Janice Toran
Retired, Lawyer and Corporate VP, Astellas Pharma LLC
Degrees / Certifications:
BA, Smith College; JD, Northestern University
Why LitNet's mission matters or why it resonates with me:
My father was a first generation American and his parents spoke very elementary English. His determination and hard work helped my dad to become a proficient English speaker and excellent communicator. I see the same spark in our LitNet learners. It’s inspiring to be a tutor and Board member for an organization that changes lives!
Biography:
The mechanics of language have interested me for a long time. I studied Russian in college and after college I spent a year studying linguistics and African language before turning to law. I worked as an administrator in a legal services organization at Harvard before attending law school. My legal career has been varied — law firm associate, law professor both in the US and England, pharmaceutical lawyer, corporate vice president — and I’ve been on several nonprofit boards. But nothing has been more satisfying than my current life in the Berkshires. In addition to tutoring for LitNet, I sing with the Berkshire Hills Chorus and am learning to play the cello (with mixed success) at the Berkshire Music School. Between us my husband and I have 7 grown children and 2 grandchildren.
