Schafer Named Executive Director

Effective October 26, Charla Schafer has been named Executive Director of MCSA. Maggie Curry, current Executive Director, has elected to transition to Housing Director. Maggie has been with MCSA 19 years in several different roles

“My heart has always been at MCSA and always will be. Being involved in the growth and watching all the programs that have developed has been wonderful. My first day here, March 4, 1996, was when the Family Transitional Shelter opened. The director at that time explained to the community MCSA was going to ‘march forth’ and become a vital role in Muscatine County and we have been,” Curry said. “Every now and then I think, ‘What would people do if we weren’t here?’ MCSA does fill a void for many different services – sheltering, homeless prevention, domestic violence, hot meals, adult vision care, pediatric dental care, mental health services and much more. The MCSA staff and I welcome Charla and are looking forward to her leading our team to new opportunities.”

Travis Sheets, President of the MCSA Board of Directors, said Schafer is the right person to lead MCSA.

“We are thankful for Maggie’s service as Executive Director and that she has chosen to serve MCSA in a different role. She is the heart of MCSA and has done a great job overseeing MCSA’s programs as they have expanded to include Homelessness Prevention and Domestic Violence,” Sheets said. “We are thrilled to welcome Charla to the organization. We have confidence her leadership, intellect and passion will elevate MCSA’s capabilities and ability to serve its residents and the Muscatine community.”

Schafer is Vice President of Marketing & Retail Banking at First National Bank of Muscatine, where she has worked for 31 years.

"MCSA is a critical component in our community's ability to provide outreach and humanity for families and individuals in crisis; meeting the individual's immediate needs, as well as building an infrastructure of skills, confidence, and resources for the future,” Schafer said. "I look forward to assisting in the daily mission that Maggie and the dedicated MCSA staff and volunteers work to fulfill, the lives they change, and the impact they make."

Schafer, who grew up in Muscatine, is a graduate of Muscatine Community College and the University of Iowa. She and her husband, John, and their three sons live in Muscatine.