2025 Recipient: Sandy Waters

For nearly five decades, Sandy has been a driving force in the Greenwich community, dedicating her time, leadership, and passion to strengthening local institutions and advocating for education, governance, and civic engagement. Her commitment to service is evident in the countless organizations she has shaped, leaving a lasting impact on the town she has called home for 49 years.

As President of the Greenwich League of Women Voters (2019-2025) and a Director since 2018, she has championed transparency and civic participation, significantly expanding the League’s digital communications, increasing educational programming, and ensuring the organization’s transition to full 501(c)(3) status. Under her leadership, the League also played a key role in recommending improvements to the town’s capital project decision-making process and preserving its rich history by donating archival materials to the Greenwich Historical Society.

Her dedication to strengthening institutions extends beyond government affairs. As Board Chairman of the Greenwich YMCA (2013-2017) and a longtime Director, she helped revitalize the Board, stabilize finances, and complete critical construction projects, securing the Y’s future as a community hub. She also played a vital role on the Greenwich High School MISA Building Committee (2011-2020), ensuring the successful development of arts and music spaces for students.

A lifelong advocate for education, she served on the Greenwich Board of Education (1997-2005), including four years as Chairman. During her tenure, she led the approval of eight budgets aligning Board priorities with fiscal responsibility, implemented a new governance model, revised district policies, strengthened accountability, and raised curriculum standards across all disciplines. Her leadership extended to the Greenwich PTA Council, where she served as President from 1990- 1992, following years of dedicated involvement at the school level.

Her influence reaches beyond Greenwich. She served on the Oberlin College Board of Trustees (2008-2012), bringing her passion for education full circle to her alma mater. She has also been a steadfast supporter of the YWCA, where she held leadership roles for over 30 years and was recognized as Volunteer of the Year (1984-85), a Spirit of Greenwich Award recipient (2009), and a Gala Honoree (2019).

Beyond her civic contributions, she has been deeply involved with First Presbyterian Church (1977- 2020) as a Ruling Elder, Deacon, newsletter editor, and recipient of the Woman of the Year Award (2000).

Her academic background is as impressive as her leadership. She holds degrees in history from Tufts University (MA, American History, 1974), Cambridge University (Diploma in Historical Studies, 1972), and Oberlin College (AB in European History, 1971).

At home, she and her husband, Steve Waters, have built a life rooted in community and family. They have three grown children and share a love of swimming, walking, and tackling New York Times puzzles. 

2025 Recipient: Nancy Aborn Duffy

Nancy is a 45-year resident of Greenwich. She earned a degree in education from Boston University, where she has served on the Dean’s Advisory Board of the College of General Studies. After college, Nancy taught for 5 years in the Arlington, MA Public Schools before moving to Greenwich in 1980 with her husband, Ken.

She served as President of Greenwich Newcomers shortly after moving to Greenwich and has since been an active community volunteer on the Board of the YWCA, Brunswick School Parents Association, Greenwich Academy Parents Association, and the Friends Board of Greenwich Library.

Nancy has a passion for art history. She has been a docent at the Bruce Museum for 18 years. She served on the New Bruce Capital Campaign Committee for 5 years. Currently, she is Co-chair of the Bruce Museum Council. Previously, she served on the Bruce Museum Governance and Education Committees.

Nancy currently serves on the Board of the League of Women Voters of Greenwich, the Selectman’s Nominations Advisory Committee (SNAC), and is Vice-President of the Round Hill Association. In 2019, Nancy received the Greenwich YWCA Women Who Inspire Award. In 2022, she received the LWV Mary Award.

Nancy was a principal and director at Tams-Witmark, a multigenerational family business involved in theatrical licensing until it was sold in 2018. Following the sale of the company, Nancy joined the National Board of Trustees of the Educational Theatre Foundation. She currently serves on its Executive Committee as Secretary.

Nancy and Ken are the parents of 3 adult children, ages 37, 39, and 41, and 4 grandchildren who live and work in the New York area. Leisure time is enjoyed by pursuing travel, exercise, art, and politics.  

2025 Recipient: Margarita Alban

Margarita Alban has been a dedicated volunteer in the Greenwich community for over 30 years. The skills she developed in her distinguished career at ExxonMobil, where she held senior management roles both in the U.S. and internationally, are many.

Perhaps, she is best known in Greenwich for her leadership on the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z), which she joined in 2006 and has led since 2018. At some point, virtually every Greenwich resident crosses her path. Because Margarita’s commitment to transparency and public engagement both enables and ensures civil public discourse, she promotes democracy, a value that LWV Greenwich honors with the presentation of this year's Community Impact Award.

Leadership of the Commission requires an ability to work effectively with five Commission members, a staff who implement Commission policy, at least three unique commissions (Architectural Review Committee, Historic District Commission, and P&Z Board of Appeals), and the public at large. Dispassionate and fair good judgment is required.

Margarita is a master at facing the bull’s eye of public engagement, which, in Greenwich, can be fierce on topics involving property values and quality of life. All meetings are subject to the transparency requirements of advance scheduling, public posting, and freedom of information requests. Under her leadership, P&Z has offered Zoom access for anyone who wishes to attend its meetings. Those with a variety of views are welcome to share their views without prejudice.

Hers is an effective agency of government that works well with those with diverse opinions and personalities and respects the guardrails of democracy. The fact that she stepped up to serve in such an exemplary way amid controversy is our reason for selecting her to honor this year.