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MARY AWARD

The Mary Award recognizes outstanding work and achievement on behalf of the League and the broader community.  It is named for Mary Sullivan and Mary Lou Woods, two long-term members of the League who were highly visible and effective in their work for the League and the Greenwich community.


photo of LB Savitz
Lisa Beth Savitz

2024 Recipient: LB Savitz

LB joined the League Board to “help” with the website.

During her tenure, she has done more than help; she has fundamentally created the www.lwvgreenwich.org site. Adopted in 2020, the ClubExpress digital platform has expanded the League’s outreach to thousands in the Greenwich community, expanding attendance to events and debates, educational efforts, and youth outreach. It ties our membership and nonmember database to our email system and to the website itself. LB created the website’s look and feel and updates its pages regularly in collaboration with others.

As LWV Greenwich transitions to computer technology, we can learn from LB’s intellectual self-confidence. Learning the intricacies of our new digital platform required a positive mindset. Committed to learning something new, she takes the initiative to expand her knowledge base by involving others.

In addition, LB is one of a few Board experts knowledgeable about the recent Transformation discussions led by LWV US. She also does all the back-office work for the Essay Contest. Her contribution to Board discussion is unfailingly positive and informative.

LB came to LWV Greenwich with an extensive background in volunteer work elsewhere in the community. She is a past President of PTA Council, North Street School PTA, and Yale Alumni Association of Greenwich. She has also served on the Connecticut PTA, Central Middle School PTA, CT Association for the Gifted, Soldiers Field Park Children’s Center, and YaleWomen boards. She has volunteered for Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities, School Readiness Council, Yale Alumni Association, Yale Alumni Schools Committee, and as a youth baseball coach, in addition to numerous roles at North Street School, Central Middle School, and Greenwich High School.

LB prefers to work behind the scenes. However, her invaluable contributions to the League but to the Greenwich community over the past 23 years have more than qualified her for recognition provided by the Mary Award this year. Kudos, LB.

BURNETT AWARD


The Burnett Award is presented to a long-standing member of LWV Greenwich whose significant contributions to the organization have positively impacted the work of the League through their time, actions, talents and dedication.  This award was established in 2019 to recognize and honor Jara Burnett, whose decades of vision, commitment, and leadership of LWV Greenwich have been an inspiration to all. 

photo of Deirdre Kamlani
Deirdre Kamlani

2024 Recipient: Deirdre Kamlani


Deirdre Kamlani joined the LWV Greenwich board nearly 10 years ago and began her service as a member of the Program Committee. Her interest in public policy education led to her early efforts to open the League’s valuable programming to the whole community. By creating a close working partnership with the Greenwich Library, large format events became a regular feature of the League’s calendar. Deirdre has spearheaded nearly two dozen programs on topics as varied as money in politics, economic development, ranked-choice voting, civility in politics, affordable housing, and climate change.

Deirdre fostered the League’s collaboration with the Case Method Project at Harvard Business School with the goal of bringing this innovative civics program to high schools in Greenwich and across the country. Surveys show that students learning US history and civics with the case method are more likely to vote, be politically aware and engage more constructively with those having different political views. So far, teachers at Greenwich High School, Greenwich Academy, Sacred Heart, and Rye Country Day School are all using these cases in their classrooms. By leveraging the League’s national platform, Deirdre also helped bring this civics course (at no charge) to 33 states through 120 local League chapters. It is now in all 50 states.

Keeping in mind that LWV Greenwich is a democracy multiplier, she  has reached out to other non-partisan organizations to establish collaborative connections, not only as a way for the Greenwich League to expand its reach and program offerings, but also to help strengthen civic trust in our democracy more broadly. Deirdre has been the Greenwich League’s point person for collaboration with Connecticut Public, our statewide PBS and NPR affiliate, the National Institute for Civil Discourse and Braver Angels, among others. 

Deirdre has been a delegate to both state and national League conventions, and she presented at the national League’s 2018 convention in Chicago on the Harvard Business School-incubated civics project. Deirdre informs Board decision making with judgment and thoughtfulness. She is a sought-after adviser.

Deirdre is also a board member of the Case Method Institute for Education and Democracy and a founding board member of the Institute for American Ideals. She also serves as a member of Connecticut Public’s Fairfield County Advisory Committee, the LWV/National Institute for Civil Discourse Network Planning Committee, and the International Women’s Forum of Connecticut. Deirdre is a past recipient of the League’s Mary Award (2019) and the YWCA’s Women Who Inspire Award (2021). Deirdre and her husband, Suneel, have lived in Greenwich for nearly 25 years.

COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD

The Community Impact Award, created in 2023, is presented to an individual or group whose exemplary support of the LWV Greenwich mission has made a difference by influencing others to become informed and to participate actively in the democratic process.



photo of Mary Hegartyphoto of amazonaws.com/ClubExpressClubFiles/784813/graphics/edited_head_shot_1390348589.jpg
Mary Hegarty & Fred DeCaro III

2024 Recipients:
The Greenwich Registrars


We are pleased to present the Community Impact Award this year to Fred DeCaro III and Mary Hegarty, respectively the Republican and the Democratic Registrars of Voters in Greenwich. Thanks to their commitment to ensuring that all citizens become informed and participate actively in the democratic process, the Greenwich Registrars embody the mission of LWV Greenwich.

But we are not the first to recognize their professional competence and dedication to serving the voters. In 2022, the Registrar of Voters Office in Greenwich was recognized as Center for Election Excellence by the newly launched U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence, a national, nonpartisan program to support excellence in U.S. election administration. The Alliance is committed to high integrity, comprehensive preparedness, voter-centricity, proactive transparency, and continuous improvement. Greenwich was the only municipality in New England to receive the honor.

Together, Fred and Mary work in a bipartisan manner to serve voter needs and to ensure fairness. The Registrars’ website now offers a voter lookup system, absentee ballot tracking, election reminders, voter demographic data, voter turnout data in real time, poll worker training and management. Their work demands close interaction with the Town Clerk’s and Assessor’s Offices, the Greenwich Public Schools, the police, and the Department of Public Works as well many poll workers and volunteers. Close races in recent years have required recounts which have been managed efficiently by the Registrars’ staff.

Their efforts to recruit and manage poll workers ensure that no voter must wait in long lines just to exercise their right to vote. Both Registrars are equally committed to improving voter participation. A competition among districts to increase voter turnout is one notable initiative.

Recently, Mary noted: “Fred and I serve as an example of bipartisan cooperation in election administration,” she said. “We have an excellent working relationship and although we have different personal views on policy issues, we are united in our dedication to administer fair elections.”

How refreshing. Kudos to them both.

👏👏🏻👏🏼👏🏽👏🏾👏🏿👏👏🏻👏🏼👏🏽👏🏾👏🏿👏👏🏻👏🏼👏🏽👏🏾👏🏿

PREVIOUS AWARD RECIPIENTS*

* All awards are not given every year.

Mary
Award


2024
LB Savitz
2022 Nancy Aborn Duffy
2021 Becky Gillan & Joanne Stavrou
2019 Deirdre Kamlani
2017 Caroline Adkins
2016 Cyndy Anderson
2014 Joann Messina & Louisa Stone
2013 Cheryl Dunson
2012 Alma Rutgers
2011 Mary Ferry
2010 Jara Burnett
2009 Dodie Blanche & Annette Fox

Burnett
Award


2024
Deirdre Kamlani
2023 Caroline Adkins

2022 Helaine Aronson Winer
2021 Marla Laney
2019 Jara Burnett


Community
Impact Award


2024
Mary Hegarty & Fred DeCaro III
2023 Deb Rogan