President and CEO
Milwaukee World Festival | Milwaukee
Sarah Pancheri took the helm of Milwaukee World Festival Inc., the nonprofit producer of Summerfest and manager of the 75-acre Henry Maier Festival Park, in early 2024. This year, the organization hosted nearly 60 events, including Summerfest, Milwaukee’s various ethnic festivals and other live entertainment. The year prior, events held on the park grounds generated $318 million in economic impact to the state and $22.4 million in state and local taxes and supported 4,700 jobs, according to MWF. Pancheri previously served as vice president of sales and marketing for MWF until her promotion to president in 2022 and CEO in 2024, succeeding the organization’s longtime, high-profile leader Don Smiley. She also previously held fundraising and development roles at Marquette University and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee. She currently chairs the VISIT Milwaukee board and serves on the boards of the Sponsorship Marketing Association, Milwaukee School of Art & Design and the Historic Third Ward Association.
Education: Bachelor’s, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Advice for first-time leaders: “Keep a diary of important decisions, with a focus on your individual process.”
Thing to learn this year: “Pickleball.”
Favorite movie: “Any movie by John Hughes, including ‘The Breakfast Club,’ ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,’ ‘The Great Outdoors,’ etc.”
First and most recent concert: “One of my first concerts was Boy George at MECCA. My most recent was Pitbull at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater. Both were excellent!”
