Ellen Jacobson Levine ’64

Alumnae Achievement Awards 2005

Editor-In-Chief of Good Housekeeping

Frequent Guest on Good Morning America
Published in the New York Times

President, American Society of Magazine
Board Member, NY Restoration Project

Ellen Jacobson Levine ’64 made publishing history in October 1994 when she became the first woman to be named Editor-In-Chief of Good Housekeeping since the magazine was founded in 1885. Before her appointment to the top post at the flagship publication of Hearst Magazines, she served as Editor-in-Chief of two other major women’s magazines: Redbook (1990-1994) and Women’s Day (1982-1990), and as Senior Editor of Cosmopolitan (1976-1982). While at Women’s Day, Ms. Levine was also Senior Vice President of Hachette Magazines, Inc.

Ms. Levine makes frequent appearances on national talk shows and news programs, including Good Morning America, on which she is a regular guest. She is the author of numerous books and articles and her work has appeared in many publications, including The New York Times. She began her journalism career at The Record in Hackensack, NJ, following her graduation from Wellesley College.

Ms. Levine served two terms as President of the American Society of Magazine Editors(ASME), from 1994-1996. She was appointed a member of the U.S. Attorney General’s Commission on Pornography and filed a minority dissent. As a result of her work on the commission, the American Society of Journalists and Authors presented her with an award in 1986 for courage in the pursuit of truth. And in 1987, she was similarly honored by the Atlantic Coast Independent Distributors, Inc., for distinguished service defending the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. In 1999, Good Housekeeping won the National Magazine Award for personal service. Most recently, she was awarded the first Media Award by the American College of Nueropsychopharmacology (ACNP) for the numerous articles on mental illness she has published in Good Housekeeping.

Throughout her career, Ms. Levine has been cited by many organizations. In January 2004, she was inducted into the Magazine Editors’ Hall of Fame by ASME and the Magazine Publishers of America (MPA). In November 2003, she received a Leadership in Media Award from the American Legacy Foundation for her anti-smoking accomplishments and a WISER award from the Heinz Family Philanthropies. In October 2003, she and her husband Dr. Richard U. Levine, were the recipients of the Wind Beneath My Wings Leadership Award from New York Restoration Project. She has also been recognized by the American Health Foundation (1996) ; received the Writer’s Hall of Fame Award for her lifestyle coverage in 1981, served as a delegate at the International Women Media Foundation meeting in Prague, Chez Republic; was elected to the YMCA’s Academy of Women Achievers in 1982. Similar citations have been bestowed upon Ms. Levine by the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs; Douglass College of Rutgers University; East Bergen Business and Professional Award for Excellence in Health Care in 1997; and the Birmingham (AL) Southern College for outstanding achievement. In 1989, she received the Matrix Award for exceptional achievement, one of the communication industry’s most prestigious honors.

Ms. Levine currently serves on the Board of the New York Restoration Project, the Board of Advisors of New York Women in Communications, the Board of Directors for Gaylord Entertainment and Finlay Enterprises, Inc., and is a member of the Board of Directors of Lifetime Television. She is an editorial consultant for O, The Oprah Magazine. Ms. Levine resides with her husband, a physician, in New York City. They have two sons.