Sherry Nooravi knows that great leadership requires foresight, service

Sherry Nooravi, Psy.D., is an organization development practitioner and principal of Strategy Meets Performance, a leadership consulting firm partnering with business leaders to create productive, engaged and high-energy organizations. Her services include coaching, training, team building and creating accountability systems. She is an adjunct faculty member at Pepperdine University, UCSD and the Center for Creative Leadership.

When she is not working with CEOs to help leaders improve their company cultures, she is serving her local and global community. Her local work includes promoting pedestrian and bicyclist safety in La Jolla starting with the Torrey Pines Road (TPR) corridor (torreypinessafety.org). She is also the co-Leader of the San Diego Chapter of Room to Read, (roomtoread.org) a non-profit that builds schools and libraries in developing countries such as Nepal, Vietnam and South Africa.

What brought you to La Jolla?

I always dreamed of living near the ocean and when my husband Karrar and I moved to San Diego, we knew La Jolla was perfect for us.

What makes the town special to you?

La Jolla is an interesting paradox. On one hand, it is a top visitor destination with beautiful scenery, beaches and neighborhoods, yet it is also a beach community filled with residents who support the merchants and our town’s continual growth and improvement. The shops and restaurants in the Shores and at the Village are a big part of La Jolla’s charm.

What might you add, subtract or improve in the area?

I would do two things. First, I would enhance our current local governance system with social media, technology and outreach so more people could be involved with the issues, challenges and events that affect our community. One method to increase participation in our democratic process would be to host live meetings online and allow people to comment and debate on the issues. I would also create outreach to residents by engaging a professional facilitator who would help residents express their thoughts and develop solutions as a team, resulting in a more harmonious and unified community. We have intelligent and passionate people in our town and with the proper leadership, we could be our own best resource.

Second, and this will come as no surprise to many, I would love to have walkability and bicyclist safety in La Jolla. A great start would be a safe and beautiful Torrey Pines Road that would provide residents safe access to cross TPR without having to wait between four lanes of high-speed traffic. Enabling this access would also increase foot traffic to The Shores and Village business districts. Residents for Torrey Pines Safety looks forward to seeing these changes in La Jolla’s future.

What inspires you?

People who see a need for improvement and commit to creating positive change, despite challenges and adversity. John Wood, the founder of Room to Read is a perfect example. Just over a decade ago, he left his prestigious job at Microsoft to build schools and libraries in developing countries. To date, he has helped build 1,450 schools, 12,500 libraries, and helped send 13,667 girls to school — all who would otherwise not have had the opportunity. As the Chapter Co-Leader of the San Diego Chapter, I aim to engage our business community to contribute to Room to Read. Our next event, “How Giving Back Benefits Companies,” will be held on Dec. 5 at Vintalk, 9707 Waples, Suite 201 in San Diego. More details can be found at roomtoread.org/sandiego

If you hosted a dinner party for eight, whom (living or deceased) would you invite?

My husband Karrar, Martin Scorsese, Thomas Jefferson, Charles Darwin, Jim Carrey, Margaret Sanger, Paulo Coelho and Sigmund Freud.

What are you reading?

I am reading, “For a Future to Be Possible: Buddhist Ethics for Everyday Life,” by Thich Nhat Hanh.

What is your most-prized possession?

I have two; my wedding ring and my MacBook Air.

What do you do for fun?

Walk the beautiful neighborhoods of San Diego with Karrar, spend time with our family in L.A., practice French, watch movies at the Landmark Theatre and on Netflix, and cook. Last but not least, I am passionate about international travel and hope to see all corners of our Earth, during what I hope will be a long and healthy life with Karrar.

Please describe your greatest accomplishment

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Starting Strategy Meets Performance is an accomplishment I take pride in because it is the

culmination of my years of work experience and education. Helping my clients transform themselves and their organizations is a privilege and joy of which I will never tire.

What is your philosophy on life?

“Petit à petit, l’oiseau fait son nid.“ With time and perseverance, one accomplishes one’s goals. (Literal translation: Bit by bit, the bird builds his nest.)