By Laura Farmer

Lizzy Sweeney vividly remembers her first introduction to Kennedy Krieger Institute when she was in high school. 

“My father, Judge Richard D. Bennett, served on the board in the 1990s. I joined him for an event at the Institute when I was in high school and the experience really stuck with me,” she shares. “It really opened my eyes to the impact the Institute has on children and families.”

Today, Lizzy has a successful career in commercial real estate and serves as Senior Director at Cushman and Wakefield, where she has worked for more than two decades. She is also a devoted mother of two high school-aged children. 

In spite of her demanding schedule, Lizzy is following in her father’s footsteps by supporting Kennedy Krieger wherever she can. Back in 2012, she got involved again at the urging of some friends who brought her on another tour of the Institute. But this time, her walk-through impacted her even more deeply than her first visit for one simple reason: now she was a mom.

“I had been exposed to Kennedy Krieger before, but walking through it as a mom changed everything,” Lizzy recalls. “I had two little kids at the time and suddenly I was seeing the Institute through a completely different lens as I was able to better understand what these families might be going through, and how life-changing Kennedy Krieger’s work is.”

The experience sparked a lasting commitment to stay involved at Kennedy Krieger and a deep respect for the profoundly important work happening within its walls. Since that time, Lizzy has held leadership roles in numerous fundraisers and committees with WIN, short for Women’s Initiative Network. She has served as WIN president, engaged her family in volunteer experiences—from patient dinners, to various carnivals at the hospital, to WIN Wednesdays—and co-chaired events like WIN Walkabout and Hats and Horses. This spring, she’ll co-chair with Jodi Love the upcoming Hope in Bloom on May 8. Lizzy appreciates the joy and camaraderie of these gorgeous parties, but she never loses sight of their bigger purpose. “Hope in Bloom will fund a new fully accessible playground for young children in Fairmount Rehabilitation programs, offering play, inclusion, and joy to children of all abilities. I’m so proud to be part of the team that is making that possible.”