YWCA Greenwich Celebrates Super Women during 2018 BRAVA Awards

YWCA Greenwich celebrated eleven honorees at its 41 st BRAVA Awards event on Friday at the Hyatt Regency, Greenwich. Established in 1977, YWCA Greenwich BRAVA Awards recognize accomplished female professionals who are acknowledged leaders in their fields for their mentoring of others and their commitment to both philanthropy and community involvement. This year, the organization honored the next generation of women — two students from Greenwich High School — who are already exhibiting professional leadership and are committed to making their community a better place for all.

“It’s hard to remember a time when the mission of the YWCA – eliminating racism and empowering women – was more relevant or more urgent,” said Mary Lee Kiernan, President and CEO, YWCA Greenwich. “Now, more than ever, we must recognize this next generation of female leaders and work to support their ideas, encourage them to take chances, and mentor them in every step of their journey to adulthood,”

The 2018 BRAVA Honorees are: Lucy M. Ball, Executive Director, Lone Pine Foundation; Deborah Hodys, Vice President & General Counsel, Greenwich Hospital and Deputy General Counsel, Yale New Haven Health System; Alice Knapp, President, The Ferguson Library; Bismruta Misra, MD, MPH, FACE, Medical Director, Diabetes & Endocrine Center, Stamford Hospital; Catherine Polisi Jones, President & Founder, Polisi Jones Communications; Betsy O’Reilly, President & Founder, QuadJobs; Karen Ress, Vice President & General Manager, Tea Brands, Nestlé Waters North America; Amy Siebert, Commissioner of Public Works, Town of Greenwich; Kara Underwood, Managing Director, Morgan Stanley.

Standing: Betsy O’Reilly; Rene’ LaPointe Jameson; Kara Underwood; Mary Lee A. Kiernan; Bismruta Misra, MD; Karen Ress; Catherine Polisi Jones; Deborah Hodys. Seated: Lucy M. Ball; Cassandra Marcussen; Alice Knapp; Amy Siebert. Contributed photo

Standing: Betsy O’Reilly; Rene’ LaPointe Jameson; Kara Underwood; Mary Lee A. Kiernan; Bismruta Misra, MD; Karen Ress; Catherine Polisi Jones; Deborah Hodys. Seated: Lucy M. Ball; Cassandra Marcussen; Alice Knapp; Amy Siebert. Contributed photo

The 2018 Next Generation BRAVA Honorees are: René LaPointe Jameson, Greenwich High School Senior; and Cassandra Marcussen, Greenwich High School Senior.
The 2018 BRAVA Awards co-chairs were Laura Beck, Patricia Chadwick, Leslie Dahl, Karen M. Kelly, Jane Lazgin, Amy Mooney, Randi Nielsen, Lindsay A. Sheehy, Kathleen Silard and Melissa Turner.

The proceeds from today’s event will help to ensure that YWCA Greenwich can continue to provide free domestic abuse services to anyone who reaches out to them. In addition, the proceeds will also help in providing much needed scholarships for all of the YWCA’s children’s programs, as well as fund the organization’s mission-focused initiatives in women’s empowerment and racial justice programs, like the standing-room only panel discussion held at the YWCA last week about human trafficking and how to fight modern slavery.

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