Meet WRLA’s Founder

Lacy Schoen

Lacy Schoen, is President and CEO of the Brea Chamber of Commerce, and the Founder of the Women Rising Leadership Academy (WRLA). She has spent a bulk of her career devoted to the advancement of women into leadership. While serving as Co-Director of the Women’s Leadership Program at Cal State Fullerton’s College of Business and Economics, Lacy recognized a critical gap: research clearly identified why fewer women reach top leadership roles—but practical, actionable solutions were missing. Determined to change that, she redesigned the curriculum to directly address both the internal and external barriers women face, and the critical strategies they would need to overcome them.

The results were immediate. Students who graduated from the program at Cal State Fullerton (now numbering over 1,000 women) began advancing more quickly than their peers, validating the power of a research-based, solutions-driven approach. 

Inspired by this success, and with the support of her Brea Chamber Board of Directors, Lacy launched WRLA in 2022 to working women through the Brea Chamber of Commerce, bringing the program to professional women across industries and backgrounds.

Today, with over 450 graduates, WRLA is delivering measurable outcomes—promotions, business growth, and increased leadership confidence. Through expert facilitation, peer coaching, and access to accomplished women leaders, Lacy has created a transformative experience that is not only elevating women, but strengthening organizations. Her work reflects a powerful truth: when women rise, businesses and communities thrive.

Lacy’s impact has been widely recognized. Not only is she the author of the Amazon Best Selling book, Advancing Through Influence, Using Your Five Innate Female Strengths to Break Through Barriers and Advance Your Career, she has received four distinguished honors for her leadership and innovation in the advancement of women, including Senator Josh Newman’s Woman of the Year (2023), Senator Bob Archuleta’s Woman of Achievement (2025), and the Award of Distinction from Cal State Fullerton 2025. Most recently, she was featured in the book Poets and Dreamers by Anne Tamela, a publication celebrating inspirational and pioneering women shaping modern leadership.

Her life’s mission is simple. To help people and groups of people reach their goals. When it comes to working women, her heart stretches further, and she embodies the well-known tagline for WRLA – Elevating Women in the Workforce.