Stacey Dowdle is a study of contrasts.
She’s creative, passionate, athletic, a corporate philanthropic executive, proud mother, and avid churchgoer.
She also loves the beach. It’s where her talents and gifts congeal. As she puts it, “The beach is where the music is for me.”
That’s why living in Delray Beach is the backdrop of her dreams. It always has been.
“The ocean has been an important part of my life. From summers with my family in Fire Island to swimming in Montauk and Rhode Island,” said Dowdle.
But spending time at the beach usually takes a back seat to her worldly accomplishments. And there are many.
Dowdle graduated from the University of Rhode Island and was a Division I track and field athlete, competing in the 400- and 800-meter events.
800-meter events.
Athletics taught her valuable life lessons that has sustained her career and her life. The most important being discipline, perseverance, and the refusal to give up.
Her slogan is simple: “Attack it. Get it done.”
That philosophy was an inherited trait she got from her father, John. He taught high school mathematics and was disciplined, smart and gregarious. He also loved his students and found ways to engage them.
Stacey remembers being fascinated by watching him teach classes. He also taught drama and band club after school, bringing humor and creativity to the classroom.
“He was my mentor,” she says.
Her mother, Anne, was another profound influence. Stacey’s friends called her “St. Anne,” a reflection of her kindness, character and strong faith.
Faith is also a central part of Dowdle’s life. She is an active member of St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church and sings in their choir. One of her favorite mentors was Father Charles Matonti, a priest from her family’s church, Good Shepherd. The two were exceptionally close.
“He taught me that the most important thing in life is bringing peace to others. If you are bringing peace to others, there is nothing to be afraid of he said.”
That might explain Dowdle’s fearlessness and dedication to any task at hand. It also connects her to the world of philanthropy.
It was a circuitous venture but started when she was recruited right out of college to GEM Capital. After GEM she worked at Loomis Sayles in their sales and institutional marketing for the pension fund industry.
She was thrilled.
“I started my career in finance. I loved the projections, the architecture and design of mathematics.”
At the time, Dowdle was the only woman in the boardroom on Wall Street. Her work involved generating new business and working with institutional clients. The skills she developed – building relationships, understanding goals and demonstrating value – they became the foundation of her philanthropic career.
After 30 years in the industry, Dowdle started her own company, called Finance & Philanthropy. As a family office advisor, she helps families, foundations and nonprofits connect financial strategy with charitable purpose.
The seeds for philanthropy may have been planted in her youth, but they flourished as she climbed the corporate ladder.
She has volunteered with the Boys & Girls Club of Delray Beach and served as its president in 2010. One of her favorite initiatives is their “Love to Read Day,” where volunteers read to children.
Dowdle is also involved with the Rotary Club Delray Beach and recently received their Distinguished Service Award. At the Rotary she helps provide clothing and shoes to children experiencing homelessness. She’s involved in their initiative to put fresh clothing in lockers at Delray public schools.
Dowdle also volunteers with the Miracle League of Palm Beach County and Habitat for Humanity of Greater Palm County. She was recently a sponsor for their Women of Vision, Raising the Roof event. She has also volunteered at AVDA, Eat Better Live Better and Tunnel to Towers.
Dowdle’s philanthropic scope is varied, but her motivation remains consistent.
“I love humanity and want to make a difference in this world. At the end of my life I want to say that I gave it every bit of talent I have.”
And so far she has. She works 50 to 60 hours a week and derives great satisfaction from her work, her creative endeavors, and her family.
The light of her life is her daughter Delaney. She recently graduated from Saint John Paul II Academy and is headed to Notre Dame.
“Delaney is the first thing I think of and the last thing I think of each day. She is my world.”
She describes Delaney as quirky, disciplined, funny and compassionate. “Everything there is to know about being in love is the way that I feel about my child.”
Dowdle is also a fierce and devoted athlete. She ran the Firecracker Run in Delray Beach on July 4 and continues to participate in charitable athletic events.
Dowdle has spent her life running – on tracks, along beaches, through boardrooms and into the heart of her community.
She ran toward Wall Street and built a career in a male-dominated industry. She ran toward philanthropy to help others, and she continues to run toward people and causes that need help.
Her philosophy is rooted in faith, but is also practical: identify a need, bring people together, create a plan and get it done.
“God gave me these talents, and they are to be used for His purposes, not mine.”
And they are.
Children receive new clothes, students discover the joy of reading, nonprofits gain a sustainable future or a family finds a meaningful way to give.
It is this philosophy that has carried Dowdle from the streets of Manhattan to the beaches of Delray. From Wall Street boardrooms to nonprofits around the world.
It is faith that sustains her, and hard work, passion, and purpose that keep her moving forward.
