By: Allison Gallaspy

Since its founding in 1923, the Junior League of Greater New Haven has sought to effect positive change in the Greater New Haven community by promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and supporting the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. As the League prepares for its Centennial Anniversary, we celebrate our members and share their incredible stories, recognizing how each individual story makes up that of the League as a whole.

Cate Kellett

Cate Kellett was introduced to the Junior League of Greater New Haven when she attended their holiday party with a friend. She remembers how the group made her feel at that gathering saying, “the group seemed very friendly and laid back, so I decided to try it out.” Cate works as the Cataloging and Government Documents Librarian at Yale Law School and has become a mother since joining the JLGNH to daughter Harper, which keeps her booked and busy during the week, so she appreciates that JLGNH has adapted to offer virtual meetings and volunteer opportunities. The flexible virtual options, “helped me participate more than I could have once I had Harper.

The highlight of Cate’s membership in the Junior League was the Say Yes to the Prom Dress project, which she describes as, “the most fun and fulfilling project we’ve done during my time with JLGNH.” Ms. Kellett is also looking to future projects where she might put her professional skills to use on behalf of the League, including potentially organizing and describing the contents of JLGNH’s archive. 

By: Allison Gallaspy

Since its founding in 1923, the Junior League of Greater New Haven has sought to effect positive change in the Greater New Haven community by promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and supporting the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. As the League prepares for its Centennial Anniversary, we celebrate our members and share their incredible stories, recognizing how each individual story makes up that of the League as a whole.

Keisha Harp

Keisha joined the Junior League of Greater New Haven during the 2016-2017 League year. Among her many accomplishments, she lists first being a mom and a wife, followed by her extensive educational credentials, including a Master’s in Latin American Studies from Cambridge and a law degree from the University of London. Keisha is a New Haven local, having lived here since her family moved here from Jamaica when she was in the seventh grade. Even still, her decision to join JLGNH was influenced by wanting to perform community service and expand her social network. She’s an active woman, working 3 days a week in New York, so she admits that balancing JLGNH responsibilities with work and other roles involves making a lot of lists and having a lot of family support.

Keisha is a League leader, serving as this year’s JLGNH Assistant Finance Director. The highlight of her time in JLGNH was her involvement with the McConaughy Terrace Reading Program, which included gardening projects, yoga classes, and a Christmas Pop Up Shop. The volunteer experiences were incredibly fulfilling and “the students were so excited about working with us and open to learning new things.”

Of the JLGNH, Keisha says, “I think that the women of the Junior League of [Greater] New Haven are the friendliest and most open of all the women’s organizations that I have joined. There are so many opportunities to learn and develop personally and professionally. You just have to be open to exploring the opportunities that are presented to you.”

By: Allison Gallaspy

Since its founding in 1923, the Junior League of Greater New Haven has sought to effect positive change in the Greater New Haven community by promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and supporting the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. As the League prepares for its Centennial Anniversary, we celebrate our members and share their incredible stories, recognizing how each individual story makes up that of the League as a whole.

Allison Gallaspy

Allison Gallaspy is a Business Librarian who enjoys singing karaoke and solving puzzles. She joined the Junior League in New Orleans five years ago, but recently transferred to JLGNH when she moved to New Haven in 2022.

Allison joined the Junior League to give back to her community and meet other women who value voluntarism. In New Orleans, she saw that voluntarism respond quickly to natural disasters near and far every year. After Hurricane Laura, JLNO organized to bring diapers, formula, period products, and other supplies to displaced residents within 24 hours. Allison says, “it made me happy to be part of a caring organization and taught me that Junior Leaguers are all about action.”

She values her League experience for allowing her to assume leadership roles in two fundraisers and learn a new style of communication as the assistant editor of JLNO’s League magazine as well as teaching her more about the organizations doing the daily work of supporting women and girls. One last thing she likes about being a JLGNH member? “The League is a source of near constant positivity and belief that things can change for the better. That is a rare and special resource.”

By: Allison Gallaspy

Since its founding in 1923, the Junior League of Greater New Haven has sought to effect positive change in the Greater New Haven community by promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and supporting the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. As the League prepares for its Centennial Anniversary, we celebrate our members and share their incredible stories, recognizing how each individual story makes up that of the League as a whole.

Caitlin Gallagher

Caitlin Gallagher is currently a publicist at Yale University Press, but if you ask her, she’ll tell you she’s a “professional book flack.” She enjoys visiting writers’ homes, bookshops, and historical towns throughout New England. Caitlin joined the Junior League of New Haven in August of 2021, “in hopes of giving back to my new community while in the company of like-minded women.”

Caitlin says the highlight of her time in JLNGH is, “without doubt…making meaningful friendships with my fellow Junior Leaguers in what feels like a surprisingly short amount of time.” She also enjoyed working with other Provisionals and Active members giving back during the holiday season by making blankets for New Reach.

We’ll let Caitlin tell you one more thing about her time in JLGNH. “At a time when following Foster’s famous imperative to ‘only connect’ seems especially daunting, I’ve been so grateful to the Junior League’s members for their warmth and generosity of spirit, which make connecting with others not only possible, but fulfilling.”

By: Allison Gallaspy

Since its founding in 1923, the Junior League of Greater New Haven has sought to effect positive change in the Greater New Haven community by promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and supporting the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. As the League prepares for its Centennial Anniversary, we celebrate our members and share their incredible stories, recognizing how each individual story makes up that of the League as a whole.

Ashley Fitton

Ashley Fitton found her way to the Junior League of Greater New Haven naturally. Though she was familiar with the Junior League because her sister-in-law was a member of the New York Junior League, friends she happened to make at New Haven’s YMCA baby swim class as a new mom convinced her to join about five years ago.

Ashley has served in several leadership positions since then, including as the 2021-22 JLGNH President, 2020-2021 President Elect, as the Chair of the League’s Winetasting fundraiser, and honorary Co-Chair of the Done in a Day Committee. She describes her progression within JLGNH’s leadership as beginning with baby steps. “I wanted to feel comfortable taking on a leadership role,” she recalls. But along the way, something clicked for Ashley that changed how she viewed the opportunities available to her. “Once I realized that taking on a leadership role was half of the learning opportunity, I decided to take the plunge.”

She credits the JLGNH with helping her hone her organization skills, especially when handing responsibilities over to new Board members at the end of the League year. She also attributes her ability to balance her League responsibilities with other priorities to, “multitasking, multitasking, multitasking.”

Ashley’s highlights of her time in the League include the memories and friend she made as Winetasting chair, saying, “tough projects really do cement strong relationships!” She also appreciates the ways her League participation has expanded horizons for she and her daughter. One highlight was when she was able to bring her daughter to a League service opportunity, saying, “the opportunity to bring my daughter to the mobile food pantry was enlightening for her.” Personally, Ashley feels that JLGNH, “is very rewarding. Time spent working on League initiatives… stretches your brain in a different capacity than in my home and work lives. I’m appreciative of the opportunities to learn new things and meet new people.”

By: Allison Gallaspy

Since its founding in 1923, the Junior League of Greater New Haven has sought to effect positive change in the Greater New Haven community by promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and supporting the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. As the League prepares for its Centennial Anniversary, we celebrate our members and share their incredible stories, recognizing how each individual story makes up that of the League as a whole.

Damaris Clark-Spear

Damaris Clark-Spear works in PR when she’s not pursuing her passions of yoga, Pilates, hiking, and being outdoors– preferably at the beach. She joined the Junior League of Greater New Haven in 2018 to meet like-minded women and give back to her community in a more consistent way. She credits her involvement with JLGNH for giving her more opportunities to navigate challenging situations and disagreements to grow personally.

Damaris has previously served in JLGNH leadership positions as the Career Development co-chair and Communications Council Director. She says that these roles have given her more perspective on how to be more creative and flexible, while she hopes her continued involvement will allow her to learn more roles outside her comfort zone.

One of her favorite projects to work on was the Prom Dress Shop because it made her feel happy to be a member of the League. “It was amazing to see what a difference it made to the kids to have that experience and the pressure that it took off the parents to not have to spend that huge amount of money on prom.”

She appreciates the challenges the JLGNH Board has faced since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and say they have been very creative when rising to meet them. But Damaris is probably not surprised by that creative problem solving. To her, being a member of the Junior League means, “open-mindedness and being willing to help others.”

By: Allison Gallaspy

Since its founding in 1923, the Junior League of Greater New Haven has sought to effect positive change in the Greater New Haven community by promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and supporting the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. As the League prepares for its Centennial Anniversary, we celebrate our members and share their incredible stories, recognizing how each individual story makes up that of the League as a whole.

Amy

Amy C. joined the Junior League of Greater New Haven in 2018 and took the leap to leadership this year. Amy is an institutional investor by trade who also enjoys playing tennis, traveling, and quality time with her husband and two dogs. She loves working with numbers, so she was happy to become the League’s Finance Director for the 2021-22 League Year.

She has learned a lot as Finance Director, including what it takes to run a nonprofit like the League, how the League is managed, and gained insight into other executive board positions within the League. Amy says, “what has truly been incredible is the team of other board members who have been so willing to help me out along the way!”

Amy values her experience with JLGNH for connecting her to a community of women who share a common mission, sense of community, and spirit of voluntarism. “We all have different backgrounds,” she says, “but we’re motivated to give back to others.” Her favorite community project shows that sense of community in action -- with New Haven Reads, where after learning about the literacy project, the League collected over 120 books during a drive benefiting the organization. “It was wonderful to be part of the team that put that effort together from start to finish.”