Retirement honor: Sheri Lawrence, MBA, CMPE
The Department of Medicine (DOM) is proud to honor Sheri Lawrence, MBA, CMPE, chief administrative officer (CAO), who will retire on September 25, 2026, after 25 years in the department—almost 18 of those as CAO.
Over the years, Sheri has served on countless committees, workgroups, and task forces across UW Health and the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health (UW SMPH), helping to move forward major initiatives in funds flow, workforce planning, finance, coding and billing, RVUs, fee schedules, compensation planning, physician behavior and employee relations, clinical operations, faculty development, LCME accreditation, VA relations, and more.
Nationally, she has been deeply involved with AAIM/AIM as a council member, program planning committee chair, and course director for new business leaders, earning the AIM Distinguished Service Award in 2019.
A deeply respected leader and generous mentor, Sheri has shaped and supported generations of division and department administrators, both within and beyond UW SMPH.
“Sheri has an extraordinary depth of institutional wisdom,” reflects Lynn Schnapp, MD, George R. and Elaine Love Professor and department chair.
“She onboarded me as chair in the middle of COVID and has been my steadying influence and trusted advisor ever since. She has an uncanny ability to anticipate problems, provide perspective when it matters most, and, perhaps most importantly, keep me out of trouble. I am enormously grateful for her partnership, her humor, and her unwavering commitment to the department. She leaves an incredible legacy and very big shoes to fill.”
I am enormously grateful for her partnership, her humor, and her unwavering commitment to the department. She leaves an incredible legacy and very big shoes to fill.
Dr. Lynn Schnapp
Read Sheri's own reflections in the Q&A below.
You’ve led a lot of change throughout your career. What guiding philosophy has helped you navigate that?
A quote I’ve had hanging on my desk for years states, “Life is like surfing – you can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to ride them.”
My general approach to navigating change is to ensure those making decisions are as informed as possible, even if that’s me or the department chair; communicate as honestly as possible with those who will be most impacted; and work to instill a sense of reassurance that we're all in this together—that I'm by their side and will provide support as we navigate to the new norm.
As I’ve managed transitions across many department chairs, I've worked to establish my role as a strategic and trusted partner, coach, counselor, and implementer. I've continued to advocate for our faculty and staff to make the Department of Medicine the best it can be.
What achievements are you most proud of, and why?
First, fighting for and building the division administrator team so that the divisions have the leadership and support they need to advance all missions. Having division administrators in a Department of Medicine is a national standard. Before we had them, the department had a CAO and an associate CAO to try to oversee and move all initiatives forward—and nothing got done. It often took up to nine months just to get a faculty recruitment request prepared and approved, let alone recruitment started. This everyday workload is much better managed with local expert leadership.
Second, leading the department through transitions. The department has gone through five funds flow changes and five chair changes in my time here. During these times of change, I feel I’ve been a steady leader for the department, ensuring that our missions continue to advance and advocating for our faculty and staff.
Finally, flexing the department's administrative infrastructure from centralized to decentralized to hybrid-centralized to ensure that faculty receive the best support. The department has grown by more than three times in my 25+ years. Faculty and staff needs have changed and how we operate has also needed to change along the way. As a leader, it's imperative to recognize when to try something new to advance further.
What have been the most fulfilling aspects of your work, and why?
Working with the faculty and staff of the Department of Medicine has been the most fulfilling part of my career. Yes, we’ve accomplished many things over the 25+ years, including significant growth in size, a strong national/international reputation in research, teaching and clinical practice, and creation of several new healthcare disciplines (hospital medicine, palliative care, clinical informatics).
However, the most fulfilling aspects have been the people I’ve had the honor to work with. I’ve always enjoyed science. In this role, I'm able to support it, be around it and so many smart and innovative people, but I don’t have to actually be in a lab doing any of it (which is probably best for all). I've had the great privilege of mentoring many division administrators and other staff over the years and have watched their careers grow as they’ve advanced into further leadership roles both within the School of Medicine and Public Health and across the country. And, I believe I have helped influence the culture that makes the Department of Medicine known as a very collaborative department.
What are you looking forward to next?
I am most looking forward to having more time to spend with my family and friends, traveling, hiking, biking, reading, maybe getting a kayak and/or paddle board, and only solving my own problems!
The Department of Medicine has been a phenomenal home for me for over 25 years. I will miss it and the people fiercely and also know that now is the right time to make this transition. It's in the right hands to move forward as a strong leader in academic medicine.