About Shari

In 1984, Shari became a victim of domestic violence and fled to safety with her 15-month-old daughter, Melissa. Shortly after, the unthinkable happened—her daughter was kidnapped, raped, and tortured. Upon Melissa’s return, Shari found herself living in a battered women’s shelter. After that experience, she opened her apartment up to women as a safe shelter.

 
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It was then that the local state’s attorney helped Shari incorporate as a nonprofit. Her work grew into the Family Crisis Center in Redfield, South Dakota and caught the attention of then-Governor George S. Michelson. He appointed Shari to serve on South Dakota’s first Victim Compensation Board of Directors. Her leadership was instrumental in getting state legislation passed.

 

For more than three decades, Shari’s extraordinary work has helped countless women, men, and children. She’s been a vital part of the growth and change for victim services. In 1998, she worked for a small, four-county domestic violence program in northwest Iowa, educating the public and growing it to what it is today. Domestic violence services now span 17 counties, helping 1,100 clients annually.

Shari joined the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation in 2013 and developed the Western Iowa Survivors of Homicide Unit. This specialized team continues to provide compassionate care and services to family and friends whose loved ones have been murdered or seriously injured by crime. The unit covers 29 counties with 175 clients each year.

Shari collaborated with organizations around Iowa in 2015 to develop the Iowa Victim Service Call Center, a statewide domestic violence helpline. The helpline fields calls from sexual violence and human trafficking victims and homicide survivors from around the state. Today, requests for services total nearly 31,000 annually.

Shari developed and implemented Community Health Partners’ programming in 2016. Determined to eliminate barriers for victims, she worked to place victim advocates in medical clinics to serve the 17-county domestic violence regions. This initiative offers victims a discrete way to seek help without alerting their abusers. The organization currently serves 75 victims annually.

However dark and painful of a past Shari’s lived, she sets an example every day that living a fulfilling and happy life is possible, no matter the hardships you’ve encountered.


Awards

Shari’s work with domestic abuse victims has been recognized nationally. It’s through her work she’s able to help others lead fulfilling and happy lives.

  • Outstanding Young Citizen Award—Redfield, South Dakota

  • Finalist in the Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World—Field of Humanities

  • National Crime Victims' Rights Week—Special Courage Award

  • South Dakota—Volunteerism Award

  • Outstanding Young Citizen Award—State of South Dakota

  • Thomas Jefferson Award—KELOLAND TV

  • Ten Outstanding Young Americans Award

  • Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World—Field of Humanities

  • State Proclaim of Honor

  • Appointed to South Dakota Crime Victims Compensation Board—Governor George S. Mickelson

  • Outstanding Citizenship Award—City of Sioux Center, Iowa

  • Outstanding Program Development and Leadership—City of Sioux Center, Iowa

  • Victims Service of Excellence—United State Attorney General


Interested in Learning More?

Find out what services Shari offers and how she may be able to help you.