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Meet Our Newest Staff Member

By Fielding Williams

Welcome to Michele Schuermann, our newest staff member who works a weekly average of 10 hours as an Administrative Coordinator. When we asked Michele about herself, we found she possesses a multifaceted career reflecting a lifelong dedication to nurturing and empowering others.

Before raising her family, her passion for early childhood education led her to become a first-grade teacher in under-resourced schools within the Charlotte Mecklenburg system. Her compassion extended to Lincoln County Schools where she served as a preschool teacher in a blended classroom, fostering a love of learning for special needs children and typically developing peers.

Returning to the workforce after staying home with her children, she seamlessly combines her skills as an Account Executive and Social Media Manager for Lake Norman Woman Magazine, a publication dedicated to celebrating and uplifting local women. This role aligns perfectly with her commitment to empowering others, further exemplified by her work as a Fluency Interventionist with Helping Education, a nonprofit organization focused on supporting marginalized students and communities.

Leadership also plays a key role in her life. She founded and currently leads her daughter’s Girl Scout troop, fostering teamwork and a sense of community involvement in the younger generation. Driven by a desire to make a positive impact, her dedication permeates every aspect of her life.

Originally hailing from Ohio, she relocated to North Carolina in 2004, captivated by the state’s beauty. As a proud resident with four amazing children – two boys and two girls – she acknowledges the state’s charm makes it an ideal place to call home.

She looks forward to meeting members at the upcoming events. Be sure to tell her hello as we are so grateful to have her as part of our staff.

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Janet LaBar

Executive Director​
jlabar@womensimpactfund.org

With more than 25 years of experience, Janet has a proven track record of leading organizations and teams in developing strategies that foster thriving communities. Her career is dedicated to the well-being of the places she serves, and the people and businesses within them, positioning her as a trusted sounding board, critical thinker, and purposeful protagonist across corporate, government, education, entrepreneurial, and civic spheres.
Janet joined Women’s Impact Fund in June 2025 to guide one of Charlotte’s most respected, women-led philanthropic organizations into its next phase of growth and impact. In partnership with the Women’s Impact Fund team, Board, Advisors, members, volunteers, and key community partners, she will continue strengthening communities by maximizing women’s leadership in philanthropy through collective giving, education, and engagement.
Inspired by her family, teams who dare greatly, and people and communities striving to be their best selves, Janet’s impactful career includes leadership roles as President and CEO of Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, President and CEO of Greater Portland Inc, and Chief Performance Officer of Greater Phoenix Economic Council. As a first-generation Filipino American, her lived experience deeply informs her professional drive to create equitable economic growth and opportunity in the metro areas she’s served.
She holds a BA in Communication Arts from the University of West Florida and an MBA in Marketing from the University of Phoenix. Janet and her husband James are proud parents to an older daughter, and a daughter and son who are twins.