director of the Women and Girls Foundation of Southwest Pennsylvania and a member of the school board of Pittsburgh Public Schools. ["Meet the Board." Pittsburgh Public Schools. 2008. 2 May 2008. [http://www.pps.k12.pa.us/14311059122535553/blank/browse.asp?a=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&c=55256&14311059122535553Nav=%7C&NodeID=1486] ] She is the Regional Vice President of the Pennsylvania Women’s Campaign Fund, a Board Member of Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania, and an Advisory Board Member of The Forbes Funds. She also serves on the Education Committee of Western PA Planned Parenthood and is an active member of NOW, The Women’s Funding Network, and Women in Philanthropy. [“WGF Staff.” The Women and Girls Foundation. 2008. 1 May 2008. [http://www.wgfpa.org/section_home/staff.htm] .] In addition to her activist and philanthropy work, Arnet writes and directs feminist theatre. Most recently, she has received a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts for her play "Yo’Mama!" [“WGF Staff.” The Women and Girls Foundation. 2008. 1 May 2008. [http://www.wgfpa.org/section_home/staff.htm] .]

In Arnet’s campaign for a place on the school board in 2007, she was endorsed by both the District 2 School Board Coalition [“Arnet Backed for City Schools.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 7 January 2007. 2 May 2008. [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07007/751939-53.stm] ] and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. [“ Heather Arnet in District 2: Leadership makes her ready for the school board.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 23 April 2007. 2 May 2008. [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07113/780194-192.stm] ] She will serve a four-year term on the board.

Arnet has spearheaded WGF’s efforts to pursue legislation at the city, county, and state levels to achieve the Foundation’s stated goal of fair representation for women on Pennsylvania’s appointed boards, authorities, and commissions. [“WGF Staff.” The Women and Girls Foundation. 2008. 1 May 2008. [http://www.wgfpa.org/section_home/staff.htm] .] In 2005, Arnet and WGF led the Allegheny County Girls as Grantmakers group of young women who launched a “Girlcott” of the clothing store Abercrombie and Fitch for selling T-shirts bearing sexist messages. The campaign was featured nationally on NBC’s "The Today Show" and the “Girlcott” reached success when the company pulled the shirts out of stores. [”The Girlcott Story.” The Women and Girls Foundation. 2008. 1 May 2008. [http://www.wgfpa.org/girl2girlgrants/section_girlsOurVoices/girlcott.htm] .]

Heather has her B.A. degree from Carnegie Mellon University in Literary and Cultural Studies and Drama.

Awards

* In 2003 Arnet was honored with an award in "Art and Activism" from the Thomas Merton Center for Social Justice.
* In 2004 Arnet was selected as one of Pittsburgh’s “Top 40 under 40” by Pittsburgh Magazine.
* In 2005 AAUW awarded Heather a “Friend of Equity Award” for her work in fighting for women’s rights.
* In 2008 Arnet was a recipient of the Pittsburgh Business Times Diamond Award for CEO leadership.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.wgfpa.org/section_home/index.htm The homepage of the Women and Girls Foundation]
* [http://www.yomamatheplay.com/ Site about Arnet’s play, “Yo’Mama!”]