Background
Benson, Lucy Peters Wilson was born on August 25, 1927 in New York City. Daughter of Willard Oliver and Helen (Peters) Wilson.
Political and diplomatic consultant
Benson, Lucy Peters Wilson was born on August 25, 1927 in New York City. Daughter of Willard Oliver and Helen (Peters) Wilson.
Bachelor, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, 1949. Master of Arts, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, 1955. Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), Wheaton College, 1965.
Doctor of Laws (honorary), University Massachusetts, 1969. Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, 1972. Doctor of Laws (honorary), University Maryland, 1972.
Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota, 1973. Doctor of Laws (honorary), Amherst College, Massachusetts, 1974. Doctor of Laws (honorary), Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts, 1975.
HHD (honorary), Springfield College, Massachusetts, 1981. Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), Bates College, Lewiston, Maine, 1982. Doctor of Laws (honorary), Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania, 1999.
Member junior executive training program, Bloomingdale's, New York City, 1949-1950;
assistant director public relations, Smith College, 1950-1953;
research assistant department American studies, Amherst College, 1956-1957;
president Amherst, League of Women Voters, Massachusetts, 1957-1961;
president Massachusetts, League of Women Voters, 1961-1965;
national president, League of Women Voters, 1968-1974;
member Governor's cabinet and secretary human services, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1975;
member special commission on administrative review, United States House of Representatives, Washington, 1976-1977;
under secretary State Security Assistance, Science and Technology, unites states department State, Washington, 1977-1980;
consultant, unites states department State and Socially Responsible Investment International, Washington, 1980-1981;
president, Benson and Associations, Amherst and Washington, since 1981. Vice chairman Citizen Network for Foreign Affairs. Trustee N.E. Utilities, 1971-1974, 76-77.
Board directors Continental Group, Inc., Dreyfus Fund, Dreyfus Liquid Assets, Dreyfus Asset Allocation Fund, Dreyfus 401K Fund, Dreyfus Third Century Fund, Inc., Communications Satellite Corporation, General Reins.Corp., Dreyfus Worldwide Dollar Money Market Fund, Inc., Logistics Management Institute.
Public advisory committee United States Trade Policy, 1968. Member town meeting Amherst, 1957—1974, 2000. Member finance committee, 1960—1966.
Member Governor Massachusetts Special Committee Review Sunday Closing Laws, 1961, Massachusetts Advisory Board Higher Educational Policy, 1962—1965, Governor Massachusetts Committee Review Salaries State Employees, 1963. Advisory committee racial imbalance and education Massachusetts Board Education, 1964—1965. Massachusetts advisory committee United States Commission Civil Rights, 1964—1973.
Vice-chair Massachusetts Advisory Council Education, 1965—1968. Massachusetts Committee Children and Youth Committee to Study Report by United States Children's Bureau Massachusetts Youth Service Division, 1967. Steering committee Urban Coalition, 1968, executive committee, 1970—1975, 1980—1984, co-chair, 1973—1975.
Visiting committee John F. Kennedy School Government, Trilateral commission Council Foreign Relations. Former board governors American National Red Cross, Common Cause, Women's Action Alliance. Board governors International Center Election Law and Administration, 1985—1987.
Special commission Massachusetts Legislature Study Budgetary Powers Trustee University Massachusetts, 1961—1962. Trustee Education Development Center, Newton, 1967—1972, National Urban League, 1974—1977, Brookings Institution, 1974—1977, Smith College, 1975—1980, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, 1975—1977, 1981—2000, Bureau Social Science Research, Inc., 1985—1987. Board directors Catalyst, 1972—1990, Atlantic Council United States, since 1988, vice-chair, 1993—2000.
Trustee Lafayette College, 1985—2000, vice-chair, 1990—2000, trustee emeritus, since 2000. Member of American Civil Liberties Union, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Council On Foreign Relations, International Institute Strategic Studies, National Academy Public Administration, Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust Channel Islands, E. African Wildlife Society, Association American Indian Affairs, Urban League, United Nations Association.
Married Bruce Buzzell Benson, March 30, 1950 (deceased March 1990).