Wendy D. Puriefoy, a nationally recognized expert on issues of school reform and civil society and a passionate advocate of education equity for poor and disadvantaged children, died on July 12. She was 75.

Wendy was born in Philadelphia, Pa. on May 6, 1949, the daughter of Betty Glenn Puriefoy and Carson Puriefoy and sister to Jacquelyn Puriefoy Brinkley, the late Dale Barry Puriefoy and Carson Calvert Puriefoy.

She grew up in Yeadon, Pa. and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hobart and William Smith College, Masters of Arts degrees in African American Studies, American Studies and American Colonial History from Boston University and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Amherst College.

She was the president of Public Education Network (PEN), the nation’s largest network of community-based school reform organizations, from 1991 to 2012. As president of PEN, she was the leading force behind systemic reform initiatives in school finance and governance, curriculum and assessment, parent involvement, school libraries and school health and public engagement initiatives focused on teacher quality, standards and accountability and schools and community services.

In the 1970’s, she served as a special monitor of the court-ordered desegregation plan for Boston’s public schools.

She was also a noted leader in the philanthropic world. Prior to her role as president of PEN, she was executive vice president and chief operating officer of The Boston Foundation. Subsequent to PEN, she served as a senior fellow at the Ford Foundation. She also served on the boards of numerous national public education and philanthropic organizations.

Outside of her professional pursuits, she was an adventurous traveler, having journeyed around the world. Her travel highlights included two ascents of Mt. Everest, visits to ashrams where she engaged in lengthy silent retreats and an invited trip to South Africa upon the release of Nelson Mandela from prison.

She also regularly spent September on Martha’s Vineyard.

During her illness, one of her greatest joys was visiting the Nile Swim Club, which was founded in 1957 by her father and others to provide a place for Black children to swim, because the local community pool was segregated.

She is survived by her sister and devoted caretaker of several years, Jacquelyn Puriefoy Brinkley; sister-in-law Barbara Miller Puriefoy; her nephews Noel Alencon Puriefoy Brinkley (wife Juliana), and Carson Calvert Puriefoy Jr., (wife Vanessa); her niece Kia Puriefoy; grand nieces and nephews Dakota and Sydney Puriefoy, Naomi and Harper Brinkley, Carson Calvert Puriefoy III (wife Sabrina); and great-grand niece Amaya Puriefoy, all of whom she loved dearly.

In lieu of flowers, donations should be given in her memory to the Philadelphia Education Fund at 718 Arch St in Philadelphia, and/or to the Nile Swim Club in Yeadon, Pa.

A memorial celebration of life will be held later this year, along with the establishment of the Wendy D. Puriefoy Fund to support education and other causes near to her heart.