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July 13, 2001/Tamuz 22, 5761, Vol. 53, No.40
Lawyer makes time for family, community
ALISA BERMAN
Special Sections Editor
Joyce Geyser has enjoyed a long career of community service in conjunction with raising a family and building her law practice.
Photo courtesy of Joyce Geyser |
Phoenix lawyer Joyce Geyser has certainly made her mark in this town.
In addition to running her law practice for more than 20 years, Geyser is a registered lobbyist and served as Governor Rose Mofford's deputy chief of staff for three years, from 1988 to 1991.
She served two terms as president of the board of directors of Central Arizona Shelter Services, the state's largest homeless shelter, and is the former chairwoman of the Phoenix Advisory Council for the State of Israel Bonds.
Geyser is currently a board member of the Mental Health Association of Arizona and of the One Hundred Club, and serves as president of the Phoenix Hebrew Academy, where she has served on the board for approximately eight years.
Her other civic activities include:
- Member of the Arizona Homeless Trust Fund Oversight Committee (1990-1992)
- Governor's Representative on the Joint Legislative Committee on Health Care (1989-1990)
- Member of the State of Arizona Housing Finance Review Board (1985-1988); chairwoman (1987-1988)
- Member of the Joint Legislative Health Care Cost and Regulation Committee (1982-1984)
- Founder and organizer of W*I*S*K (Women I Should Know), a women's networking organization
Geyser has been honored by various organizations, including the Arizona Crohn's and Colitis Foundation, the Anti-Defamation League and IMPACT for Enterprising Women.
Though Geyser has worn many hats - lawyer, wife, mother, community leader, networker - she finds time to balance her professional and family commitments.
"It sometimes takes a lot of juggling," she says. "(I get) a little less sleep than I would sometimes want, and (I have) a very understanding family." Likewise, she adds, she "almost never turns on the television."
Born Joyce Leviton in Philadelphia, she moved with her family to Colorado when she was a teenager. After attending the University of Colorado for three years, she married Michael Geyser, a medical student, and the couple moved to Seattle, where Geyser earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Washington.
After a brief stint in California for Michael's medical residency, the Geysers moved to Arizona, where he practiced radiology for more than 25 years, until his death in 1995.
In 1975, as a mother of two, Geyser started law school at Arizona State University. Since completing her professional studies in 1978 she has handled primarily business and corporate transactions, such as contracts and real estate. At the same time, she has been involved in many aspects of community life.
She began volunteering with the Hebrew Academy when she was a law student. "Both our sons transferred to the academy when they were in third and fourth grade, respectively," she says. "They both graduated from there. I was truly impressed with the quality of education they received."
After several years of board service, Geyser was elected to president three years ago. She also has been a board member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix and was chairwoman of Israel Bonds' Phoenix campaign.
Other Jewish community involvement includes current membership at Temple Beth Joseph, an Orthodox congregation in Phoenix.
However, Geyser and her late husband were among the founding families of Temple Emanuel in Tempe. "I grew up very Reform," she notes.
Explaining the family's involvement with Beth Joseph, "It was a question of parent following children. Both my sons (33-year-old Richard, who lives in Monsey, N.Y., and 32-year-old Jeffrey, who lives in Phoenix) have become much more observant. It is (nice for me) and they are very happy with their level of observance," she adds.
Both sons are active in the Jewish community, Geyser says. Jeffrey is involved with Israel Bonds and the federation's Young Leadership Division, and also general community organizations including the Boys Club.
Geyser, who says she loves to travel, has been to Israel four times.
"Every time we've gone to Israel there have been people who have said, 'You're going now? It's such a terrible time,' " says Geyser, who has visited during times of crisis. "One time it was the Syrian missiles and one time it was the Intifada," she recalls. "But we always had a greater sense of security when we were there than we did when we were here reading about what was going on."
Geyser stresses the importance of going to Israel despite the political unrest. "The Palestinians are waging a war against Israel and part of that war is an economic war," she asserts. "I think for people who support Israel it's important to go, and I'd like to plan a trip, to tell you the truth. It has been too long since I've been there."
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