Meet Our Board Leaders
PFANA honors inaugural Board members Richie Onori, Kevin Pruett and Tamara Taylor and invites you to meet today's Board of Directors
Sherry's love for socially transformative work has touched and continues to touch the lives of millions daily. She is one of those rare visionary people — always gazing ahead, always dreaming and scheming. What makes Sherry so special is that she always makes the dreams come true.
Sherry Watson
President
Sherry Watson is recognized as one of the nation’s top experts in the world of Nonprofit Corporations. Sherry has over 30 years of experience in the Nonprofit industry. She has generated over $130 million in funding and has led movements that changed policies at the local, state and national level that impacted and improved the lives of tens of millions.
Sherry sustained a debilitating brain injury in 1982 from an accident at the age of 22. Upon coming out of a coma Sherry was unable to swallow, speak or walk. After slowly recovering and years of rehabilitation, she and others came together in a campaign to “Free our People” (the disability community). This slogan carried forward as the group’s mantra for the movement in which Sherry led. Her movement against the most powerful corporations in America didn’t fare well for her image as they labeled her “A Tragic Waste”.
Sherry garnered national headline attention and appeared on countless shows advocating for her community. She set up advocacy centers in every state that led to a personalized thank you letter from President Bush. Sherry’s roar was finally being heard and it was apparent that President Bush’s letter was designed to earn favor for the powerful grassroots movement and coalition Sherry had organized which no longer could be ignored.
In 1990 Sherry moved to Washington, DC in order to take the movement to the next level. She teamed up with Jim Brady, John F Kennedy Jr. and countless congressional leaders who began to support the forgotten ones. Sherry was unstoppable and didn’t take no for an answer as she out-maneuvered wealthy and powerful vested intersts by integrating and working with federal, state, and local government bodies. Sherry Watson spearheaded and was one of the key architects for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This landmark moment was reached when ADA was passed July 26, 1992.
The incredible story of Sherry’s journey and how she made such an impact for so many is hard to compare in history. Freeing and giving a voice to tens of millions who prior to her purpose and commitment were treated as helpless victims. Sherry’s story simply put…how a farm girl from New Mexico could tactfully go up against the system and create a new paradigm for 55 million disabled Americans.
Sherry has designed and launched several successful corporations focused on social and economic value creation. Sherry is renowned for unleashing the power and passion of America’s Nonprofit Corporations and socially conscious entrepreneurs with a clear purpose: to harness the power of the people and aim it straight at the chronic problems we are currently facing today as “We the People” create America 2.0.
We share the vision of bringing people back together
Maybe you remember neighborhoods…where the community prospered, staples were abundant enough to help those in need, doors were left unlocked and the streets were safe. The evenings rang with warm conversation of people who were secure and the carefree laughter of children playing tag on the lawn or stickball in the streets. Life was simple but we cherished it and we never had a thought or fear of it being taken away…
What sets Kevin apart is his immense care factor and willingness to help others. His life's work, true passion and greatest love has always been...helping people.
Kevin Pruett
Member
In his 40-year, nonprofit sector career, Kevin consulted more than 25,000 individuals one on one, personally influencing and shaping the lives of many thousands. A significant number were inspired to forward his determination to create a better world by becoming active leaders in their own communities, launching humanitarian start-ups, founding grass-root movements and implementing programs that to this day have improved the lives of tens of thousands.
Kevin personally raised over $125 million for non-profit entities in support of education, youth drug education, community-wide literacy programs, business success oriented educational programs as well as human rights and other social betterment initiatives and programs. It was during this time he met Richie.
Personal motto: “A being is only as valuable as he can serve others.” Humanitarian L Ron Hubbard