While her name is officially Sharyn, she has always gone by Shari. She has lived in Ohio, Alaska, Michigan, and Arizona. During her time in Alaska, her family lived in a log cabin with no running water and only wood heat.
The family later moved to Ann Arbor for what was supposed to be two years of graduate school but ended up staying thirty. Their three children were born there and proudly consider Ann Arbor home. Both Shari and Mike hold master’s degrees from the University of Michigan and are lifetime members of the Alumni Association.
Shari worked as a respiratory therapist at the University of Michigan and Mott Hospitals, taught respiratory therapy at the community college level, and later transitioned to teaching elementary students with special learning needs in both Michigan and Arizona.
A job relocation eventually brought the family to Arizona, where they became active in the University of Michigan Alumni Association to stay connected to their Ann Arbor roots. Shari is delighted to return to a board position and looks forward to sharing ideas and activities with fellow Wolverines.
She chose to attend graduate school at Michigan after discovering an occupational education program in the School of Education while living in Ann Arbor. Since she was already working in healthcare, she completed one-third of her coursework in public health education at the School of Public Health. Shari taught in respiratory therapy while continuing her work at the children’s hospital before transitioning to teaching full-time.
She has never regretted her decision to attend the University of Michigan and has met many interesting people simply by wearing a Michigan shirt, often sparking a friendly “Go Blue!” from passersby.
Go Blue!