[3][4] Malcolm grew up in Montclair, New Jersey, the daughter of parents who met while working in the sales department at IBM.

Upon entering Hollins College, an all women's school, in 1965 Malcolm says she was "apolitical" and didn't even realize the country was at war.

Malcolm's interest in giving money to worthy non-profits conflicted with her desire to advance her career based on her own merit, rather than her deep pockets.

After leaving the NWPC in 1979, Malcolm found work as the press secretary for Esther Peterson, who was then the special assistant for consumer affairs for the Carter administration.

Malcolm cites both Peterson and Millie Jeffries, the head of the NWPC, as major influences on her political beliefs.

Woods lost the seat due to running out of funds a few weeks before the election, causing her television ads to lose air time.

EMILY's list effectively set up a donor network composed mostly of women who, in exchange for their money, got information about whom to vote for from people they knew had similar interests to themselves.

In 2007, she served as co-chair of Hillary Clinton's election campaign,[7] and in 2010 she was appointed to the National Park Foundation Board of Directors.