Program Manager
Sheri is the Program Manager of the SBIR/STTR and Innovation Voucher funds. In addition to managing the distribution of these grants, she is charged with growing additional grant opportunities for Elevate and portfolio companies. Supporting early-stage initiatives is her focus.
Her experience includes 20 years of business and stakeholder management as well as fund development for non-profits, for-profits, and a local government agency. Her leadership roles have included Executive Director positions for non-profits in affordable housing and senior services, plus seats on several community boards. She holds a master’s degree in public administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
- What motivates you? Joy motivates me, and I am the one who brings joy to my activities. To answer this question more fully, activities that most naturally express my joy are exploring, learning, connecting with others, writing, and in general, the expressive arts.
- Any “did you know?” random facts about yourself to share? Most people would not guess that I play a west African style djembe with a local drum troupe, the Shamaniacs, and we perform at community events across Central Indiana.
- What from your experience directly impacts your work today? My travels. Having visited countries in Africa, Western and Eastern Europe, and Asia expanded my worldview to be more appreciative of diversity, more connected with the global family, and more open-minded. Traveling strengthened my authenticity as I more deeply accepted myself in the broader world of endless possibilities.
