Heidi Schneider and the magic of Impact 100
Heidi Schneider is passionate about Impact 100. She joined during COVID19, upon returning to Cincinnati after 10 years working in Boston. Heidi jumped right in, joining a Grant Review Team (GRT) and joining the Impact board as co-chair of Recruiting. “I love the organization – the great, multi-generational women and the shared purpose of women working together for transformational change.”
A mom of two active boys, ages seven and eight, Heidi has worked at General Electric, now GE Vernova, for 10 years. She currently leads Risk & Governance for the Global Compliance team at GE Vernova. She grew up outside of Cleveland before coming to Cincinnati to attend Xavier University, where she earned a BA in English and Political Science.
After college, she moved to Boston, where she met her husband – a native of Cincinnati! They moved back to town before their children were born, to be nearer family.
“In Boston, we were involved in many nonprofits and our church. When we moved back to Cincinnati, I didn’t have those connections,” Heidi notes.
Annemarie Henkel, a former Impact 100 president, introduced Heidi to the organization over lunch. “Then, I went to an Impact 100 event at the Art Museum and fell in love with the group,” Heidi says. “It was inspiring to see women of all ages and different backgrounds coming together for one purpose.”
Joining the board helped her understand nonprofits in Cincinnati, and it expanded her networking in her new location. “I don’t have a lot of time to give to volunteer, so I want to be transformational with what I can give,” she says. Serving on the board, she got to know and understand people from different backgrounds, and she improved public speaking skills. “I met women I still keep in touch with. All the members want to do their best. I see a great spirit of collaboration to get things done!”
As her career evolved, Heidi’s role became more demanding, with much international travel to oversee sustainability and human rights. This took her to places like Poland and China. With this increased responsibility, she had to pull back from Impact 100 activities.
“But this is the magic of Impact 100,” Heidi says, “Even when I couldn’t physically participate, I knew my membership dollars were going to a well-deserving local nonprofit that was vetted by our organization.”
This year, Heidi looks forward to becoming more involved in Impact 100 and sharing her passions with the group, which she feels is “a significant catalyst for creating an equitable, thriving community for all.”
Written by Pat Frey, Impact 100 member
