Profile: Elaine Spector
As a tomboy with a stern Greek father, Attorney Elaine Spector knew growing up that she would need to be tough if she wanted to make it in a male-dominated world. She was a bright girl with a voice to express herself and a love for math. She wished to follow in the footsteps of her father and become an engineer, but also had a knack for analysis and a love for the law. During her junior year of high school, she learned that she could merge these two passions into one career in patent law.
Now working for the firm Harrity & Harrity, Elaine spends her days negotiating patents for a diverse clientele. She is a whiz in her field and has been published in multiple prestigious journals for her work with intellectual property law. As No More Stolen Childhoods worked to rebrand itself and produce videos, manuals, and other products, the organization sought Elaine out for advice. In working with her, NMSC’s board members soon realized that Elaine was an asset even beyond her legal expertise.
Elaine really admires the justice lens through which NMSC functions, and how a sense of hope and healing is at the center of the conversation around childhood sexual abuse that the organization is trying to start. Partnered with this sense of justice is the instinct to protect, which Elaine attributes to the “Mama Bear” aspect that she and other female board members bring to the metaphorical table.
Like her father taught her, there is a certain element of toughness that comes with protecting both her own children and others’. Like any mother, she is willing to bare her claws in order to fight for the rights and innocence of today’s youth. But of course, this “Mama Bear” comes with a soft side too.
In addition to her professional justice endeavors, Elaine, together with her family, also volunteers a few times a year at her church to spend time with children with disabilities. For entire evenings, Elaine and her family spread love and care to these children through various activities such as movies, games, and ats and crafts while simultaneously lifting the burden of childcare from their parents.
This aspiration of creating a nurturing community for children, whether they are her own or not, is something that is central to Elaine’s life. Her empathy for families that face challenges on whatever scale is immense, and is a source of inspiration for her to also do better. Whether it is through her professional work as an attorney or a giving member of her community, Elaine always strives to make an impact in others’ lives and impart some goodness into the world.