Dr. Jarmese Sherrod is the President/CEO and founder of Sherrod’s Independent Mentoring Program (S.I.M.P.), an organization that is focused on academic advising, mentoring, and youth development. She leads with her team in character education, violence prevention, leadership, and empowerment through local, national, and international impact. Her recent accomplishment is having Governor JB Pritzker announce that her leadership, service, and philanthropy plan help a youth-led program help place the team as #1 in the State of Illinois for the Governor’s Hometown Cup with over 100 Macon County high school students (10-12^th grade). This team had youth from 12 school districts with home school students, and they won in an adult competition against 24 cities for improving the overall quality of life for citizens in their county; this program is sponsored by a foundation in Macon County. Finally, she leads a staff of 15 for her Youth Empowerment and Senior Care program that she sponsors monthly in Haiti.

With her above & beyond leadership style, combined with her unlimited ability to put youth first and give them a voice, she wants to help youth find their purpose and passion and lead with a heart of service.  Her overall goal is to join other women and make a bigger impact because when women unite, others will feel empowered, loved, and equipped to overcome any obstacles and strive with a network of strong, smart, and bold supportive women. She gives kudos to the women of Girls, Inc. Chicago for holding a strong legacy of leadership for girls!