Executive Director - Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts

Q: What unique qualities do you believe sets you apart as a leader and a woman of influence?
A: My strong faith
-My high energy level
-My work ethic and focus on assisting and leading others
-My extensive network gained from years of involvement and countless numbers of board and committee meetings and volunteer experiences. My TEMPO Milwaukee membership (more than 20 years) has certainly been a key contributor to my professional development, the growth of my network and my ability to mentor others.
-My personal mantra: Have you done enough, learned enough, taught enough, given enough, prayed enough or loved enough? The answer is always no and that fuels my desire to contribute to others every day.

Q: Can you share a pivotal moment in your career that shaped your path?
A: There are several, but one in particular was a very serious motor vehicle accident in 2020. I was hit from behind on the expressway by a drug impaired person driving at a very high rate of speed. I was hospitalized for 24 nights with multiple surgeries and many hours of physical therapy.

After many weeks of recovery, I recognized that I was given a second chance at life and from that moment on, I never took anything in this life for granted again.

Life is not perfect, but it’s easy to remind myself that just being here and showing up and not giving up is a gift. Winning or achieving a goal are all wonderful things, but I’ve realized that life is okay even if I don’t win and even if I don’t achieve every goal. While I’ve realized many goals and achieved much, that’s not what brings me the most happiness in this life.

Throughout my recovery, I received hundreds of cards (many from TEMPO sisters) and each one was very much appreciated. I was lucky - many people never learn how much they are loved until after they leave this earth. I was fortunate enough to learn this lesson and my life has never been the same.

Q: How do you define leadership, and how do you embody those qualities in your own life?
A: One of the lessons I learned from my mentor years ago is she never asked others to do something that she wouldn’t do herself. So regardless of how “big” my title has been, I’ve never felt any tasks were “beneath” me. This is especially true in my role as Executive Director at the Wilson Center. There are many long days here and my staff has often seen me stay late to help put things away or get things ready for the next performance if necessary.

I am always willing to pitch in when needed and necessary. It’s important that my staff sees that I am willing to work alongside them and provide support when necessary.

This mindset has evolved into a collaborative culture among our entire staff in the past 3+ years and now it’s how we approach all of our projects. We have a small staff, but we are a very tight team. When we hire, we hire for competence as well as the ability to fit into this highly collaborative culture.

Q: How do you pay it forward and support the next generation of leaders?
A: I have been serving in leadership roles for more than twenty years, probably close to thirty. Throughout my tenure as a leader/manager, I have always worked to develop a team. I’ve prided myself on bringing people together from different ages, backgrounds and experience and molding them into a strong team. Modeling this type of leadership has allowed me to be a strong role model for others.

I have participated in several formal mentorship programs, but I have also worked hard to develop and mentor others on my staff and in the various volunteer roles in which I have served.

One specific example: In college at the University of Missouri, I became a member of Kappa Delta Sorority. It was a very good decision for me and led to a lot of leadership opportunities. Years later I had an opportunity to serve as the President of the Milwaukee Kappa Delta Alumnae Chapter for over 10 years. In 2015, I was able to assist with the formation of the new Kappa Delta Collegiate Chapter at Marquette University. Since then, I have continued to serve on the Chapter Advisory Board, working with college women, especially in the area of community service. Last July, I was elected to the Kappa Delta National Foundation Board of Directors which provides thousands of dollars of scholarships to collegiate women every year. Mentoring others, especially collegiate women and young professionals has been a mainstay of my career.

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