Jul

Sherri Wheeler celebrates five years as OVS Director

Sherri Wheeler, Director of the Office of Visitor Services and Volunteer Management, is celebrating five years in the position this month! Join us in wishing her a very happy anniversary.

To commemorate the occasion, Sherri recently agreed to be interviewed by three Castle Visitor Information Specialist volunteers: Albert Howard, Vivian Van Horne, and Julia Smith. Here is what they discovered about our fearless leader.

Director Sherri Wheeler (in orange dress) with the OVS team in the Enid A. Haupt Garden behind the Castle. (Photo courtesy Smithsonian)

She won’t take a bullet for a President

Sherri was raised in Seat Pleasant, Maryland, near the stadium for the Washington football team (no, she is not a fan). Her first job after graduating from Potomac Senior High School in Oxon Hill, was with the U.S. Secret Service as a clerk-typist in the Telecommunications Department. Single, adventurous, and eager to learn more, Sherri applied for an investigative assistant position in the Los Angeles field office. Working alongside special agents opened her eyes to the world of counterfeit money and credit card fraud. Although her most memorable moment in L.A. was meeting former President Ronald Reagan, she may have doomed her chances as a special agent when she answered during the polygraph test, “No, I would not take a bullet for a President.” Sherri soon thereafter sought a new path, returning home as the administrative officer for the Personnel Division and getting married.

Sherri Wheeler
Director, Office of Visitor Services and Volunteer Management

She wore flip-flops and capri pants to her interview

Seeking an administrative officer position with a less stringent federal government agency, Sherri started her Smithsonian career 16 years ago at the Archives of American Art. Encouraged by a mentor to apply, Sherri accepted a lateral transfer to the Office of Communications and External Affairs in 2007, despite wearing capri pants and flip flops to her interview (it was an on-the-spot request). Being in the Castle and seeing the many aspects of the Smithsonian was new to her. It opened her eyes to how museums and research and cultural centers influence society. She no longer viewed the Smithsonian as just a place to visit, but as an experience.

She turned a “project” into a purpose

In 2011, Sherri received her master’s degree in Organizational Management from Ashford University. During this time, she was offered the opportunity to be the acting program manager for OVS during a time of re-organization. Excited to work on the “project” and to gain hands-on experience, she never imagined that hosting her first OVS annual volunteer appreciation event—with then Secretary Clough in attendance—would change the direction of her career.

The Secretary-Volunteer Town Hall has replaced the recognition ceremony, which OVS once financed and hosted, and offers a great opportunity for camaraderie. If you missed the town hall last month, you can view it here: https://torch.si.edu/2020/07/a-virtual-volunteer-town-hall-with-secretary-bunch/

It took Sherri some time to see the leader in herself (which her former boss recognized eight years prior), but in April 2015, Sherri accepted the opportunity to be the acting director for OVS. She immediately focused on building the morale of the OVS team of staff and Castle volunteers. It became obvious that the position required someone who respects others and has good interpersonal skills. On July 12, 2015, Sherri became the first African American Director for the Office of Visitor Services.

Sherri is single with no kids, pets, or plants (a workaholic by her own admission). She recently purchased a new house and has been enjoying relaxing in her backyard and discovering why Netflix is so popular.

Sherri, always a fan of the “silly picture,” and her team stand at the entrance to Schermer Hall inside the Castle. (Photo Courtesy of Smithsonian)

She wants to hear from you

Volunteers should share suggestions about policies and other ideas with with their direct supervisors. “I am also open to ideas directly from volunteers via email, wheelers@si.edu,” Sherri says. “I believe it is important for volunteers to know they have a voice.”