Dame Cheryl Sesnon
Profile by Dame Judith Dern
Finding a balance between business decisions and leading from her heart, between being a self-proclaimed workaholic and establishing caring connections, is Dame Cheryl Sesnon’s mission for her life. It’s an evolution and clarification she has pursued consistently, a path dedicated in many dimensions to assisting others navigating their own pathways for living life with purpose. It’s a path she has forged for herself, from starting in the food service universe to a remarkable commitment and career in community service.
In the beginning, while in her late teens and twenties, Cheryl worked in restaurants, mainly in front-of-the-house positions.
After pursuing a self-designed path in restaurant management at Evergreen State College, Cheryl married and with her husband owned “Great Cakes & Edible Monuments” and “Great Catering.” Cheryl and her team served 400-plus weddings annually, as well as managed special events for Microsoft and other local companies. But this business didn’t quite satisfy Cheryl. On a quest for more training, she entered the Seattle Culinary Academy where she earned a Culinary Arts degree.
From her beginnings in foodservice, Cheryl moved into the non-profit sector. From 1994 to 2000, she served as executive director of FareStart, the legendary Seattle-based program dedicated to training homeless men and women for foodservice jobs, both front of the house and in the kitchen. To complement FareStart’s successful job training programs, life skills education classes were also developed and offered.
Following FareStart, Cheryl pursued her Masters’ degree in nonprofit leadership, and also served as an adjunct professor at Seattle University, as well as a consultant and trainer for nonprofits. She has also served as Executive Director of Washington, CASH (Community Alliance for Shelf-Help), assisting people with low-incomes start their own small businesses. In 2010, Cheryl moved into the executive director position for Jubilee Women’s Center, an organization helping women move out of homelessness and poverty by providing housing, case management, work readiness training, and more.
After 20 years working with people who were homeless and low-income, Cheryl’s life found a new path. “My life changed when I was diagnosed with breast cancer; this was a professional and personal turning point and I knew I wanted to do something different,” she remembers.
In late 2019, Cheryl took over the executive director position at Harmony Hill Retreat Center on beautiful Hood Canal, a cancer and wellness retreat center focused on people affected by cancer. This position has given her a chance to work on her own desire to live life with purpose and gratitude. “It’s about using my knowledge in business and learning more about opening my heart with our courageous program participants and our amazing staff,” she says.
Cheryl has also received multiple local award recognizing her exemplary community service. In 2009, she earned the Aubrey Davis Award for Progressive Leadership, plus the Small Business Administration’s “Home-Based Business Champion of the Year Award” for both Washington State and the surrounding four-state region. In 2012, Harlequin Publishing recognized her with its “More than Words” award, and in 2014, Seattle University awarded her with the “Lead, Ignite Award.” Add her Golden Tennis Shoe Award from Senator Patty Murray, plus Seattle University’s Community Service Award, and this Les Dames Seattle member is unquestionably a super achiever.
Since joining Les Dames in 1999, Cheryl has served as the organization’s president, vice president, treasurer, membership and fund-raising chair. In the upcoming year, Cheryl will again serve as vice president. Without question, it’s evident she’s a genuine rock star among Les Dames d’Escoffier Seattle’s members and we’re thrilled to acknowledge her impressive achievements.
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