About Sound Governance
Meet Sherry Jennings, PhD
I bring a systems-minded, practical approach to helping mission-driven organizations thrive—especially those navigating change, growth, or new levels of accountability. My academic foundation is in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, with a PhD and MS in the field, along with a second MS in Psychology and a BSM in Human Services Management. I also passed the proctored exam from the Association for Talent Development, reflecting my expertise in adult learning, instructional design, and performance improvement.
Before launching my consulting practice, I served as the chief executive of a national nonprofit and later led program evaluations for other national organizations. That work deepened my understanding of impact, outcomes, and the systems that sustain them.
But my career started in a very different world—as the “first woman everything” in a Fortune 500 industrial firm. First in sales, then marketing, then management, I built a 92% market share in the Chicago area in a male-dominated industry. Along the way, I experienced first-hand the micro-inequities and systemic barriers that come with being the only woman in the room. That experience didn’t just shape my resilience—it gave me lasting empathy for people navigating similar dynamics in their own workplaces today.
While I’m widely known for my work in nonprofit governance—particularly with Policy Governance® boards—I bring a broad lens. Whether supporting board development, leadership alignment, learning systems, or strategic evaluation, I help clients build structures that actually serve the people and purpose they were designed for.
Let’s create something sustainable—and transformative—together.