LaVar Charleston, Ph.D.
Dr. LaVar J. Charleston serves as Chief Operating Officer of Life Remodeled, where he is a strategic integrator and trusted partner to the CEO, aligning people, processes, and systems to advance the organization’s mission of transforming communities. Grounded in humility, integrity, and a people-first philosophy, he leads with a deep commitment to empowering others and building high-performing, mission-driven teams.
As COO, Dr. Charleston coaches and develops the Executive Leadership Team, fostering a culture defined by clarity, accountability, and excellence. Known for his courage and candor, he addresses complex challenges directly, ensures strong organizational alignment, and cultivates an environment where the right people are positioned to succeed and deliver impact.
He plays a central role in advancing Life Remodeled’s bold 2030 vision, helping scale Detroit Opportunity Hubs and expand comprehensive neighborhood revitalization efforts. His leadership supports initiatives spanning early childhood education, health and wellness, workforce development, youth engagement, college access and transition, digital inclusion, blight removal, and community beautification. Across all efforts, he models servant leadership and prioritizes mission over ego, people over process, and sustainable change over short-term gains.
Dr. Charleston is an award-winning executive, scholar, and community advocate with nearly three decades of leadership experience focused on fostering equitable and inclusive environments across education, the scientific workforce, and communities. A data-informed decision-maker and operations expert, he is known for translating vision into action and delivering measurable results. Throughout his career, he has helped secure, manage, and evaluate more than $25 million in grants and initiatives advancing equity-centered research, education, and community impact.
A native Detroiter and former Division I football player, Dr. Charleston brings a lifelong passion for community development, social innovation, and economic empowerment. He previously served as a two-time appointee to Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers’ Equity and Inclusion Advisory Council, where he chaired the Economic and Business Development Subcommittee.
Dr. Charleston has collaborated extensively with community leaders, educators, and institutional partners across the country and globally. He was recognized as one of Wisconsin’s most influential Black leaders and played a key role in founding Wisconsin’s Equity and Inclusion Laboratory (Wei LAB) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Wisconsin Center for Education Research.
An accomplished scholar, he has authored or co-authored more than 50 publications and delivered over 100 presentations at local, national, and international venues. His research centers on expanding access, inclusion, and pathways to success within STEM and other historically underrepresented spaces, ensuring that leadership, policy, and practice are grounded in rigorous, data-driven solutions.
