Schwarzenegger Institute director dies at 62

Bonnie Reiss, the global director of the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, died Tuesday at her home in Malibu. She was 62.

Reiss served as Arnold Schwarzenegger’s senior advisor during his term as Governor of California. She also served as California secretary of education and held a seat on the California State Board of Education.

Schwarzenegger released a statement on Tuesday calling Reiss a treasure to California, the country and everyone she met.

“For the past year, she bravely fought cancer, just as she fought for equality and justice, students and the environment, and every other important issue you can imagine throughout her life of public service,” Schwarzenegger said in the statement. “Bonnie inspired me on a daily basis, and her legacy will inspire me forever.”

According to the statement, a scholarship has been established in Reiss’ name at the USC Price School of Public Policy.

Jack Knott, the dean of the Price School, remembers Reiss as a spirited individual.

“She’s just been a dynamic leader of the Schwarzenegger institute,” Knott said. “She got the institute off the ground and built it from scratch with Arnold and the faculty and staff here. She made it well-known, not only here at USC but across the country and internationally.”

People loved working with Reiss because of her energy, compassion and infectious enthusiasm, Knott said. Conyers Davis, director of programming and special projects at the Schwarzenegger Institute, said Reiss’ energy made working for her pleasant.

“Working for Bonnie was first and foremost fun,” Davis said. “She really spent a lot of time and energy making sure that as much as we were getting important things done at the Schwarzenegger Institute, we were having a good time while we did it.”

Davis said Reiss’ compassion is what set her apart from others he’s worked for in the past. Reiss was a mentor to almost everyone she met, Davis recalled. He said she was most comfortable doing work that she knew she would not be recognized for.

“Her name isn’t on a lot of the great legislation that was passed in the last 10 to 15 years here in California but her fingerprints were on so much of it,” Davis said. “She was very comfortable not being the person who got the credit for all the work.”

Reiss also founded the nonprofits Earth Communications Office and After-School All-Stars. She also created the Spotlight Award, which recognizes USC undergraduate students for their civic engagement and volunteerism.

“She really believes in this power of one where a single individual could make a big difference,” Knott said. “Her setting up the Spotlight Award for undergraduate students to honor students who have also been inspirational through their volunteerism reflects that.”

Reiss is survived by her sister Sandi Rabrich, her niece Lori Siegerman, her nephew Jeff Rabrich and her dog Bu Reiss. Rabrich said she will miss her sister’s loving spirit.

“She was giving, loving and she only had the best interest in heart for the environment, for the world [and] for her friends,” Rabrich said. “She was a wonderful sister; her accomplishments were terrific but on a personal level, that’s what meant most to me.”