ELAINE WOLFENSOHN

About to head to Jackson, where for so many years Elaine welcomed my family every summer to her home. We always had a fabulous dinner -- and extraordinary conversations -- with her, Jim, assorted children and guests. I am also reminded today of Elaine's enormous generosity -- especially with my mother, Hannah Pakula, in the wake of my stepfather Alan's sudden death. She and Jim helped Hannah through very difficult times. Elaine always took a genuine interest in our children, Sam and...

Elaine Wolfensohn

Elaine Wolfensohn was the Honorary President of the World Bank Family Network (WBFN), previously known as the World Bank Volunteer Services (WBVS), during James Wolfensohn’s tenure as the World Bank Group’s President from June 1995 to June 2005.

Elaine took her role as Honorary President very seriously. She became a firm believer in WBFN’s advocacy work on behalf of spouses and families of World Bank staff. She immersed herself in her new role, and...

For the ten years that Jim Wolfensohn served as World Bank president, Elaine Wolfensohn became, beautifully, a sort of “first lady of the world.” She travelled absolutely everywhere with her husband – visiting close to 100 countries in ten years—and left admirers at every stop. While Jim was in formal meetings, Elaine would always set out with no fanfare to see the market, primary schools and health clinics, seeking to talk to as many women as she could, and to understand their lives, needs...