Sheri Kersch Schultz co-founded the Schultz Family Foundation in 1996 with her husband, Howard Schultz, founder and chairman emeritus of Starbucks Coffee Company.
Guided by a belief that the right opportunities at the right time can unleash human potential—and that “inequality of opportunity” is stifling America’s own potential, the Foundation invests in innovative solutions and collaborative partnerships to create greater opportunity, accessible to all.
A passionate volunteer and long-time advocate committed to making a difference in the lives of young people, Sheri recognized early in her work shaping the Foundation how a fractured system of social supports was failing to reach people who were motivated but unable to escape homelessness or poverty, or simply to improve their lives.
Refusing to accept the status quo and recognizing that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not, Sheri, Howard, and the Foundation decided to concentrate their efforts on applying lessons learned over decades to seed innovations and scale solutions that help young people successfully navigate the transition to adulthood by connecting them to good jobs, with a particular emphasis on the 4.6 million 16- to 24-year-olds who are not in school or working.
Under Sheri’s leadership, the Foundation actively engages the business community, as well as leaders from philanthropy, non-profits, and government, to develop new multi-sector solutions to help everyone to access the full promise of America.
Sheri grew up in the Midwest and holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Denver. In addition to her 30-year career in philanthropy, she is professionally trained as an interior designer.