Women of PCSD: Sherise Henderson, Project Manager, Southern California

For Women’s History Month, PCSD highlighted the many extraordinary women who guide our charter school partners through the complex facilities development process so our partners can focus on what matters most – teaching and learning.

How long have you worked at PCSD?

11 months

How did you get into the field of facility development and education?

I worked at Cushman & Wakefield managing facility projects for PG&E. I came from a sports background and my hiring manager had a similar experience. He knew that I had the rigor to do the work in facility development. I did similar work for a few years with a couple of different clients, including Google and Salesforce. It got to the point where I loved what I was doing, but I wasn’t fulfilled so I started looking at the nonprofit side. I saw the job announcement for PCSD and did an informational interview with Anna Olsen in San Francisco. The position was similar to what I was doing but more aligned with my passion in helping other people.

What advice would you give young women entering this field?

Be confident but humble! Don’t be afraid to ask for help on items you’re not familiar with.