There is something remarkable about Greenwich.
It is a town known for extraordinary homes, beautiful boutiques, celebrated restaurants, and a timeless sense of style. Yet beyond the storefronts of Greenwich Avenue and the galas that fill the social calendar is something even more enduring: a community where generosity quietly shapes everyday life.
Here, philanthropy isn't reserved for special occasions. It happens in food pantries, hospital boardrooms, classrooms, museums, fundraising committees, neighborhood nonprofits, and countless volunteer hours that rarely make headlines. Behind nearly every organization making a difference is someone willing to give their time, talent, expertise, or voice in service of others.
Fashion has always been a reflection of identity, and perhaps that's why it pairs so naturally with philanthropy. The way we present ourselves often tells a story long before we speak. Confidence becomes a platform. Creativity becomes connection. Influence becomes an opportunity to lift others.
The three women featured in these pages have built successful careers in remarkably different ways. Each has built a life rooted in excellence, yet none defines success by professional achievement alone. Instead, they measure it by the relationships they've cultivated, the organizations they've strengthened, and the opportunities they've created for others. Their influence extends well beyond boardrooms, boutiques, or fundraising events. It can be found in mentoring future leaders, supporting local families, preserving beloved community institutions, and quietly inspiring others to become more engaged in the place they call home. One found purpose through nonprofit leadership and advocacy. Another creates beauty through design while weaving philanthropy into every stage of her business. The third has inspired hundreds of women to discover that leadership begins simply by saying yes to serving others.
Their styles are different.
Their careers are different.
Their journeys are different.
But they share something far more important.
Each has chosen to use her success as a catalyst for strengthening the community she calls home.
Because true style is never defined by what hangs in your closet.
It is reflected in how you lead, how you give, and how you make others feel.
Meet three Greenwich women proving that influence is most beautiful when it's shared.
Compassion often begins with seeing needs that others overlook. For Angelique Dawson, giving back has become both a personal mission and a family legacy. Some people collect beautiful things. Angelique Dawson prefers collecting opportunities to make a difference. When Angelique Dawson speaks about fashion, she lights up. She delights in bold color, exceptional craftsmanship, and timeless design, whether she's attending Paris Fashion Week, discovering a local boutique, or supporting the artisans behind every beautiful piece. But ask what truly defines her, and the conversation quickly shifts from couture to community.
"I've realized that fulfillment comes from purpose rather than accomplishments alone," she says.
An attorney by training, entrepreneur, investor, wife, stepmother, and grandmother, Dawson spent years building a successful career before discovering an even greater calling through philanthropy. Introduced to Neighbor to Neighbor by a close friend after making Greenwich her full-time home, she was struck by the reality that food insecurity and financial hardship exist just minutes from some of the town's most affluent neighborhoods.
Serving on the organization's board transformed her perspective. Volunteering in the pantry, she says, has taught her humility, empathy, and the power of simply showing up.
Her commitment to giving extends beyond Neighbor to Neighbor. Through the Angelique and William F. Dawson Jr. Charitable Trust, she supports organizations including Reach Prep, amfAR, and the American Red Cross—an organization especially meaningful after losing her father to complications from sickle cell disease. In 2027, she will co-chair the American Red Cross Metro New York North Red & White Ball, helping advance awareness and lifesaving blood donation initiatives.
To many, those moments are the glamorous side of philanthropy, the galas, elegant evenings, and fundraising celebrations. But Dawson is quick to point out that the real work happens long before guests arrive. It happens in food pantries, through volunteer shifts, board meetings, and countless conversations about how to better serve neighbors in need. Whether she's helping stock shelves at Neighbor to Neighbor or advocating for blood donation awareness, she believes meaningful impact is created through consistency, compassion, and a willingness to show up.
Whether she's in a boardroom, a pantry, or on Greenwich Avenue, Dawson believes style is ultimately about authenticity.
"There is nothing traditional about me," she says with a smile. "I've been reminded of that many times, and honestly, it makes me proud."
For Dawson, the most beautiful accessory anyone can wear isn't found in a jewelry box, it's a generous heart, a willingness to serve, and the courage to lead with compassion.
For Katie Fong, creativity doesn't end at the sewing table. Her greatest designs may be the relationships she's cultivated throughout the Greenwich community. Designer Katie Fong believes the most beautiful creations are built through relationships, generosity, and heart.
Long before Katie Fong opened the doors to her Greenwich boutique, she was sketching gowns, dreaming of becoming a fashion designer, and learning that beautiful things are created with intention. Today, while her timeless designs have become synonymous with elegance, the life she's built extends far beyond fashion.
"I used to think success meant being the most well-known," she says. "Now it's about creating something meaningful for real women and building genuine relationships."
Born and raised in Greenwich, Fong studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology before apprenticing with iconic fashion houses including Oscar de la Renta, Stella McCartney, and Vera Wang. In 2013, she took a leap of faith, leaving her corporate career to launch the Katie Fong Collection from her parents' library. Two years later, she opened her boutique just off Greenwich Avenue, where she continues designing custom pieces while raising two young sons with her husband, Owen.
Walk into her boutique and you'll quickly understand that Fong isn't simply creating gowns. She's helping women celebrate life's most meaningful moments. From weddings and galas to milestone celebrations, every sketch begins with listening. She believes exceptional design starts with understanding the woman wearing it, creating pieces that feel effortless, timeless, and unmistakably personal. That same philosophy carries into every organization she supports: relationships always come first.
That same commitment to craftsmanship has naturally extended into philanthropy. Over the years, she's become deeply involved with organizations including the Bruce Museum, Greenwich Hospital, and Mothers for Others, where she serves on the board and helps lead fundraising initiatives.
For Fong, volunteering has never been about checking a box, it's about creating connection. Many of her closest friendships began while serving alongside others, united by a common purpose.
She believes strong communities are built the same way she approaches design: thoughtfully, collaboratively, and with authenticity. Whether she's creating a custom gown, mentoring another volunteer, or introducing a friend to a nonprofit she loves, relationships always come first.
"Success isn't just about personal achievement," she says. "It's about using your time and your talents to lift others up."
In both fashion and philanthropy, Fong proves that the most enduring designs aren't simply worn—they're woven into the fabric of the community she proudly calls home.
Leadership doesn't always arrive at the perfect moment. Sometimes it's born from life's greatest challenges and the people who refuse to let you face them alone. Former Junior League of Greenwich president Sammie Lazar Jacobs believes the greatest legacy is inspiring others to lead.
If you spend even a few minutes with Sammie Lazar Jacobs, one thing becomes immediately clear: she believes community isn't something you inherit, it's something you build.
A lifelong Greenwich resident, Jacobs met her husband in third grade before life eventually brought them back home to raise their own family. Today, after serving as the most recent President of the Junior League of Greenwich and continuing her work with The Rowan Center, she remains committed to strengthening the community that shaped her.
"My kids are my 'why,'" she says. "They get to see firsthand that serving your community isn't something you talk about it's something you do."
That commitment was tested when her son faced serious medical complications shortly after birth. As she stepped away from a leadership role she had eagerly accepted, she feared the opportunity had passed. Instead, the women of the Junior League surrounded her with unwavering support, encouraging her to return when the time was right. She went on to serve in successive leadership roles before completing her term as President during the League's 2025–26 year.
The experience reinforced a lesson she carries into every part of her life: resilience matters more than perfection.
As President of the Junior League of Greenwich during the 2025–26 League year, Jacobs helped lead one of the community's most respected volunteer organizations through another year of service, leadership development, and civic engagement. Yet she insists the title was never the goal. Instead, she hopes her journey encourages more people, especially young women to step into leadership before they feel completely ready. "Why not me?" has become more than a personal mantra; it's an invitation she extends to anyone wondering if they can make a difference.
Whether she's advocating for survivors through The Rowan Center, pursuing a graduate degree in Psychology and Spirituality at Columbia University, or encouraging others to volunteer, Jacobs believes leadership begins with asking one simple question: Why not me?
Her personal style is vintage, colorful, and unapologetically bold which perfectly mirrors her outlook on life.
"I like to describe myself as a human disco ball," she says. "I want to be a reflection of light."
For Jacobs, philanthropy isn't simply about giving back. It's about showing others what's possible, creating opportunities for people to shine, and ensuring every family has the chance not just to survive but to truly thrive.
Communities are never defined by a single leader or a single organization. They are shaped by people who quietly choose to give more than they take, who recognize that the greatest influence isn't measured by titles or accomplishments, but by the lives they touch along the way. Long after the gala ends, the gown is carefully stored away, and the photographs become cherished memories, what endures is the impact left behind through generosity, compassion, and service. Angelique Dawson, Katie Fong, and Sammie Lazar Jacobs remind us that while fashion may reflect personal style, philanthropy reflects character. In Greenwich, the most timeless statement anyone can make isn't what they wear it's how they choose to lead, give back, and strengthen the community they proudly call home.
"Fulfillment comes from purpose. Every act of generosity, no matter how small, has the power to strengthen someone else's life." -- Angelique Dawson
"Every community becomes stronger when people stop waiting for someone else to help and realize they already have everything they need to make a meaningful difference." -- Sammie Lazar Jacobs