Time for Tea: Greenwich Philanthropists Gather to Discuss Scaling GWI for Women’s Equal Opportunity in Business

Greenwich’s most influential women philanthropists gathered over tea to hear how Greenwich-based Girls With Impact is driving change as the non-profit leads the charge nationally on women’s equal opportunity in business.

“We thought we could blast through barriers if we just worked harder, smarter, and faster,” said Ms. Kencel as she opened-up the program. “We even wore pinstriped suits and little bow ties trying to be like men, trying to get into the corner offices and the boardrooms that they were monopolizing. We've made progress, but we're not quite there.”

The gathering – hosted by Greenwich philanthropist and GWI Council Member Robin Kencel – took place at Greenwich Country Club, featuring traditional tea - finger sandwiches, macaroons and more.

Destiny Howell, GWI Graduate and Greenwich philanthropist and GWI Council Member, Robin Kencel at the Greenwich Country Club

Ayesha Khan, co-chair of GWI’s Connecticut Regional Council, said that, despite having two boys, was “hooked” on GWI’s mission after seeing the impact in changing the lives of young women.

CEO Jennifer Openshaw updated the group on the organization’s progress – training over 18,000 young women in CT and nationwide and producing such essential outcomes as increased confidence, work readiness skills, and college admissions. The organization is now working to engage philanthropists as it embarks on its next phase of growth to 50,000 young women.

GWI graduate Angelina Solodka, 20 and a student at UConn, said GWI was a “milestone” in her life. “The program gave me so much confidence and business knowledge that I was even able to help my parents start a family business building custom furniture by using GWI business plan as a template,” she said.

Ms. Kencel’s own GWI mentee and Ph.D. candidate in space physics, Destiny Howell, said that “Being a part of the GWI community has opened up so many more opportunities than I could’ve even imagined.” Howell is the first in her family to graduate from high school and college.

This gathering served not only as an introduction to GWI’s mission but also as a call to action for community members to engage through philanthropy and advocacy and close the 50 year timeframe McKinsey sites until women are equally represented in business.