Sheri Wilensky Burke is a consultant and trainer with Sheri Wilensky Burke Consulting LLC and a proven leader in volunteer management and board development, with 30 years of experience working with national non-profit organizations. Sheri ‘s diverse background and expertise enables her to empower organizations to develop volunteer-based projects and volunteer leaders, working closely with staff and volunteers to best meet an organization’s needs. Sheri provides a common-sense approach to volunteer engagement, breaking down complex issues into simpler, manageable parts.
Sheri’s areas of expertise include cultivating volunteer leadership and developing a volunteer career ladder, volunteer program assessment, establishing fundraising committees, engaging younger professionals, working with high-skilled volunteers, change management, team building, developing a new volunteer program and thinking outside the trends.
For 12 years, Sheri was Director of Volunteer Management & Board Development at the American Lung Association (ALA) National Headquarters, establishing strategic direction and providing consultation and training in volunteer management and board development to the nationwide organization. Her tenure at ALA was during a transitional period in which the association was moving from 100+ field associations to 10. Sheri helped transition governance boards to advisory leadership boards during the merger process, developing materials and trainings to assist staff, volunteers and board members during this time of change. Because of her ability to think strategically, coupled with her accomplishments in volunteer engagement, the CEO enlisted her expertise to strengthen local board development, bolster the national board, and offer staff leadership to the National Governance Committee.
Prior to her work at ALA, Sheri created the corporate volunteer program for Volunteers of America, Greater New York Branch and lead 1,000 volunteers at 40 program sites. Sheri also developed and implemented the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, New York City Chapter’s program for 1,200 special event volunteers. Additionally, she marketed and coordinated the chapter's very successful volunteer young professional fundraising committee of 150 members that raised $400,000+ annually through its 6 annual events.
Sheri served as an associate director of Energize, Inc.'s online volunteer management training program, Everyone Ready®, where she consulted with organizational members on how to engage their networks with the training resources offered. She co-presented the seminar Challenges and Obstacles to Volunteer Involvement: Your FAQs.