2025 Recipient: Sandy Waters

For nearly five decades, Sandy has been a committed volunteer in the Greenwich community, dedicating her time, leadership, and passion to strengthening local institutions and advocating for education, governance, and civic engagement.

Under her 5-year presidency, LWV Greenwich expanded its digital communications and educational programming; transitioned to full 501(c) (3) status; studied and approved recommendations to improve the town’s capital project decision-making process; and preserved its rich history by donating archival materials to the Greenwich Historical Society.

As a Board Director and Chairman of the Greenwich YMCA, she helped revitalize the Board, stabilize finances, and complete a transformative construction project, securing the Y’s future as a community hub. She has also held leadership roles at the Greenwich YWCA, where she was recognized as Volunteer of the Year (1984-85), a Spirit of Greenwich Award recipient (2009), and a Gala Honoree (2019).

Sandy is also committed to quality education for all students. Following years of dedicated involvement and leadership at the school level, she served as President of the PTA Council from 1990- 1992. She started and led parents’ associations at two British schools in the 1990s. Then, she served eight years on the Greenwich Board of Education (1997-2005), and four years as its Chairman. During her tenure, the Board approved eight fiscally responsible budgets aligned with Board priorities, implemented a new governance model, revised district policies, strengthened accountability, and raised curriculum standards across all disciplines. Later, she served on the Greenwich High School MISA Building Committee (2011-2020).

She has also served on the Oberlin College Board of Trustees (2008-2012).

Married 50 years this year, Sandy and her husband Steve have 3 children and 7 grandsons. Together they enjoy physical exercise and puzzles. 

2025 Recipient: Nancy Aborn Duffy

Nancy is a 45-year resident of Greenwich. She earned a degree in education from Boston University, where she has served on the Dean’s Advisory Board of the College of General Studies. After college, Nancy taught for 5 years in the Arlington, MA Public Schools before moving to Greenwich in 1980 with her husband, Ken.

She served as President of Greenwich Newcomers shortly after moving to Greenwich and has since been an active community volunteer on the Board of the YWCA, Brunswick School Parents Association, Greenwich Academy Parents Association, and the Friends Board of Greenwich Library.

Nancy has a passion for art history. She has been a docent at the Bruce Museum for 18 years. She served on the New Bruce Capital Campaign Committee for 5 years. Currently, she is Co-chair of the Bruce Museum Council. Previously, she served on the Bruce Museum Governance and Education Committees.

Nancy currently serves on the Board of the League of Women Voters of Greenwich, the Selectman’s Nominations Advisory Committee (SNAC), and is Vice-President of the Round Hill Association. In 2019, Nancy received the Greenwich YWCA Women Who Inspire Award. In 2022, she received the LWV Mary Award.

Nancy was a principal and director at Tams-Witmark, a multigenerational family business involved in theatrical licensing until it was sold in 2018. Following the sale of the company, Nancy joined the National Board of Trustees of the Educational Theatre Foundation. She currently serves on its Executive Committee as Secretary.

Nancy and Ken are the parents of 3 adult children, ages 37, 39, and 41, and 4 grandchildren who live and work in the New York area. Leisure time is enjoyed by pursuing travel, exercise, art, and politics.  

2025 Recipient: Margarita Alban

Margarita Alban has been a dedicated volunteer in the Greenwich community for over 30 years. The skills she developed in her distinguished career at ExxonMobil, where she held senior management roles both in the U.S. and internationally, are many.

Perhaps, she is best known in Greenwich for her leadership on the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z), which she joined in 2006 and has led since 2018. At some point, virtually every Greenwich resident crosses her path. Because Margarita’s commitment to transparency and public engagement both enables and ensures civil public discourse, she promotes democracy, a value that LWV Greenwich honors with the presentation of this year's Community Impact Award.

Leadership of the Commission requires an ability to work effectively with five Commission members, a staff who implement Commission policy, at least three unique commissions (Architectural Review Committee, Historic District Commission, and P&Z Board of Appeals), and the public at large. Dispassionate and fair good judgment is required.

Margarita is a master at facing the bull’s eye of public engagement, which, in Greenwich, can be fierce on topics involving property values and quality of life. All meetings are subject to the transparency requirements of advance scheduling, public posting, and freedom of information requests. Under her leadership, P&Z has offered Zoom access for anyone who wishes to attend its meetings. Those with a variety of views are welcome to share their views without prejudice.

Hers is an effective agency of government that works well with those with diverse opinions and personalities and respects the guardrails of democracy. The fact that she stepped up to serve in such an exemplary way amid controversy is our reason for selecting her to honor this year.