Women's History Month: Community Builders

In celebration of Women’s History Month, we’re introducing some of the incredible women+ of Schuler Shook.? In addition to their passion for business development, theatre planning, and lighting design, the women featured this week are also largely involved in their local communities. ?

Heather McAvoy is not only a theatre planning Principal in the San Francisco Bay office; she also serves as Board President for the Half Moon Bay Shakespeare Company and as the Vice-Chair of the Customer Advisory Committee for her local water system. Heather’s family has a deep culture and history of community service and volunteerism. She shares, “I have also been a youth soccer referee for about 20 years. I wasn't very good at sitting on the sidelines, and my older sister had become an active volunteer in AYSO, so she inspired me to start refereeing. A highlight of my refereeing "career" was when my sister Colleen (who died of cancer in 2016) and I refereed tournament final games on adjacent fields. She reffed the boy’s game and I reffed the girl’s game. The pool of referees is always male dominated, so it's great to get out there on the pitch and be a role model for the girls.” ?

Lorna Luebbers, a Marketing and Business Development Principal based in our Chicago office, wears many hats professionally and recharges by volunteering. “Using my skills to help others achieve their goals is such a boost for me. That can be providing meals for students before their tutoring program, connecting refuge families with bikes and laptops, and cleaning up waterways. I enjoy learning from all the different people I meet. New people broaden my perspective.”

Recent efforts included helping to clear fallen trees near the Shawnee Wine Trail.

Emily Klingensmith, a Partner in the Chicago office, shares how she got into lighting design: “I've always been interested in design, architecture, and math.? I'm a visual person - I like thinking about composition, aesthetics, and how things can be designed to help focus your attention in a space.? I discovered architectural lighting design by accident - I stumbled across an architectural engineering program while looking at colleges and learned there was a lighting design option.? I jumped in and have never looked back.”

Outside of work, she spends most of her free time chauffeuring her daughters to their various after-school activities. In addition to being a lighting designer, Emily also volunteers with her local scout community, “I’m a Girl Scout troop co-leader for my younger daughter. We have 32 girls, so it can be chaotic, but it’s great fun helping them try and learn new things.” ?

Join us next week as we introduce some more extraordinary women+ of Schuler Shook.