Member Spotlight FEATURING
MARY JANE
MELANIE
Member since 2012
Member since 2018
ROBERTSON
SMITH
Why did you join Impact100?
nonprofit programs vetted
in the corporate world. I had
MARY JANE: I joined Impact
and selected by the members, I
just retired when I joined
was in!
the leadership team in 2014
100 Garden State in our inaugural year (2012-2013). At the time, I was serving on the board of another nonprofit in our community and was approached by a fellow member of that board to consider joining Impact 100 Garden State. It turned out she was one of the six ladies who founded our chapter and of course made a very effective and passionate pitch! She actually didn’t have to try very hard: I
and it felt like being part of MELANIE: I was about to
a small startup, something I
return to the U.S. after a three-
had done earlier in my career
year expatriate assignment
and thoroughly enjoyed. To
in Shanghai, China when a
this day—almost seven years
neighbor of mine suggested
later—I continue to find
that I join Impact 100 as a way
meaning in being involved in
to reenter the community, meet
the management of a volunteer
people, make an impact and
operation in service of a very
have some fun! I attended the
worthy cause. That said, last
Annual Awards Meeting that
year’s live responses by our
year as her guest and was sold!
grant recipients upon hearing of their selection at our first
Describe a meaningful
virtual annual awards meeting
moment from your Impact
in the middle of the pandemic
whether my money was really
100 experience.
was SO touching!
being put to good use. As soon
MARY JANE: My answer to
as she explained the concept of
this question may be different
members pooling their money
from most. I spent decades
to give meaningful grants to
as a senior financial executive
had long made donations to charities but always wondered
9 • IMPACT100
MELANIE: While leading a site visit for our grant review committee, I was able to speak at length with the Executive
