When Sarah Fawcett-Lee relocated to South Jersey in January 2019, she was looking for a group of women with kindred spirits that she could know both personally and professionally. After living in Baltimore, MD for 30 years, she describes moving to South Jersey as a “big adventure” for her and her husband, “It was good to be somewhere different, and to learn a new city and new area for a different experience.”
It was not long after she came to South Jersey that she learned of Impact100. A few members, including Lois Greco, suggested she join the organization and spoke so highly of the group that she was intrigued. Sarah thought to herself, “living in this new community, in such an amazing place, with people who really care about their community. I want to be a part of that!”
The first time she came across the group was later in 2019 at a gathering for professional advisors at an event organized by the Community Foundation of South Jersey. The presentations given by three Impact100 grant awardees were so compelling she knew she needed to join.
Sarah wanted to join the group immediately, but she missed the first cycle because of her busy schedule. Maybe the delay in joining was because during the first year of relocating she was also adjusting to her new role.
She joined Impact100 at the very next opportunity and is an official member. Sarah is also on the Grant Review Committee. A philanthropist at heart, Sarah is always giving back – particularly to Virtua Health and to her church.
Sarah Fawcett–Lee is Senior Vice President and Chief Philanthropy Officer for Virtua Health, the largest healthcare provider in South Jersey. She has 31 foundation trustees between the Lourdes Foundation and Virtua Health Foundation that she works with very closely. In her new role, before the pandemic, she was constantly on the go because of the many nonprofit social events she attended. Now, with fewer face-to-face events to attend, work life balance has given her the space to join a women’s giving circle.
Sarah also found some time to reintroduce running into her life. A distance runner for years, Sarah cut back running before locating to South Jersey. Last spring, while out for a walk with her Doberman Pincher, Ajax, Sarah spotted a neighbor running around their local track and credits her with inspiring her to get back to her past love.