Full Name
Sherri Privitera
Job Title
Senior Principal and Americas Regional Board Member
Company
Populous
Speaker Bio
Sherri Privitera is a Senior Principal and Americas Regional Board member at Populous, an award-winning global design firm in Kansas City where she leads multiple markets including Collegiate, Women’s Professional Sports and Elite Athlete Training. Throughout her 28-year career, she has been involved with the planning of over $9 billion in sports projects, making her one of the most qualified architects in the industry.
Sherri is a trusted advisor and resource to her clients, including many of the most prominent athletics directors and university administrators in the country. Her thoughtful understanding of designing elite athlete training facilities sparked her interest in taking on a leadership role in the company’s global elite athlete training group, which shares industry research and development. She and this group have implemented facilities that revolutionize the way programs develop the whole athlete and set them up for life-long success.
Her work has changed the landscape of collegiate athletics. As project manager, Sherri led Baylor University’s McLane Stadium landmark project, a $266-million facility that represented the future of collegiate stadiums while also making a large positive impact on the surrounding city of Waco. Throughout her career, she has developed numerous campus master plans, training facilities and competition venues that continue to raise the bar for the development of athletes.
During the pause of college and professional sports throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Sherri learned and adapted by leading staff and clients through ways to understand and solve new and unique problems. Sherri’s thought leadership served as a valuable resource to clients through unprecedented times. She and others at Populous created a regular thought leadership group, the “Collegiate Think Tank,” which grew to more than 100 participants within the collegiate sports industry in just a few weeks, with representation from 30 universities. This group inspired national and global virtual round tables across all industries. The calls shared research, perspectives, and strategies around approaches to game day and training facilities. Internally, Sherri formed cross-market groups nationally and globally that led to thought leadership ideas, fan surveys and venue readiness planning for the return to competition and spectators.
Known as a collaborator and team player, Sherri motivates her teams to creatively solve problems and have fun along the way. Her hard work, dedication and positive attitude have positioned her as an influential professional within the firm and in the industry. Over the past decade, Sherri has been recognized by various industry publications and organizations for her captivating leadership style and innovative contributions to the field. She has been named a Sports Business Journal Power Player, Sports Business Journal Game Changers: Women in Sports Business, Globe Street Real Estate Forum Women of Influence, and VenuesNow All Star.
Sherri believes in empowering girls and women to have confidence, not settle, be bold and help one another. She has a thirteen-year-old daughter who she champions every day. With her focus on integrating work and family life, it’s possible you might meet Sherri’s daughter during key professional moments, like opening day, for projects Sherri is involved in. She places great importance on the visibility of women in leadership roles, and her hard work and sharp skills have set her visions in motion with no end in sight.
Sherri is a graduate of the College of Architecture at the University of Nebraska and holds both a B.S. of architectural studies and a master’s in architecture degree. She is actively engaged at her alma mater, the University of Nebraska, as a regular guest lecturer and served on the Nebraska Council of Alumni Ambassadors and the College of Architectural Professional Advisory Committee. She is currently assisting with the University’s fundraising campaign, Go Big. She has had the pleasure of the leading the Go Big Training Facility Project as the Principal in Charge that will open this year, setting the standard for development of the whole athlete, combining physical and mental recovery, academics, training and more thoughtfully designed spaces informed by extensive research.
Sherri is a trusted advisor and resource to her clients, including many of the most prominent athletics directors and university administrators in the country. Her thoughtful understanding of designing elite athlete training facilities sparked her interest in taking on a leadership role in the company’s global elite athlete training group, which shares industry research and development. She and this group have implemented facilities that revolutionize the way programs develop the whole athlete and set them up for life-long success.
Her work has changed the landscape of collegiate athletics. As project manager, Sherri led Baylor University’s McLane Stadium landmark project, a $266-million facility that represented the future of collegiate stadiums while also making a large positive impact on the surrounding city of Waco. Throughout her career, she has developed numerous campus master plans, training facilities and competition venues that continue to raise the bar for the development of athletes.
During the pause of college and professional sports throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Sherri learned and adapted by leading staff and clients through ways to understand and solve new and unique problems. Sherri’s thought leadership served as a valuable resource to clients through unprecedented times. She and others at Populous created a regular thought leadership group, the “Collegiate Think Tank,” which grew to more than 100 participants within the collegiate sports industry in just a few weeks, with representation from 30 universities. This group inspired national and global virtual round tables across all industries. The calls shared research, perspectives, and strategies around approaches to game day and training facilities. Internally, Sherri formed cross-market groups nationally and globally that led to thought leadership ideas, fan surveys and venue readiness planning for the return to competition and spectators.
Known as a collaborator and team player, Sherri motivates her teams to creatively solve problems and have fun along the way. Her hard work, dedication and positive attitude have positioned her as an influential professional within the firm and in the industry. Over the past decade, Sherri has been recognized by various industry publications and organizations for her captivating leadership style and innovative contributions to the field. She has been named a Sports Business Journal Power Player, Sports Business Journal Game Changers: Women in Sports Business, Globe Street Real Estate Forum Women of Influence, and VenuesNow All Star.
Sherri believes in empowering girls and women to have confidence, not settle, be bold and help one another. She has a thirteen-year-old daughter who she champions every day. With her focus on integrating work and family life, it’s possible you might meet Sherri’s daughter during key professional moments, like opening day, for projects Sherri is involved in. She places great importance on the visibility of women in leadership roles, and her hard work and sharp skills have set her visions in motion with no end in sight.
Sherri is a graduate of the College of Architecture at the University of Nebraska and holds both a B.S. of architectural studies and a master’s in architecture degree. She is actively engaged at her alma mater, the University of Nebraska, as a regular guest lecturer and served on the Nebraska Council of Alumni Ambassadors and the College of Architectural Professional Advisory Committee. She is currently assisting with the University’s fundraising campaign, Go Big. She has had the pleasure of the leading the Go Big Training Facility Project as the Principal in Charge that will open this year, setting the standard for development of the whole athlete, combining physical and mental recovery, academics, training and more thoughtfully designed spaces informed by extensive research.
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