A trio of dedicated community leaders are among the women to be honored at the 29th annual WCC Foundation Women’s Council Celebration Luncheon.
The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 13, in the Morris Lawrence Building on the Washtenaw Community College campus.
Proceeds from the luncheon will benefit the WCC Foundation's Student Impact Fund, which helps WCC students meet unanticipated expenses that may jeopardize their ability to stay in school.
Tickets are $100 and can be purchased online.
The luncheon will recognize three influential “Sheroes,” or female heroes who exemplify professional excellence and a deep commitment to serving and uplifting underserved populations in our community.
Since its inception in 1997, the Women’s Council Sheroes program has honored dozens of inspiring women and women-led organizations whose leadership and service have made a lasting impact across the region.
The 2026 honorees include:
DR. IRENE BUTTER
Dr. Irene Butter is a Holocaust survivor, educator and internationally recognized advocate for peace. Born in Berlin and raised in Nazi-occupied Europe, she was deported to prison camps in 1943, including Bergen-Belsen, and survived until her family’s release in 1945.
After remaining silent about her experiences for nearly 40 years, Dr. Butter dedicated her life to Holocaust education and dialogue. A Professor Emerita of Public Health at the University of Michigan, she co-founded the Raoul Wallenberg Medal and Lecture Series and Zeitouna, an Arab-Jewish women’s dialogue group grounded in “Refusing to be Enemies.”
She is the author of From Holocaust to Hope: Shores Beyond Shores and continues to inspire audiences worldwide with her message to “never be a bystander.”. (Read full bio.)
DR. LYNETTE FINDLEY
Dr. Lynette Findley is President and CEO of LMF Strategic Initiatives LLC and a respected leader in education and community service. During a 29-year career at Eastern Michigan University, she advanced programs supporting foster youth, displaced workers and other students, while helping secure more than $5 million in grant funding to expand educational access.
Her leadership spans numerous community organizations, including United Way’s Power of the Purse, Ann Arbor Summer Festival, Embracing Our Differences, Jewish Family Services and the WCC Women’s Council. She is the founder of the Michigan ACE Women of Color Collaborative and chaired the development of the Eastern Washtenaw Recreation Center.
A founding member of Black Women in Michigan Politics and longtime public servant, including eight years as Superior Charter Township Clerk, Dr. Findley is known for advancing equity and delivering meaningful community impact. (Read full bio.)
LINH SONG
Linh Song has more than 20 years of nonprofit leadership experience focused on child advocacy, housing access and anti-trafficking efforts. She co-founded the Song Foundation, which invests in organizations advancing equity and improving quality of life across Southeast Michigan. The firstborn American in her refugee family, Song is deeply committed to addressing social, racial and economic inequities.
She holds two degrees from the University of Michigan, including a Master of Social Work, and serves as Board Chair of the Song Foundation. Song is Co-chair of Michigan Reproductive Rights for All and serves on multiple boards, including the Ann Arbor Art Center, Abundant Housing Michigan, Skillman Foundation and Great Lakes Housing Services.
Song is also an appointee to the Michigan State Land Bank Authority and previously served on Ann Arbor City Council and the Ann Arbor District Library Board. (Read full bio.)
Tags: Sheroes, Student Impact Fund, WCC Foundation, Women's Council