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Recap of Women & Wisdom: Women & Work: The Opportunity & The Opportunity Cost

By Haley Arellano

This week Women’s Impact Fund held one of our signature events, Women & Wisdom, at the Goodwill Opportunity Campus. This year, the title of the event was Women & Work: The Opportunity & The Opportunity Cost and attendees heard a panel discussion between three experts on this topic:

  • Dr. Michelle Meggs, Executive Director of the UNC-Charlotte Women + Girls Research Alliance (Moderator)
  • Dr. Kristi Lee Snuggs, President of the Childcare Services Association
  • Dr. Jill Yavorsky, Associate Professor in Sociology & Organizational Science

Read our speakers’ full bios here.

In 2023, North Carolina ranked as America’s worst state for working women according to a report prepared by Oxfam America Inc. This is just one of the many statistics – some frustrating and some hopeful – cited in the Working Women section of the North Carolina Justice Center’s 2023 State of Working North Carolina Report. Dr. Yavorsky shared results of other research into the inequity for women in their households and in the workplace, including jarring figures around the increase in workload for women when they have children (and the lack of this same increase for men). She noted that while women’s rights have progressed a great deal since the 1960s, we’ve seen a “stall” in progress since the 1990s.

With these challenges in mind, Dr. Snuggs and Dr. Yavorsky shared their thoughts on potential solutions to the issues facing working women, including (but not limited to) affordable childcare subsidized through public money, paid leave, making sure the right people are in the room for policy discussions, reversing devaluation of women’s jobs and a shift in mindset on working norms for both men and women.  Dr. Snuggs led the audience on a deep dive into the childcare crisis in the US and specifically in North Carolina. She highlighted that childcare for pre-school age children should be considered a “failed market” and requires government subsidies.

The discussion was closed out with questions from the audience and some suggestions for how we, as women in North Carolina, can affect change. Attendees were welcomed to stay after the event for further discussion.

WIF thanks our Corporate Partners for their support of this and other important events!

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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.