Jeanne Schroer, the Northern Kentucky real estate executive who helped secure Life Learning Center's Covington home more than a decade ago, will be honored at the nonprofit's largest annual fundraiser on October 10.
Life Learning Center announced July 23, that Schroer, president and CEO of The Catalytic Fund, is the 2026 honoree for its Light the Way Gala at MegaCorp Pavilion in Newport. The event is the organization's biggest fundraising night of the year, supporting programs that help adults across Northern Kentucky, including Boone County residents, break cycles of poverty and unemployment.
The connection between Schroer and Life Learning Center runs deep. She helped the nonprofit secure its Covington location, according to the NKY Tribune, using the same real estate expertise that has driven more than 100 revitalization projects in Bellevue, Covington, Dayton, Ludlow, and Newport.
Life Learning Center said Schroer's community development work embodies the spirit of the gala.
Who is Jeanne Schroer?
Schroer founded The Catalytic Fund in August 2008, a community development financial institution that operates a $27 million investment fund for urban revitalization in Northern Kentucky. She has more than 40 years of experience in commercial real estate, starting as a financial analyst in Chicago before joining Corporex Cos. in 1984.
Her work has earned wide recognition. Schroer was inducted into the Northern Kentucky Business Hall of Fame in January 2020 and received Kenton County's Pioneer Award in October 2024.
"We literally started with zero resources," Schroer told The Lane Report in a March 2022 profile, describing how she launched the Catalytic Fund at the onset of the 2008 financial crisis.
About Life Learning Center
Founded in 2008 and based in Covington, Life Learning Center serves adults facing poverty, addiction, and homelessness. The nonprofit offers GED preparation, computer skills training, and vocational programs in healthcare, construction, and culinary arts. The organization celebrated its second cohort of 2026 graduates in late June.
What to know about the gala
The Light the Way Gala on Saturday, October 10, will feature an invitation-only VIP reception, cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, dinner, and entertainment. MegaCorp Pavilion is located at 101 W. 4th St. in Newport. Ticket pricing has not been announced; the 2024 gala charged $200 per person. Residents interested in attending can visit lifelearningcenter.us for updates.
This year marks a new name and a larger venue for the annual event, which was held as the "Key to Change Gala" in Covington in September 2025 and the "High Stakes Gala" at Turfway Park in September 2024.
