Pleasant T. Rowland, nee Thiele, was born in the early 1940s in Chicago, Illinois. She attended Wells College where she studied to become a teacher. For a time she taught elementary school, then became a news anchor in San Francisco. She then left to become involved in the publishing and distribution of children's books.
In 1985, Pleasant created the American Girl franchise. Because of her life-long love of history, she sought a way to create books and dolls that little girls could relate to as they study historical times and figures. The company began with three dolls, one from the 1850s, one from the early 1900s and one from the 1940s. Girls could purchase books based on each doll, in addition to being able to purchase the doll and outfits to go with each of her stories. Later, the company expanded to include activity books and a modern collection, in addition to the introduction of several new historical dolls. The company was a hit and was sold to Mattel in 1998. Pleasant stayed on board for another two years, but retired from American Girl in 2000 to pursue other interests.
In 2000, after retiring from the American Girl Company, Pleasant founded the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation with much of her substantial earnings from the American Girl Company. The foundation funds projects based on the arts and education, specifically those with an interest in history or historical preservation, something that is still dear to Rowland. In an interview with Wells College, she stated that she took to heart the motto of the school, "To have and to share." Pleasant also founded the Rowland Reading Foundation, which helps children read more effectively and fluently, as she believes that if children cannot read by second grade, they will face difficulties later in life.
Pleasant T. Rowland embarked on a philanthropic effort in the late 1990s and early 2000s to help restore many of the older buildings in upstate Aurora, New York. Pleasant merged the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation with Wells College to create the Aurora Foundation, solely for the purpose of benefiting Aurora, New York. Rowland says in an Aurora Inn Press Release that her efforts were meant to help attract visitors and revive the city. She took on the city because she felt it would undergo a renaissance with her help. In addition, all of the income from any renovated buildings went to Wells College.