Elaine Schuster, Brandeis giver, gets U.N. nod

Each year around this time, the sitting president nominates  "representatives to the XXth session of the General Assembly."

These are not to be confused with the professional diplomats who represent U.S. interests; the posts, without pay, are for interested activists who represent the United States in appearances before the U.N.’s various bodies, usually in areas of their expertise. Their remarks are usually drafted by professional diplomats, although the volunteers may have some input.

The positions, once confirmed by the Senate, run for the life of the assembly — September to September, a year.

Among five nominees today, to the 64th GA session, is Elaine Schuster, who with her husband Gerald is a major donor to Brandeis University. It appears from the White House biography that her emphasis at the U.N. will be health care and education:

Elaine Schuster, Nominee for Representative of the United States of America to the Sixty-fourth Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations

Elaine Schuster is a philanthropist, health care and education advocate, and civic activist. She sits on the corporation of Partners Health Care and has been honored by Franciscan Children’s Hospital for her work in raising its visibility and generating financial support. She has received the Heritage Society Award from the Brigham & Women’s Hospital, where she serves on the Trust Board and the Women’s Health Forum. For eight years, Mrs. Schuster was a member of the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts. She also founded the Brandeis Center for Investigative Journalism at Brandeis University, where she is a board member of the Women’s Research Program. Mrs. Schuster has served as New England Chair of the Democratic Women’s Leadership Forum, and the Massachusetts State Democratic Party has honored her for her work on behalf of the Democratic values. Mrs. Schuster co-founded one of the nation’s leading community-based network centers, called PEACE, which provides mentoring, tutoring, and life skill training for inner-city children.

Here’s Schuster, who is also a major Democratic Party backer, recalling recently for the Palm Beach Daily News the Shana Tovas she got each year from the late Sen. Teddy Kennedy:

Elaine and Jerry Schuster of Palm Beach and Cape Cod, Mass., are also big supporters of the Democrats. Elaine Schuster, speaking from Cape Cod, mourned the passing of the liberal icon.

"This is the end of an era because this kind of person in politics is very rare," Elaine Schuster said. "He was able to be a terrific senator, and also be warm and caring with people on a personal level, which is not an easy thing to do. And he had a wonderful life with Vicki."

She knew Sen. Kennedy for 25 years. He always called the Schusters to wish them a Happy New Year at Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, Schuster said.