Lisa Shafran is The Republic’s 2022 Woman of the Year.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
Lisa Shafran may be retired, but her servant’s heart remains very much at work in Bartholomew County. With gratitude for her remarkable contributions and dedicated service to our community over the years, The Republic is pleased to honor Shafran as its 2022 Woman of the Year.
We will gather a week from today, June 16, to celebrate Shafran’s accomplishments at a building that is closely associated with just one small portion of her record of community service — The Commons.
While she was working at the Heritage Fund – The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County not quite 20 years ago, Shafran was tasked with raising $3 million in the “Save The Commons Now” effort. As The Republic’s Mark Webber reported in a recent profile, Shafran delivered, raising more than $4.2 million.
A hallmark of respected leadership is a willingness, if not an imperative, to share praise, credit and accomplishment with those who make it possible. In that regard, Shafran is a true leader. Of her Commons task, she said, “It wasn’t a singular effort. We had a great team. I would say that (former Heritage Fund Executive Director) Sherry Stark was, hands down, my mentor and a tremendous friend. And I’ve learned everything I need to know about fundraising from (former Cummins Inc. President) Jim Henderson.”
The Republic’s Woman of the Year award honors one individual “for unselfish contributions toward creating a vital community and a high quality of life with an emphasis on long-term activity, hands-on work and diverse involvement.” Shafran’s contributions perfectly fit the bill.
Until her recent retirement as director for eight years of Turning Point Domestic Violence Services, the regional agency’s programming and funding were considerably expanded under her stewardship. She told Webber the experience of leading Turning Point was both the most rewarding and most challenging of her life.
Shafran remains a realist, knowing domestic violence remains a fact of life for too many, but she’s also optimistic. She told Webber, “I have great hope that young people today will have a different way of treating each other. Hopefully, they will be able to eradicate it someday.”
Before leading Turning Point, Shafran worked on a range of projects from improving literacy to professional development, and with organizations including Columbus Service League, United Way and the Hawcreek-Flat Rock Area Endowment, among others.
Through all of these efforts, Shafran has demonstrated a knack for creative problem solving and found new ways to tackle tough problems. Time and again, she has shown exemplary leadership, gotten things done and inspired those she works with.
We congratulate Shafran, and we thank readers of The Republic who nominated her and many other deserving candidates for Woman of the Year. Just as we are gratified to honor Lisa Shafran, we’re impressed by the contributions of so many women who are dedicated to making a difference in our community.
