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Joan de Pontet is our Impact100 DC member profiler, and it was a treat for me (Ann) to learn more about her as well as her daughter Stephanie and daughter-in-law Analya in a recent zoom conversation with them all.
These three very different women have much in common when it comes to the important things in life: a conviction that family is central, a strong appreciation for the fellowship of women, and a desire to make wider and deeper connections with the DC area and to participate in philanthropic efforts to create change. They really appreciate having the common experience of Impact100 DC. Joan joined first on the advice of Susan Crowley and Janelle Haskell and because she was so impressed with Impact’s commitment to building a diverse community of women addressing social justice. She sponsored Stephanie and Analya for membership and was thoroughly delighted when their experiences as members led them to join on their own for 2023. Her other daughter Julia is in NYC and is a pediatric oncologist.
Joan was born in Brooklyn, was attuned early on to social issues, and “fell” into social work after college with a first job in NYC. After young children, grad school, and years of clinical work, she worked at the Jewish Social Service Agency of Metropolitan Washington (JSSA), where she was COO for 11 years and Executive Director for 14 years. She says she preferred these roles on the administrative side of social services where, as she says, “policy meets the road.”
Stephanie nodded at that statement. Though on a different career path she shares her mother’s leadership and organizational skill bents. Stephanie is a consultant for family businesses, helping families navigate complex family dynamics and leadership transitions, and bringing both her MBA and PhD in Clinical Psychology to bear on her work. A mom with two adult children, Stephanie recently remarried and is thrilled to be back in DC living on Capitol Hill. She is happy to be reunited with old friends and looks forward to building new relationships within Impact100 DC.
Joan observed that Analya, who is from Chile, is perhaps the most “aware American” of them all. She is a keen observer, having covered politics and cultural beats as a journalist for many years. Analya moved to America when she was 24. She mentioned her experience living through the Pinochet regime as a teen. She is fully optimistic about the stability of American democracy. Family is front and center with Analya, who has a seven year old child, and she has made a career shift from journalist to jeweler, with her own studio downtown. She loves working with people one-on-one, and has found that jewelry making is a wonderful way of forging meaningful relationships. Impact100 DC has, says Analya, opened up a whole new world for her. As a resident of Columbia Heights, her eyes were opened by Impact100 DC finalist GALA Inc.’s Paso Nuevo program, which serves residents of her own community - a community with more dimensions to it than she knew and for which she now has a deeper appreciation.
Joan ended the conversation as she began it: musing about the world of philanthropy and her experience in Impact100 DC. She said that Impact100 DC has changed her approach to charitable giving. She has been “smitten” and “in awe” each year as she has gotten a close-up look at the many grassroots organizations who are working with boots on the ground to tackle seemingly intractable problems with patience, energy, resilience, and hope. They will have her support going forward. And again, she mentioned sharing the Impact experience with her girls – feels like a hug.
Know an Impact100 DC member who is making waves in our community and beyond? Email editor@impact100dc.org so we can feature them in the next newsletter!
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