Meet Our Philanthropy & Leadership Honoree: Helen Owen
Presented to a leader whose generosity of time, resources, and influence has strengthened the community and created opportunities for others, the Philanthropy & Leadership Award celebrates someone who turns a commitment to giving back into lasting impact.
This year, we're especially honored to present it to our inaugural honoree, Helen Owen, who celebrated her 80th birthday this August.
Helen Owen's commitment to community began early. A Santa Clara native, she grew up working on her family's farm, where she learned the value of hard work, family, and giving back. Helen's commitment to community began at just 16 years old, working with children and adults with disabilities, a value she learned from her mother. Those values have shaped decades of service across Silicon Valley.Helen has held leadership roles with organizations including Santa Clara University's Catala Club, Board of Fellows, and Board of Regents; HOPE Services; O'Connor Hospital Foundation; Valle Monte League; Catholic Charities; JW House; and many other local nonprofit and civic organizations. Her work with HOPE Services and Morgan Autism Center is among what she considers her proudest contributions, including helping organize fashion shows that gave individuals with disabilities the chance to model alongside Bay Area icons Ronnie Lott, Jerry Rice, and Roger Craig, and teaching participants interview skills along the way.
Her philanthropy has always been hands-on. She co-chaired HOPE Services' first Concours de HOPE, raising nearly $400,000, and later served as founding president of JW House, helping raise $2.5 million to build a home away from home for families with loved ones receiving medical care in the South Bay. She continues to serve JW House in an advisory role today.
Helen has also taken on ambitious fundraising challenges personally. She raised more than $50,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society while completing the San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, and later earned the organization's Silicon Valley Woman of the Year recognition after raising more than $100,000.
Her leadership and service have been recognized with honors including Volunteer Fundraiser of the Year from the Silicon Valley Chapter of the National Society of Fund Raising Executives and the Nicholas Green Humanitarian Award.
What distinguishes Helen, though, is not simply how much she has raised or how many boards she has served on. She is known as the volunteer who will lead from the boardroom, welcome guests at the gala, and still be there before or after the event moving furniture, carrying boxes, or doing whatever is needed to make the work successful.
For Helen, philanthropy has always been personal. It means showing up, doing the work, and helping build a stronger community for the generations that follow. In recent years, she has made it her mission to inspire and educate the next generation of community-minded leaders—especially women—to carry forward her legacy of service and help create a stronger, more inclusive region for all.
"Giving back has always been part of who I am. I was raised to believe that when you have the opportunity to help, you do. And when we each do our part, we build a stronger community for everyone."
Dress for Success San Jose is proud to recognize Helen Owen with the 2026 Philanthropy & Leadership Award at Women Who Inspire.
Dress for Success San Francisco/San Jose empowers women to achieve economic mobility by providing a network of support, workplace attire, and career skills and tools for success.