Sherry Thompson Giordano began her career in the High Tech industry and in 1999 served as the CEO and co-founder of S.F.T.G. Associates, Int’l., a business consulting firm, committed to assisting nonprofit organizations and commercial companies in realizing their goals of growth and organizational strength. Sherry’s expertise is in strategic and tactical business planning, new program development and program assessment, establishment of mission critical partnerships and alliances, and change management as to its impact on organizational effectiveness.
Sherry joined PACE Center for Girls in 2013 as the Executive Director for the Miami Center. She is responsible for community engagement and involvement, program operations, fundraising and fiscal management in the Miami Dade County Center. She has been able to merge her passion for “at-promise” Girls, educational reform and the ability to create and maintain best business practices to strengthen and grow the PACE Model in Miami. In 2015 PACE Miami was the recipient of the prestigious Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce’s NOVA Award for Nonprofit Excellence and the Switchboard All-Stars Innovation Award.
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I relocated to Miami in 1999 after living in Geneva, Switzerland for two years. Miami attracted me because of the multi-cultural vibrancy and being a young city with such great potential. I worked with start-up companies and most importantly got involved with nonprofit organizations. I saw a true need in adding structure and organization to these great agencies. Miami is an amazing and magic City! My husband and I love Miami there is always something happening and yet you can find great areas of solitude and beauty. I also saw an opportunity to address the needs of many of our “at promise” girls living in the generational cycle of poverty that exists in our beautiful city.
PROBLEM
PACE Center for Girls focuses on Girls between the ages of 11-17 who have either been referred to the Department of Juvenile Justice or are failing in the MDCPS system. 100% of girls referred to PACE have 3 of the following risk factors: high risk sexual activity, substance use, aggressive behaviors, history of trauma/abuse and poor academic performance. Miami’s young Girls need to understand their true value and that they can achieve their full potential. PACE Center for Girls offers them the opportunity for greatness.
SOLUTION
PACE Miami’s program offers a strength-based alternative that focuses on these risk factors through social services to identify the trauma that triggers their behavior while simultaneously offering academics in a small and nurturing classroom setting. The goal is to transition our Girls back to their home school and their community. By investing in prevention and early intervention, girls avoid the delinquency system, escape sexual exploitation, and break generational cycles of poverty and long term economic dependence. PACE provides our Girls with opportunities for a brighter future through trauma-informed education, counseling, training and advocacy. After transitioning from PACE 94% of our Girls maintain their improved scholastic status they gained at PACE. 92% of our Girls have no involvement with DJJ after a year of transition from PACE and 88% with no DJJ involvement after 5 years! My passion as the Executive Director for PACE Center for Girls Miami is to ensure all our Girls are given the opportunity for a bright future!