Sebastien comes full circle with women’s clubs

Early on, women’s clubs played a role in helping establish Ann Sebastien’s professional career. Now retired, her membership with an area women’s club continues to play an equally important role in her life.

“We volunteer everywhere, and we raise money and give it away,” said Sebastien, who served as president of the Village Improvement Association 2020-22.

Her participation in women’s clubs goes back decades to when she and her husband, Don, were starting a family in Bethesda, Md. The two met while Ann worked as a singer for an Italian restaurant not far from the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. 

“I started working there as a senior in high school and worked six nights a week for four hours a night,” she said. “I strolled and took requests.”

Vocal lessons had given her a repertoire of classical arias, and the soprano could sing all the popular songs of the day. She made $2.25 per hour plus tips, and worked there every summer while she was in college at Notre Dame of Maryland.

“It was fun,” she said, speaking highly of the family who ran the restaurant and kept an eye on her.

One night, she finished her set at the restaurant and met up with some friends at the adjoining bar. Don was also there with some friends, and the two chatted briefly. The next night he stopped by again, and asked her out.

“And the rest is history. We were married in a year,” she said.

The two made a home in Silver Spring, and soon had two daughters. Ann stayed home with the girls after briefly working at National Geographic handling complaint letters.

She soon joined the Junior Women’s Club of Chevy Chase.

“I began volunteering and fundraising, and then after a short time became president,” she said.

Her experience as club president opened the door to opportunities with the General Federation of Women’s Clubs at the state level, and then at the national headquarters in Washington, D.C.

“During that time, I decided it was time to go back to the paid workforce,” she said. “I was hired by the Department of Commerce International Trade Administration because I could write. A lot of that came from the GFWC work. Writing reports, presenting the reports.”

She worked in unfair trade investigations, and was on board in the early 1980s when China was dumping computer chips in the U.S. market to drive down prices and injure domestic producers.

“One of the petitioners was Intel,” she said. “It’s interesting that this many years later, what are we talking about? Computer chips and our own industry. It’s quite relevant.”

China was assessed duties, Ann said, which brought the chips up to fair market value.

Born in Worcester, Mass., after World War II, Ann said her family moved to Bethesda, but always vacationed in New England.

“I never knew there were these wonderful beaches in Delaware until I married my husband,” she said.

The two eventually bought a one-bedroom condo in Newbold Square behind Rehoboth Elementary, where they spent their summers and weekends. They still own the condo, but after retiring, they bought a home in Paynter’s Mill.

After retiring to the area for good in 2010, Ann happened to run across a group of ladies selling raffle tickets to pay for a new clubhouse for the VIA. “I said, ‘Clubhouse?’ and they said yes, we’re a GFWC club. Well my ears stood up and before they said much more, I basically threw myself at them saying I want to join,” Ann said.

She joined and has been a member ever since.

“It was wonderful to join the VIA because of the wonderful women, and the friendships which are irreplaceable. The camaraderie, the ability to work in our own community has provided me with a wealth of happiness and joy,” she said.