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Looking Back at 20 Years of Charlotte History

By Leslie Cramer

Our Lunch & Learn on November 14, 2023, focused on Looking Back at 20 Years of Charlotte History. Reflecting on 2003, when the Women’s Impact Fund was founded, Charlotte’s population stood at 750,000 people. There was no Spectrum Center or NASCAR Hall Of Fame or light rail.

Moderator Lakisha Rios, Director of Development and Engagement at Leadership Charlotte and a WIF member, led the discussion of our city’s rich history and rapid growth over the past two decades. We were lucky to hear from three powerhouse ladies Meg Fencil, Amy Jacobs, and Terri White. Each of these women holds executive roles within some Queen City nonprofits supported by the Women’s Impact Fund. The focus was on how the needs of the community have evolved and how these organizations have adjusted and thrived amid those changes.

Meg Fencil, Director of Engagement and Impact at Sustain Charlotte talked about improving transportation and connectivity within the city and partnering with government and nonprofits. As the city has grown, lower-income households have been pushed further away from the city center. This has created issues with connecting those individuals to employment opportunities as many of them do not have cars. She stressed that as we design the city for the future physical mobility (via walking, biking, and public transportation) is the driving force for economic mobility. The WIF grant has given them the flexibility and credibility to continue to work towards long-term, sustainable solutions to long-standing connectivity and land use problems in Charlotte.

Amy Jacob serves as the Chief Opportunity Officer at Common Wealth Charlotte highlighted the impact of the area’s increasing population on the rising cost of living, outpacing the growth of the average median income. Common Wealth comes alongside low-income families and individuals to stretch their dollars and provide extra support by building trust within the community. The grant from WIF has supported their operational budget and kept them open during the pandemic that disproportionately affected these low-income communities. Terri White, named one of the Most Admired CEOs by the Charlotte Business Journal in 2023, is the CEO of the Charlotte Museum of History. She shares the museum’s transformation from a narrow focus on certain stories to a more inclusive approach. The museum now contains diverse stories from individuals and organizations that have impacted the story of our city. In addition to more traditional history such as the colonial South, the museum highlights more recent events, such as celebrating the history of the Charlotte Hornets for their 35th anniversary as a current exhibit.

Access the recording of the Lunch & Learn here on our Vimeo page.

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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.