Sherrita Denson, Catapult Lakeland

Dr. Sherrita A. Denson is an accomplished leader with extensive experience in project management, strategic planning, and transformational leadership. With a Doctorate in Strategic Leadership and an MBA, Dr. Denson brings a blend of academic rigor and practical expertise to her roles, making significant contributions across various sectors, including nonprofit organizations, higher education, and entrepreneurial initiatives.

Currently, Dr. Denson serves as the Program Manager at Catapult Lakeland, where she oversees the incubator program. She develops and implements comprehensive onboarding systems, coordinates marketing efforts for workshops and programs, and manages the creation and enhancement of educational resources. Dr. Denson’s leadership involves regular strategy sessions with incubator members to track key performance indicators, assess progress, and identify growth opportunities.

Prior to her role at Catapult, Dr. Denson was the Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Homeless Coalition of Polk County, where she developed and implemented programs, cultivated partnerships, and advanced the organization’s strategic goals. Her role included facilitating Governance Board meetings, liaising with public housing authorities, and executing comprehensive planning duties. As a Planner, she was instrumental in conducting HUD-required counts, monitoring grant compliance, and securing funding for homelessness initiatives.

Dr. Denson’s career also includes a significant tenure at Florida Polytechnic University where she planned and executed new student orientation, managed student activities, and designed retention programs.

In addition to her professional roles, Dr. Denson is a co-founder and former Program Director of Shalom-Center for Peace and Restoration, Inc., a nonprofit that provided housing and programs for over 100 foster care children. Her leadership included staff management, strategic planning, and grant writing, all contributing to the organization’s mission of nurturing at-risk youth.

Dr. Denson is also deeply involved in her community, serving on the board of READ Lakeland, an organization that fills the gap in our community, teaching basic literacy skills to adult nonreaders and promoting adult literacy.

Her core competencies include soft power leadership, innovative problem-solving, strategic planning, and effective communication.