Deborah Trefts
Staff Writer
Chautauqua Women’s Club continues its series of special presentations supplementing Chautauqua Institution’s Week One theme, “Icons and Instigators: Women Who Change the World.”
At 4 p.m. today in the Athenaeum Parlor, pioneering philanthropist Wendy H. Steele, founder and chief impact officer of Impact100, will present “Invitation to Impact: Lighting the Way Together.”
Impact100 Global — the independent women’s philanthropic nonprofit organization that launches new and enhances existing Impact100 chapters and has inspired a movement — received silver and gold Anthem Awards for Local Community Engagement, in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
For 25 years, Steele has been democratizing and revolutionizing philanthropy by empowering women to participate collaboratively in what has developed into a global “giving movement … to instigate change through connection, purpose and shared action.”
Having adopted Steele’s “model of one woman, one donation, one vote,” more than 80 Impact100 chapters in four countries have propelled such change. Her bestselling book, Invitation to Impact: Lighting the Path to Community Transformation (2023), includes personal stories and well-honed professional guidance for emerging and existing chapters.
“I grew up in a family that taught me that each of us has a responsibility to leave the world a better place than when we found it,” Steele said.
For instance, Steele’s inquisitive maternal grandparents “rolled out the red carpet” when she visited them. Her grandmother was an inviting and welcoming hostess who “built a sense of belonging for people” and inspired her to think creatively about color and design.
Steele’s grandfather was a banker who relished “helping people live their best and most financially secure life,” and “was proud that during the Great Depression they never foreclosed on a farmer.”
So persuasive was he about the good that banks can do for their communities, that when Steele grew up she not only chose his profession but also became a successful senior vice president and regional manager in Michigan before pivoting to philanthropy.
“I decided banking would be something I really enjoyed,” she said. “I feel the banking business allowed me to help people.”
Steele has been honored with numerous awards and commendations. These include being named a USA Today 2024 Woman of the Year, one of Forbes magazine’s 50 women over 50 “leading the world in impact” (2021), a Distinguished Honoree of the Jones Prize in Philanthropy (2020) and the highly coveted Jefferson Award for Public Service (2014).
“I grew up in an unremarkable family,” Steele said. “Having this idea and then doing it? The tricky part is walking it out. … I think the motivation was that I could not get it out of my mind … Keeping an open mind and not trying to build to something, but instead to the best outcome, can change the game.”
