A founding member, Janet has been on the board for School of Imagination & Happy Talkers since 2009. During her time as Mayor of Dublin, Janet was instrumental in helping to bring the school into their current facility, working with city officials and the land developers to carve out the space and provide for the construction of the new school. In her current role on the board, Janet plays a more advisory role, assisting with the management of the school, providing feedback on programs and events, aiding in community outreach, and rallying support and awareness by networking with members of local school districts and governments.

In addition to serving the city of Dublin as Mayor, Janet has had many and varied experiences in leadership, including: local business owner, President of the Chamber of Commerce, City Council member, member of several different county committees, and consulting on land use and community building through her company (Lockhart & Associates). And after 12 years in local government, Janet is happy to be returning to her passion of working in education, serving as Superintendent of the Enrichment Academy for the Dublin Partners in Education. Yet for all of her service to the community at large, Janet believes that the person who has benefited the most from these great life experiences has been herself.

For Janet, the most rewarding part of working with School of Imagination is connecting with the families. Many times, a child with special needs can create obstacles for the entire family. It can be so hard to watch parents struggling for even the most basic connections with their children, connections that are commonplace for families with typically developing children. And to see those parents and families have breakthroughs that lead to real, meaningful communication and connection is a truly beautiful thing.

When Janet isn’t working, she enjoys traveling with her husband, Steve, seeing new places, meeting new people and having new experiences around the country and around the world. Janet also can be found spending time with her beloved family and friends.