Blazing her Own Trail
By LISA NOLAN, COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA SPECIALIST MILLE LACS CORPORATE VENTURES
Sherraine White dreams with her eyes wide open, but she’s no daydreamer. At just 23 years old, she has the rare ability to reach for the stars while knowing the necessary steps to get to them. This could be because Sherraine has already conquered more than some do in an entire lifetime.
Born and raised in Isle in the Chiminising district, Sherraine admits she did not have the same community connections as she does today. Attending public school, she was one of only a couple Native American students in her school. Once high school was finished, Sherraine went to Central Lakes Community College, where she earned a business management certificate.
During this time, she worked as a housekeeper at Grand Casino Mille Lacs and for the Mille Lacs Band government. In August 2020, Sherraine was hired as an intern in the People and Culture department at Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures. It was the start of a promising career, and then the unthinkable happened.
Tragedy struck Sherraine’s family just a couple months later when her mother passed away. In the midst of her grief, she made the courageous decision to become the primary caretaker for her five younger siblings. “I just take it day by day and put one foot in front of the other. I know I made the right decision for my family because I’m so close to my siblings,” explains Sherraine.
Not only did she take on a new role at home, but she also took a major role change at work. In December 2020, Sherraine applied and was offered the role of executive administrative assistant at MLCV. In her position, she supports the entire MLCV executive team. Some of the items she’s responsible for are running monthly meetings, planning events (annual family golf outing, Fall Feast), and acting as chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) council.
Learning her new role has taken tenacity, dedication, and the ability to form meaningful connections. Sherraine has taken her on-the-job-style training extremely seriously. Being the self-starter that she is, Sherraine has taken the initiative to learn about the different businesses within the MLCV portfolio and has taken the opportunity to work closely with MLCV’s Chief of Staff, Andrea Bolin.
“Andrea has become a mentor of mine. I have learned so much from her already and hope to be able move to that role [Chief of Staff] one day,” says Sherraine.
Chief of Staff is just one goal that Sherraine has set for herself. The ultimate goal? Chief Executive Officer of MLCV – the role currently held by Joe Nayquonabe. Not surprisingly, she has a blueprint to make her dream role come true.
She has returned to college at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College and is taking three classes this semester, including a business law class. She says, “I love anything law-related!” Aside from continuing her education, Sherraine is committed to learning everything there is to know about MLCV and growing her business relationships.
A key component of her plan is to soak up the leadership lessons she experiences while at MLCV. “I appreciate the leadership style at MLCV. Leaders put the needs of others before themselves. It really shows how we are all working towards one common goal — improving the quality of life for Band members,” she says. “Joe has created a great team. Everyone here truly cares about the Band. That means a lot to me.”
These lessons in leadership are serving Sherraine well at work and at home. “I want my siblings to know they can shoot for the moon. I want to show them that anything is possible, if you’re willing to work hard enough,” she says. Her younger siblings are already making great strides for their future using Sherraine as an example of what is possible.
“School wasn’t a huge priority for my siblings. Now they get to see all the cool things I get to do because of my job, like traveling, meeting the Lieutenant Governor and planning events. Now they’re realizing how important school is,” says Sherraine. In fact, one of her sisters wants to follow in Sherraine’s footsteps and work at MLCV.
Another important part of being a strong leader is being truthful and authentic. “I know they’re watching, and that makes me want to be the best example that I can be. At the same time, I make sure that I’m honest when I have my bad days. Especially as the anniversary of my mother’s death approaches,” says Sherraine.
Strength and vulnerability are marks of a great leader, more specifically a great servant leader. If Sherraine continues to implement all the knowledge she is learning, the stars are definitely within reach.
“I know I’m blessed. Not many people get to work with a team that is like family in their career — I’ve gotten that at such a young age. To be able to step into a company and feel at home so quickly is rare, and I don’t take it for granted,” Sherraine proclaims. We cannot wait to see Sherraine make all her dreams come true.
