Risa Weinrit, Psy.D. is a psychologist and a psychoanalyst in private practice in the Boston area. Risa graduated from Bryn Mawr College in 1980 with a major in psychology and subsequently received her doctorate in clinical psychology at Hahnemann University. Risa completed her psychoanalytic training at the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute. She is now on the faculty there, at the Massachusetts Institute of Psychoanalysis, and at the Psychoanalytic Couple and Family Institute of New England. She has also been in private practice for over 30 years.

Risa joined the Board of Universal Promise in 2015, became Board Chair in 2018, and held that role until 2024. Her steady, dedicated leadership saw the organization grow from one that supported one school with 50 children to one that now uplifts more than 10 schools, thousands of children, and even entire communities.

During Risa's service, the Board evolved from a group of three founding members to one with myriad directors from the United States and South Africa. Risa oversaw the move to the first paid staff positions, the implementation of our signature Top 10 Wish List method, and the creation of a committee system that enhances our effectiveness and efficiency. That system includes the Psycho­-Social Support and Empowerment Committee, which gathers and analyzes current, comprehensive, accurate information from school stakeholders about psycho­-social issues that hamper learning, parenting, and teaching in the communities we serve. To fuel sustainable change, the committee asks stakeholders to identify effective local NGOs, other organizations, and individuals to create targeted programs to nurture learners' growth, self-esteem, safety, and ability to maximize the opportunities and facilities we provide.