WIT proudly introduces its second initiative—Women Impact Now! (WIN!)—a bold and visionary effort that is driving the future of women’s athletics at Tufts.
Our Mission
Women Impact Tufts (WIT) is a network of Tufts alumnae, parents, and friends coming together to lead, give, and inspire others to engage fully to make a significant impact on Tufts’ highest priorities.
WIT offers us all the opportunity to claim our seats, contribute our voices, and connect with a powerful community of Tufts women who get it. With WIT, we collaborate with one another and the university’s students, faculty, and leaders to address important issues and make an impact through our giving and engagement. Our contributions to Tufts are both meaningful and mighty, always in service of our collective mission to make the world a better, brighter place.
Our First Initiative: Significantly increase support for financial aid across schools
WIT began in 2022 with a goal to pave the way for more people to participate in the full Tufts experience by investing in scholarships across the university and graduate and postdoctoral fellowships at our graduate schools.
In June 2023, WIT exceeded its goals to engage 130 women and raise $15 million for scholarships and fellowships. More than 180 women made contributions totaling over $27 million. We are deeply grateful to our founding donors!
Meet the Co-Chairs
Lisbeth Tarlow, F84, FG97
Lis is a member of the Tufts University Board of Trustees, serves on the Board of Advisors of the Tisch College of Civic Life, and is former Chair of the Board of Advisors of the Fletcher School. Lis was formerly the associate director of the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University and currently serves on the boards of a number of non-profit organizations in higher education and the arts. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Slavic languages and literatures from Smith College, a master’s degree in regional studies of the Soviet Union from Harvard University, and a master of arts in law and diplomacy and a Ph.D. from the Fletcher School.
Why WIT? "The women of Tufts are outstanding. They're smart. They're strategic."
Kalahn Taylor-Clark, J99, MG01
Kalahn is a member of the Tufts University Board of Trustees and serves on the Board of Advisors for the Tisch College of Civic Life. Residing outside of Washington, D.C., Kalahn is Vice President and Head of Social Impact and Sustainability at Merck, where she leads ESG strategy, global impact investments, and mission-aligned initiatives. She provides oversight to the Merck Foundation, Merck for Mothers, the Mectizan Donation Program, employee giving, the U.S. Patient Assistance Program, and the Merck Impact Venture Fund. Kalahn holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Tufts, a master’s degree in public health from Tufts School of Medicine, and a Ph.D. in health policy from Harvard University.
Why WIT? "WIT represents power, leadership, and collaboration."
Mariann Youniss, J83
Mariann is a Vice Chair of the Tufts University Board of Trustees and serves on the Boards of Advisors for the School of Arts and Sciences and the Friedman School of Nutrition Science Policy. She has been actively involved in leadership roles for a number of Boston and Wellesley organizations over the years and is a longtime supporter of Tufts. Previously, Mariann worked for Rocket Software, a software company that her husband, Andy Youniss, co-founded. Mariann served in many roles at Rocket over her 25-plus years there. She received a bachelor’s degree in computational mathematics and economics from Tufts in 1983.
Why WIT? "At the end of the day, I think the greatest impact is that we will be able to say the women of Tufts did this. The women of Tufts made it possible for more students to attend Tufts.”
Featured News
Group Rallies for Women's Athletics
First-ever campaign aims to create an endowment of at least $3 million for long-term, foundational support to benefit women’s varsity teams, club sports, and intramurals and close a historical gap between philanthropy for men and women student-athletes.
New Women's Giving Campaign Supports Students
For years, Tufts University Trustee Kalahn Taylor-Clark, J99, MG01, wanted to give back to Tufts in a “really meaningful way,” but that didn’t seem possible while she was an early and mid-career health policy professional with a young family and limited resources.
Champions Scholars
Four alumnae who forged deep friendships as undergraduates have joined together to endow a scholarship that will enable future generations to pursue their passions and dreams at Tufts.
Elevating women’s philanthropy and Tufts dental students
Janis Moriarty, D94, has recruited more than 25 alumnae to support a new scholarship for Tufts dental students, created through a university-wide effort led by Women Impact Tufts (or WIT), a group that aims to inspire women’s philanthropy across Tufts and create fresh opportunities for collective giving.
