Anita Elberse Aims to Open Harvard’s Doors to New Voices

Who are three women that inspire you?

Lindsey Vonn, Mikaela Shiffrin, and Lauren Holiday. All three are the best at what they do, enormously courageous, total rock stars, and wonderful people.

Who is a woman who has inspired or mentored you, and what lessons from her influence have stayed with you?

Again, there are many women I could point to, but I’ll go for another recent example: I have been really inspired by the filmmaker Ava DuVernay. I was able to interview her and others at her company Array for a case study on how she brought her film Origin to life, and I found her willingness to explore unconventional approaches (for instance in financing her film) and her efforts to push for systemic change in Hollywood very impressive and inspiring. She carves out paths that create real opportunities for others and in doing so helps level the playing field for all those who otherwise would face significant barriers to entry.

What is the legacy you hope to leave behind as a changemaker and leader in your industry?

One of my aims is to make what we do at Harvard more accessible for people who are not traditionally our audiences. I’ve created programs for professional athletes, for instance, have had quite a few actors, musicians, and other entertainers in my classes over the years, and long led our program for college students from minority backgrounds. As much as it might be a contradiction to have one of the world’s most elite universities be so accessible, I hope to play a small part in opening our doors to those who are often locked out so they can share in the opportunities that come along with being a part of the Harvard community.