Charlotte leaders share their journeys for Women’s History Month

CITY OF CHARLOTTE

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles is the first participant in The Post’s “HER Story = OUR Story” Women’s History Month conversations.

The Post’s Women’s History Month initiative is focused on the present.

HER Story = OUR Story is a month of fireside chats with women who have carved out paths as leaders in the political, nonprofit, arts and business circles. The gatherings start March 4 at West Boulevard Library (2157 West Boulevard) with Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, the first Black woman elected to the office.

Subsequent conversations will include Charlotte Museum of History CEO and President Terri White (March 11), Tchernavia Montgomery, CEO of the health care nonprofit Care Ring (March 18) and Shanté Williams (March 24). The hour-long conversations will start at 6 p.m. Online registration is recommended.

Lyles, who was Charlotte’s mayor pro tem before her election as mayor in 2017, is a former city employee, including budget director and assistant city manager.

In more than 30 years of public service, Lyles learned fiduciary responsibilities of government as well as constituent service. As a nonprofit executive, there was fundraising and connecting causes with activism. They all prepared her for the city’s top job.

“When I look back on what I’ve done, I was a part of Leadership Charlotte, I was a part of the [Black Political] Caucus; I was a part of the Arts & Science Council,” she told The Post in a 2018 interview. “United Way allocations was my first real commitment to the philanthropic community, so when I look back at it, I’ve had great preparation for it.”

CARE RING

Tchernavia Montgomery is CEO of Care Ring, a Charlotte health care nonprofit.

Montgomery, who has been Care Ring’s CEO since 2021, has more than 20 years of health and human services experience. A licensed clinical social worker, moved to Care Ring from Crisis Assistance Ministry, where she was chief program officer.

Care Ring serves more than 7,000 Mecklenburg County residents annually through programs that include direct primary care in the Low-Cost Clinic, coordination of donated primary and specialty care and hospital-based services through Physicians Reach Out, and Nurse-Family Partnership, an evidence-based, two-year nurse home visitation program for new mothers.

White, president and CEO of Charlotte Museum of History since 2022, previously worked in development and operations roles at the Heinz History Center and Carnegie Science Center in her native Pittsburgh and Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., where she earned a bachelor’s degree at Howard University.

As the museum’s leader, White expanded the campus’ profile and programming beyond its traditional focus on colonial Charlotte, where the museum is home to the Hezekiah Alexander House, Mecklenburg’s oldest. As a result, attendance, revenue, memberships, grants and relationships with the business and nonprofit communities have improved. A capital campaign—the first for the museum since 1999 is in the works as well, with an anticipated launch in 2026.

Williams, who became Opera Carolina’s first Black or woman general director in its 75-year history last year, leads the oldest continually operating opera company in the Southeast

Williams, a venture capitalist and CEO of Black Pearl Vision and its parent company, Black Pearl Global Investments, succeeded James Meena, who will remain as artistic director and principal conductor.

A Charlotte native, Williams’ path to Opera Carolina started with a two-year stint on its board of directors. She also sponsored the production of “The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson” before her appointment.

Comments