With deep sadness, we share the news of the death of our Founder and Host, Jane Whitney.

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Jane possessed a rare capacity to see beyond the divisions that so often define us, recognizing in others a common humanity that transcended differences of opinion, circumstance, and belief. Her intellectual curiosity was boundless, her compassion instinctive, and her faith in the potential of others limitless. She challenged us to think more deeply, to question what we believed we knew, and to consider perspectives far beyond our own. 

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At the heart of Jane's work was a simple but increasingly uncommon understanding: that conversation is not merely an exchange of opinions, but an opportunity to discover something beyond the limits of our individual experience. She understood that listening requires both humility and courage, and that disagreement did not diminish our respect for one another. For Jane, civility was never about avoiding difficult truths, but about creating the conditions in which they could be explored. These convictions were inseparable from the way she lived, informed by a genuine interest in people and an enduring belief in our capacity to find common ground.

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In reflecting on Jane's life, we recognize that what sustains us is not only the memory of who she was, but also the meaningful purpose of how she lived. Her legacy cannot simply be measured by the programs she created or the conversations she inspired, but by the ways in which she changed how we understand and engage with one another. Jane believed that a more thoughtful, compassionate world was not an abstraction, but something we have the capacity—and the responsibility—to create. We carry forward not only her vision, but her faith in what is possible when we recognize our shared humanity.

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In lieu of flowers, those wishing to honor Jane's memory may consider a donation to the 

Washington Ambulance Association or to Conversations On the Green, Inc., which will continue the work to which Jane was so deeply committed.