Our Team
With combined experience of over 70 years in non-profit and camp work, we provide supportive consulting, coaching, planning and guidance to organizations like yours to grow in your unique mission and goals. We know all too well the experienced heart warmth and heartache, hilltops and valleys when it comes to non-profit work. We want to be in that with you as you strive for cultivating growth.
Dave Sherry
President
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Founder, Fundraising Consultant, Operational Consultant
Dave's award winning track record began professionally over 25 years ago where he fell in love with passing on the the childhood magic of camp through his leadership experience at Boys and Girls Club, YMCA and Y Camp. Ever since then , he's been strategically growing programs, increasing camper retention and revenues with strategy, fundraising and campaign management and consulting.
Accolades:
- YMCA of Greater Des Moines Administrative Excellence Award
- City View Des Moines - Top 8 Most Most Likable Men in Des Moines (2nd Place)
- ACA Meritorious Service Award
- Association of Professional Directors - Financial Turn Around
- Association of Professional Directors - Capital Campaign Management
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Traveler, Cabin Dweller, Hunter
Dave has been married to his bride and college sweetheart for over 25 years. He has three kids. He experiences nature every day from his home in Boone, Iowa which is backed up to a beautiful park where we see lots of wildlife in our yard daily and can quickly escape to a series of trails and overlooks.
Favorite Quote:
"If the only tool you have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail..."
Little Known Facts:
- Hunting Loves - Pheasant, Turkey and Deer
- Part owner of the Green Bay Packers
- Packer game day essentials: Packers Flag, Lucky Shirt and Game day food
Glenn Svetnicka
Senior Consultant
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Consultant and Coach
Glenn is an executive leader with over 35 years of experience in both for-profit and non-profit business. As an Eagle Scout and life-long family camper, Glenn has transferred his passion into a profession. He loves camp, knows the business, and thrives on helping others grow.
His approach to building teams, developing boards, improving sites, growing programs, and raising funds is relational. He understands the importance of a clear mission and will help you clarify yours.
While serving as President of the Outdoor Ministry Association of the United Church of Christ, he was a founding member of the Governance Council of the OMC. As such, Glenn is well versed in Outdoor Ministry and speaks fluent ecumenism.
Accolades:
- Served 8 years on the Outdoor Ministry Association - United Church of Christ (OMA-UCC) Board, 6 years as President
- More than 35 years of both for-profit and non-profit leadership experience
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Sports Fan, Nature-lover, Adventurer
Glenn and his wife, Tiffany, enjoy traveling and finding adventures. There isn’t a sport Glenn doesn’t like / hasn’t played. He enjoys walking on a beach, sitting around a fire, and deep conversation as his preferred meditations. His faith, while challenged often, is deep and strong!
Inspiring Words:
“I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community, and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can.” - George Bernard Shaw
Little Known Facts:
- Loves playing games … especially Sheepshead
- Part Owner / Season Ticket Holder of the Green Bay Packers
- Was punched by Muhammad Ali
Tom Neppl
Senior Consultant
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Consultant
Tom is a practicing Landscape Architect and faculty member of the Landscape Architecture Department at Iowa State University. In 25 years of professional practice, he’s worked with camps, and outdoor and environmental education centers throughout the U.S. on projects ranging from small garden spaces to master planning of large-scale, regional sites greater than 1,000 acres in size. From his Ames, Iowa-based studio, he’s served clients in 26 states, including several non-profit agencies and organizations, including the Girl Scouts, the YMCA, Salvation Army, denominational and non-denominational camps, and county and municipal governmental agencies.
Throughout his career, he has been an active member of the American Camp Association (ACA) having served multiple leadership roles in the ACA Great Rivers field office. He received the Great Rivers Honor Award in 2013 and ACA’s National Service Award in 2014. He currently volunteers as an ACA Standards Visitor conducting multiple visits to Great Rivers camps, each year.
As a Professor of Practice at Iowa State University, Tom teaches foundational design and ecological design studio courses. He shares his professional expertise with students and aims to integrate place-based and field experiences into each semester.
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Traveler, Outdoorsman, Kayaker
Tom and his wife, Tricia, love to travel with their adult children and each year they aim for a new adventure. When he’s not working on a camp master plan or teaching a design studio, Tom enjoys spending time outdoors. You can usually find him tending to his woodland garden, or floating on a kayak, and on rare occasion camping in Iowa’s Driftless region.
Tiffany Svetnicka
Senior Consultant
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Consultant and Trainer
Tiffany’s heart for ministry and drive for excellence has grown into a true passion for supporting the missions of camps, retreat centers, and other nonprofit organizations. Over the span of her career, Tiffany has developed robust skills in marketing and relationship-driven development, including supporting boards, sites, and teams with clear communication vehicles. Tiffany’s listening presence guides collaborative creativity and solutions, enabling the heart of your organization’s mission to shine.
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Adventurer, Photographer, Contemplator
Tiffany and her husband love to travel and explore new cultures and cuisines…Haggis anyone? She loves to walk, read, play games, practice yoga, and think about how to support people in becoming better versions of themselves.
Favorite Quote:
“The most meaningful way to succeed is to help others succeed.” - Adam Grant
Little Known Facts:
- Served as an EMR with a volunteer EMS/Fire Department
- Loves to cook, and believes that a recipe is merely a suggestion
- Used to photograph weddings
Drew Demery
Program Specialist
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Consultant and Trainer
Drew's experience with a diverse range of camping positions and organizations over the last two decades has developed a strong appreciation for progressive programming, staff development and meaningful community moments. Drew finds purpose in supporting others as they build a sense of empowerment, compassion and community.
Accolades:
- American Camping Association, Local Council of Leaders
- American Red Cross Instructor
- YMCA Day Camp Director Certified
- Iowa DNR Hunter Safety Instructor
- Leave No Trace Instructor
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Hiker, Photographer, Target Sports Enthusiast
Drew is an Iowa native, active outdoorsman and dedicated camping professional. He's been married to his hometown sweetheart, Kendle since 2012 and welcomed their first child into the world in 2018.
Words to Live By:
"People before position."
Little Known Facts:
- Drew competes in the world Axe Throwing League
- Drew has been ranked as one of the top 100 in the World Axe Throwing League
At The Sherry Group, our desire is to do our best in helping others do their best.
Do you feel like your camp is doing well but there are specific areas that could run more efficiently?
Do you lack the resources needed to recruit and train your staff?
Are you stuck or unsure of the specific roles in your organization?
Are you limited by tight budgets and lack of funding?
Are you maxed out with the day-to-day tasks and need guidance with your fundraising campaigns?
Is there a chance that you could drop the ball at any moment with all the tasks currently on your plate?
It's our job to purposefully equip you with the confidence and know-how to grow into the healthiest organization you can be.
The Sherry Group believes...
relationships are valuable and should be treated as such.
in honesty with everything we do.
in being purposeful with our goals, decisions and actions.
in dedicating ourselves to our partners and their projects.
in coaching our partners towards self-reliance through sustainable outcomes.
sharing our collective experiences will help all grow to be better.
people can lead transformative and empowering experiences.
investing in continued learning is valuable and powerful.
in treating all people with
respect, love and kindness.
