While we’re proud of all our Impact San Antonio members, our legacy members — those who have been with us from the earliest years — hold a special place in our hearts. Two of those members are Allison De Paoli and Jo Anne Johnson. We visited with them recently to find out what inspired them to join and keeping coming back year after year.
How did you first hear about Impact San Antonio? Who recruited you to become a member?
De Paoli: Through Rose Mary Fry. I had met her not long before Impact SA was formed. She sent out a casual email in her inimitable way, and I thought it might be interesting. I went to the meeting — the concept of a women’s giving circle was completely new to me — and I thought it sounded like something I wanted to join.
Johnson: During Impact SA’s second year in San Antonio, Rose Mary Fry and Jackie Pugh invited me to attend an Impact meeting. Jackie, Rose Mary and I were in a book club together, and I had grown to have tremendous respect for their judgment. That is why I first joined.
What roles have you held in the organization over the years?
De Paoli: I was on the board for several years early in our history. I remember putting on Grant Award Night at Sonterra Country Club in one of their small rooms and then at Say Si for a few years. Some of my favorite memories of Impact SA are standing in the back watching our members respond to the grant finalists. I also served on several Grant Review Committees.
Johnson: During my first year of membership, I served on a committee evaluating several charities and become enthusiastic about Impact SA’s organization and methods.
What have you enjoyed most about your time in Impact SA?
De Paoli: The growth and steadfastness of Impact SA have been amazing. It took a little bit to get off the ground, but now it seems unstoppable. Impact SA has shown that women can and will give financially, not just of their time, and that gives us a bigger seat at the communal table. And the members! I know many of the early members and I have met many lovely women at Impact SA events.
Johnson: One of the benefits of participating on a committee is learning so much more about the San Antonio area.
What has impressed you the most about Impact SA?
De Paoli: The level of seriousness with which everything is executed. And I don’t mean to say we don’t have a good time — clearly, we know how to throw a party! We all know that member dues are passed on at 100 percent, and that means all operational and event needs are funded through sponsorships and very low-cost event fees. When I look at Impact from afar, I see critical thinking running through the entire organization — operations, grant review, award and follow-up and member engagement specifically. We expect a high standard from our grant recipients, and I think that Impact surpasses those standards.
Johnson: That Impact SA becomes better every year is most impressive!
What is your career, and how long have you done that?
De Paoli: I own a boutique employee benefits firm, Altiqe Consulting. We help employers get budgeting predictability back into their healthcare spending with the happy side effect of lower out-of-pocket costs for their employees and better access to high-quality care. I was fortunate enough to be named one of the Top Women in Advising in 2019 by BenefitsPro for our work in helping employers control one of their highest costs. I have been in the employee benefits space in one role or another for almost all my career, starting with working for my parents at their boutique employee benefits firm in Florida.
Johnson: I am retired now, but I spent many years in a very interesting career with USAA’s Investment Management Company. A number of years ago, I also became a member of the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) in Washington, D.C. Throughout history and all over the world, women’s art has been largely ignored except at this museum. Currently, I enjoy serving as a vice president of the Texas Chapter of NMWA.
