Rebecca is a seasoned executive, with in-depth leadership experience in business, government, philanthropy and the not-for-profit sector. Rebecca has received distinguished achievement awards from her alma maters, Carleton College and the University of Illinois. In 1977, she co-founded the Midwest Women's Center, one of the nation’s first independent human service agencies run by and for women. From 1981 to 1986, she was executive director of The Playboy Foundation, and then Playboy's vice president for public affairs, where she steered the corporation's advocacy efforts in freedom of speech, equal rights, and opposition to the death penalty.

In late 2008, Rebecca was part of a national summit of women leaders gathered to develop a unified issue agenda for consideration by President Obama. She was part of a similar gathering at the outset of President Clinton's administration, and among the founders of the National Women's Agenda, which presented a similar agenda to President Jimmy Carter. Rebecca was a Commissioner, Finance Committee Chair, and General Operations Committee Chair of the Chicago Park District, and a founding Commissioner of the Illinois Human Rights Commission. Rebecca has served on many boards of directors, including: Public Allies-Chicago, Jewish Community Centers of Metropolitan Chicago, NARAL Pro-Choice America, and the Jewish Fund for Justice. She has been a contributor to the Chronicle of Philanthropy. Rebecca is a member of The Economic Club of Chicago and has received the Outstanding Community Leadership Award from the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago and the Chicago Urban League Woman of Distinction Award.