Eva Haller

Eva Haller, (born May 9, 1930) is a Hungarian-American philanthropist, activist, executive and Board Member. Notable positions include Board Chair of Free the Children, Trustee of the University of California, Santa Barbara, co-founder and President of the Campaign Communications Institute of America and Honorary Professor at Glasgow Caledonian University.

Personal life
Haller was born on May 9, 1930 in Budapest, Hungary.

In 1942, she joined her older brother underground in the Hungarian resistance. Haller’s first activism experience was creating anti-Hitler leaflets. When German forces occupied her city, her parents feared for her safety, and brought her to the Scottish Mission to be hidden among the students, she was 14 at the time. Along with her was a family friend’s 10 year old son whom they told her to watch and keep safe. When it was discovered that the Institute was hiding Jewish students, German soldiers raided it. During the raid, Eva managed to convince a Nazi officer that she was too young and too beautiful to die and to let her escape, and she also negotiated the life of a 10 year old who’s care she was entrusted. Eva remained in hiding throughout World War II; but her brother, John, was killed crossing the Yugoslavian border to join Tito’s forces months just before Hungary was liberated.

Eva later moved to New York where she cleaned houses and concurrently earned a masters degree in social work from Hunter College. In 1965, she joined Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the Selma march.

Along with her late husband, Murray Roman, Eva co-founded the Campaign Communications Institute of America, a marketing and research company that revolutionized the use of telemarketing in political campaigns. In 1968 Murray and Eva Roman set off to volunteer with UNICEF in Southeast Asia for close to a year. The couple returned to the United States with a renewed commitment to social issues. She and her husband re-opened their business, which became one of the first to advocate for women’s rights. With help from the proceeds of their successful business, they continued the pursuit of their philanthropy.

Yoel Haller
After Murray Roman’s death in 1984, Haller met Dr. Yoel Haller, a physician who shared her dedication for social innovation and activism. Dr. Haller, a San Francisco based OB/GYN, was the Medical Director of Planned Parenthood San Francisco-Alameda Counties. He was also a clinical professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the University of California, San Francisco Medical School. They married in 1987, and now mentor many world wide causes.

Work
With her late husband, Murray Roman, Haller co-founded the Campaign Communications Institute of America, a communications and research company specializing in political campaigns. They brought telemarketing to politics, and integrated its outreach to the Fortune 100 companies.

Activism
Eva Haller has served on dozens of significant non-profit foundation and institute Boards, such as:
 * The Foundation for the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB)
 * Center for Defense Information (CDI)
 * Arts Fund of Santa Barbara County, Santa Barbara
 * Counterpart International
 * Free the Children USA
 * Medici Archive Project
 * Women's Leadership Board of the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
 * Women for Women International
 * Jane Goodall Institute
 * Aidmatrix, Dallas, Texas
 * Rubin Museum
 * Global Tribe Advisory Board (GTAB)
 * Oceans Alert
 * El Pilar Archaeological Reserve, Belize Culture Project
 * World Security Institute
 * A Blade of Grass
 * Creative Visions Foundation
 * Video Volunteers
 * Sing for Hope
 * Do Topia
 * The Culture Project

Recognition and awards

 * 2013 - Inaugural Mentoring Award, Forbes Women’s Summit
 * 2013 - Lifetime Achievement Award, United Nations Population Fund
 * 2013 - Named Honorary Professor at Glasgow Caledonian University
 * 2011- Recipient of the Mandela Award for Humanitarian Achievement, Rubin Museum of Art
 * 2006 - Selected as one of the “21 Leaders of the 21st Century”
 * Santa Barbara Local Hero; honored by the Santa Barbara Independent
 * Citations by the Congressional Record in 1969, 2004 and 2006
 * Honored by the Hungarian Government for Cultural Contributions