Wendy Friedman
Six years ago, Wendy Friedman moved to Birmingham from the Chicago area and wasted no time getting involved in the community.
“I’m not one for sitting around – I’m a doer,” she commented.
Friedman grew up in Highland Park, Illinois, and moved to New York to prepare for a career in broadcast journalism. She earned a BFA in journalism from New York University and a master’s degree from New York Institute of Technology. Her interesting career journey has included broadcast journalism, education and college counseling.
While living in New York, she started a successful “referral only, word of mouth” practice that helps students navigate college admissions called CollegeBound.
“Over twenty years ago I became enmeshed in the college admittance process when my daughter was going through it. After it was over, I thought, ‘I could do this.’ My neighbor had a practice and encouraged me…Now I have clients across the country and even a few international clients. I stay in touch with all of them.”
Friedman’s daughter ended up attending University of Michigan and settled in the Detroit area which ultimately brought Friedman and her oldest daughter with special needs to Birmingham. Her son lives in the Chicago area.
“I’m a city girl. I love Birmingham because it’s so walkable. I’m drawn to the energy of a city. Even when I lived on Long Island, I had to go into New York City at least once a week.”
As part of her active “doer” lifestyle, she serves on the Baldwin Public Library Board of Directors and is passionate about the role public libraries play in society: “Libraries are the ultimate public institution people can trust, especially during today’s divisiveness. The library offers reliable, verifiable information and everyone is welcome.”
Over the years, Friedman has been involved in many charitable and nonprofit organizations in New York, Illinois and Michigan, including Chicago Scholars and International Rett Syndrome Foundation. Friedman has a personal connection to Rett Syndrome as she is the main caregiver for her oldest daughter who has the rare, genetic neurodevelopmental disorder.
She is a political activist as well. She is involved with the Democrat party in addition to the new Michigan chapter of J Street. She is also a co-architect of “AI and the Human Future: Guardrails, Governance, and Human Responsibility,” which is being held in Ann Arbor on October 8. The in-person public forum and livestream bring together nationally recognized AI policymakers and civic leaders to explore the opportunities, risks and governance of AI and the role informed citizens can play in shaping its future.
“Artificial Intelligence [AI] is a really serious problem and it’s not going away. I literally leapt out of bed and said, ‘I’m going to do something about this for my grandchildren and their future.' I worked with many experts to pull this forum together. This is an important conversation the public has never been invited to.”
She further explained, “I am not against AI – it will be beneficial in many ways but it’s moving too quickly, and data centers are shrouded in secrecy. Every state needs legislation with guardrails and policies to protect people and ensure AI serves humanity. We need to move forward safely.”
When she’s not working toward a better world and spending time with family, Friedman enjoys reading, audiobooks, long walks, bike rides and her latest passion – mahjong. She added, “I also love art, history, theater and entertaining in my home, especially meet and greets and fundraisers.”
Friedman emphasized the importance to her of giving back to the community, particularly in areas of education and information: “Education is the true equalizer in life.”
Story: Tracy Donohue
Photo: Laurie Tennent
