Emily Grigsby has had to endure many hardships throughout her life, which has undoubtedly molded her into the strong and independent woman she is today. At a young age, Emily lost her mother to tuberculosis and her high school sweetheart in a boating accident. Her father however, was there for the duration of her youth. Mr. Bourne was an extremely educated man, fluent in both Latin and Greek, and the founder of the University Of Kentucky School Of Law. Emily’s father played a momentous role in the development of her character. He not only guided her but also enabled her with the confidence to live up to her fullest potential. He never once forced Emily to follow a straight line in his footsteps; rather, all he required out of his daughter was that she complete her secondary education in whatever field she was passionate about. Despite the fact that it took Emily more than a quarter of a century after receiving her undergraduate degree, she did eventually continue her formal education in Atlanta, GA where she attended both Georgia Tech and the Woodrow Wilson College of Law. In 1975 she received a Master of Science in City Planning from Georgia Tech. In 1982, at the age of 60, she obtained her law degree, passed the Georgia Bar, and went to work as an arbitrator and mediator. Emily Grigsby has always been and remains an activist in the realm of women’s rights. She is committed to making a difference in the lives of women through openhandedly contributing to organizations such as PWFI whose core values virtually mirror that of Emily’s father and in turn, hers as well. She understands the importance of intelligence and leadership for women of every age. 

“If women who own stock will simply vote our convictions, i.e., don't vote for any slate of directors if there aren't at least two women directors, then things will change. We need to harness our collective financial clout and quit waiting for men to make it happen."
 

–Emily Bourne Grisgby
PWFI Endowment Donor