Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Sharise Erby, CFRE, CWDP.
Hi Dr. Sharise, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My journey has never been linear, but it has always been intentional.
I’m a second-generation Phoenician, raised in a city that shaped both my perspective and my purpose. Phoenix isn’t just where I work. It’s home. It’s community. It’s where I learned early on that opportunity doesn’t always show up equally for everyone.
Before I ever led systems, I was navigating them.
I was a single mother of two, doing everything I could to create stability, to provide, to move forward even when the path wasn’t clear. I understand what it feels like to be working hard and still trying to figure out how to get ahead. I’ve felt the weight of systems that weren’t designed with people like me in mind. That experience didn’t break me, it shaped me.
It gave me a different lens.
I don’t lead this work from theory. I lead it from lived experience.
Early in my career, I became deeply committed to economic empowerment, especially for women and communities that have historically been overlooked. I saw firsthand that talent is everywhere, but access is not. And I made a decision that I would not just participate in systems, I would help rebuild them.
Over the last decade, I’ve led in the nonprofit and workforce development space, building initiatives that connect people to real opportunity. Not temporary solutions, but pathways that lead to sustainable careers, financial stability, and generational impact. I’ve had the opportunity to lead large scale programs, build cross sector partnerships, and drive strategies that create measurable change.
But behind all of that is still the woman who understands what it means to push forward with responsibility on your shoulders and vision in your heart.
Today, as the Managing Director of Per Scholas Phoenix, I lead work at the intersection of workforce, technology, and equity. We are not just training people. We are changing trajectories. We are opening doors to careers that once felt out of reach and building a more inclusive economy in the process.
At my core, I am an architect of opportunity. Every space I step into, I’m asking how we build systems that actually work for people. Systems that close gaps. Systems that create access.
Because I’ve lived what happens when they don’t.
And I’ve committed my life’s work to making sure more people experience what’s possible when they do.
This is not just my profession.
It’s personal.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a smooth road. And I would not trust a story that claims it was.
Every level of growth in my life has come with resistance.
As a single mother, there were seasons where I was navigating financial pressure, career decisions, and the responsibility of raising two children all at the same time. I was building a future while carrying real weight in the present. That pressure built a level of discipline and resilience in me that still shows up in how I lead today.
Professionally, I have often found myself in spaces where I had to prove my value before I was fully seen. Leading as a woman, and often one of the few in executive spaces, comes with unspoken challenges. You are navigating expectations, perceptions, and systemic barriers that require both excellence and endurance.
But one of the most defining seasons of my life happened at a high point in my career.
In 2018, I experienced the tragic loss of my father. In 2019, I lost my husband. And then in 2020, the world shut down with the pandemic.
There was no pause button.
I had to grieve, lead, provide, and evolve all at the same time.
That season required a different kind of strength. Not just professional strength, but emotional discipline. The ability to show up for others while navigating deep personal loss. The ability to lead teams through uncertainty while managing my own. The ability to keep moving forward when life had shifted in ways I never anticipated.
It changed me.
It deepened my empathy. It strengthened my faith. It sharpened my clarity around what truly matters. And it forced me to become even more intentional about how I lead, how I serve, and how I live.
I also learned that resilience is not about ignoring hardship. It is about moving through it with purpose.
Every obstacle I’ve faced has refined me. It has strengthened my ability to lead with both compassion and accountability. It has grounded my work in real understanding, not just strategy.
The road has not been easy.
But it has been purposeful.
And I carry every lesson from those seasons into the work I do today.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I serve as the Managing Director of Per Scholas Phoenix, a nonprofit organization committed to advancing economic mobility through tuition-free technology training.
At our core, we specialize in preparing individuals for high-demand careers in the tech sector through an immersive, no-cost model that combines technical training with professional development and career placement support. Our approach is simple but powerful: recruit, train, and job attainment. But what makes us different is how intentionally we execute that model.
We are not just a training provider. We are a workforce solution.
Per Scholas Phoenix is known for delivering results that matter. We train adults, many of whom are historically underrepresented in tech, and equip them with industry-recognized certifications, hands-on experience, and the professional skills needed to succeed in competitive environments. Beyond the classroom, we provide holistic support including career coaching and ongoing alumni services to ensure long-term success, not just job placement.
What truly sets us apart is our focus on outcomes and access at the same time.
We are deeply aligned with employer needs, which allows us to build talent pipelines that are both diverse and highly skilled. Our graduates are not just getting jobs, they are launching careers with sustainable wages and upward mobility. At the same time, we are intentionally creating access for individuals who have the talent but may not have had the opportunity.
Brand wise, I am most proud that we are known for impact.
We are not driven by volume alone. We are driven by transformation. When someone walks through our doors, they are not just gaining a new skill set, they are stepping into a new trajectory. We have seen individuals double their income, transition out of unstable work, and build careers that create long-term stability for their families.
For me personally, leading Per Scholas Phoenix is about more than workforce development. It is about building systems that work better for people. It is about closing gaps in a way that is measurable, scalable, and sustainable.
What I want readers to know is this:
Talent is everywhere. Opportunity is not.
And at Per Scholas Phoenix, we are closing that gap every single day.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I don’t view risk as something reckless. I view it as something required.
Every meaningful shift in my life and career has come from a decision that didn’t come with full certainty. For me, risk is not about gambling. It is about alignment. It is about recognizing when staying where you are is actually the greater risk.
I have taken several major risks throughout my journey.
Transitioning into executive leadership roles where the expectations were high and the margin for error was small required me to bet on my ability to lead at a higher level before I had all the answers. Stepping into new opportunities that stretched me beyond what was familiar required faith, discipline, and a willingness to be uncomfortable.
Even in my current role, leading Per Scholas Phoenix is a risk in the best sense. We are not just maintaining programs, we are scaling impact. We are expanding into new training pathways, deepening employer partnerships, and setting bold goals around how many lives we can transform through access to tech careers. That level of growth requires constant decision making without perfect information.
But some of the most personal risks I’ve taken were not professional.
Choosing to keep moving forward after deep personal loss was a risk. Choosing to lead while still healing was a risk. Choosing not to shrink in seasons that could have easily caused me to step back required a level of internal courage that people don’t always see.
My perspective on risk has evolved.
I no longer ask, “Is this safe?” I ask, “Is this aligned?”
Because growth will always require movement beyond comfort. And purpose will often call you into spaces where the outcome is not guaranteed.
What I have learned is this:
Calculated, values-driven risk is where transformation lives.
And if you are committed to impact, you cannot afford to play small.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://perscholas.org/locations/phoenix/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PerScholasPhoenix/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shariselerby/
- Other: https://www.drshariselerby.com/
