Mary Bright, Cleveland SVP

Mary Bright is an attorney with 25 years of experience as a business lawyer in areas ranging from mergers/acquisitions/joint ventures, international law, health care policy and health care law to employment law and compensation and benefits. A graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, Mary spent most of her career with a Fortune-100 company, followed by three years with a large nonprofit healthcare system.

She left the practice of law in late 2001 to focus on enhancing her community involvement.  She credits the SVP movement with keeping that passion alive.

Mary joined Cleveland SVP in 2002, has served on its board, has led two investee projects and has been involved in partner education. Mary is a past President and current board member of Social Venture Partners International and has been involved in many network-wide initiatives such as the affiliate health data project, restructuring of the network’s governance and convening lead partners.

Mary is also on the boards of

• The Deaconess Foundation, a Cleveland grant making organization, and its senior housing boards
• The Centers for Dialysis Care, a nonprofit that delivers kidney dialysis services across Northeast Ohio
• Family Promise of Greater Cleveland, a program that serves homeless families, which Mary says is her deepest philanthropic passion. During 2003, she ran a pilot micro-enterprise for clients of that organization and has thus experienced what “success” looks like from a whole new perspective.

Mary is active in her church, where she has led a small-group ministry since 2002. She lives in Shaker Heights with her husband Jim and has two adult children.