Founder and Chief Executive of Impact100 Global
Recognized by Forbes in 2021 as one of 50 women over 50 who are leading the world in impact, Wendy H. Steele is the Founder of Impact100, a grassroots global movement in women’s philanthropy. Since its inception in 2001, Impact100 chapters have invested more than $105 million in local nonprofits across more than 60 cities and four countries.
Steele’s work in philanthropy is noted in several books including, The Transformative Power of Women’s Philanthropy; Women, Wealth and Giving; Women’s Giving Circles; and The Right Sisters – Modern Women Inventors. PBS Television created an hour-long documentary entitled, Impact 100: Changing Lives, Strengthening Communities, which highlights the work of Impact100 Pensacola Bay Area, the world’s largest Impact100 organization.
In 2020, Wendy was named a Distinguished Honoree of the Jones Prize in Philanthropy, an award that “honors someone who demonstrates the willingness to volunteer time, resources, and talents to improve the human condition, beyond themselves.”
Considered the Nobel Prize for community service, Steele was awarded the 2014 Jefferson Award for Public Service for her work with Impact100.
The importance of giving back with the intent to leave the world a little better than she found it was instilled in her from a young age, leading her to see that each of us has something important to give. She observes that there are two kinds of people: those who see the problems in the world and realize they can be a part of the solution and those who still need to be invited to the party.
