Name: Beth Givens
Hometown: San Diego
Profession: Director of Privacy Rights Clearinghouse

“My name is Beth Givens, and my dream for California is that the state continues to be a leader in consumer protection, consumer rights, civil liberties – the things California is known for.”

Beth Givens remembers the hotline phones ringing off the hook - each with someone who had a concern or question about identity theft or their right to privacy.  The year was 1992, and Givens and fellow students at the University of San Diego’s Center for Public Interest Law had just launched the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse.

The doors opened as the issue of identity theft was exploding, says Givens. “The phones didn’t stop ringing.”

“We are basically a ‘Dear Abby’ of privacy,” says Givens, now director of the San Diego-based Privacy Rights Clearinghouse.  “When people have questions and complaints about what they consider to be privacy abuses, we do our best to troubleshoot and give them a road map to solve the problem or answer their questions.”

Givens dedication to privacy rights began as a passion for telecommunications. As a librarian in Montana in the 80’s, “I really got interested in this whole notion of tying people together through telecommunications.” She sought grants and established a pre-internet network of all libraries in Montana. She then went to grad school in California and made the case for televising the state legislature, “so all people could have access.” The California Channel launched a short time later.

It was then that her interest turned to the other side of access – consumer privacy.

“In the California Constitution there is a right to privacy that covers not only our relationship to government, but also the private sector.  It’s one of the stronger constitutional rights to privacy in the nation.”

Her nonprofit also works as a privacy advocate.  The latest bill Givens is helping shuttle through the legislature would limit employer use of credit checks when hiring.

Givens sees California as the “Can Do” state.

“If you want to do something because you have a spark of interest or curiosity, you can,” says Givens.  “It’s just a matter of pulling together the right resources and getting to know the right people who can help you.  I was just amazed at the opportunities that have fallen into my lap here.”