Operations & Project Management Leadership
Program Operations · Project Management · Process Improvement
Profile
Bringing structure, documentation, and a calm, steady hand to complex programs.
For more than fifteen years, Sarah Bownds has guided complex programs, cross-functional initiatives, and stakeholder-facing projects for mission-driven organizations across Wisconsin.
Her work turns ambiguity into organized, dependable execution — coordinating partners, building the documentation and processes that keep intricate work moving, and serving as the steady operational center that leaders and partners rely on.
Experience
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) · Madison, WI
Leads a portfolio of business attraction projects and investment inquiries, coordinating across internal teams, regional partners, consultants, and site-selection professionals — and serving as a lead point of contact that keeps complex opportunities moving forward.
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC)
Directed operational planning and execution for statewide marketing events, trade shows, and on-brand experiences representing WEDC and the State of Wisconsin — managing vendors, budgets, and ROI reporting across many concurrent projects.
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC)
Developed multi-year trade show strategies leveraging Wisconsin's brand to advance key industry sectors, managing an annual portfolio of conferences and events end to end — from needs assessment and budgeting through onsite execution and results measurement.
Wisconsin Housing & Economic Development Authority (WHEDA)
Supported Section 42 Tax Credit programs and HR Training & Development — coordinating documentation, scheduling, reporting, and compliance support with organization and reliable follow-through across departments.
Rotary International
Coordinated logistics and communications for international leadership training programs, serving as liaison between organizational leadership, vendors, volunteers, and participants across diverse groups.
Areas of Expertise
Workflow coordination, project tracking, deadline management, briefing materials, and operational documentation.
Work instructions, checklists, SOPs, process mapping, and knowledge management.
RFI/RFP intake and response, Certified Sites administration, and site-visit coordination.
Regional and local partners, consultant relationships, and cross-divisional collaboration.
Salesforce records, project tracking, research synthesis, and dashboard collaboration.
Trade show strategy, logistics, vendor contracts, budgets, and ROI tracking.
Education
Edgewood College
University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire · Minor in Biology
An operations and project management professional who brings structure, documentation, and calm, dependable execution to complex, mission-driven programs.
Known for organized execution, dependable follow-through, and the ability to bring structure and calm to complex work.
For more than fifteen years, Sarah has supported complex programs, cross-functional initiatives, and stakeholder-facing projects across Wisconsin's economic development landscape.
She specializes in turning moving parts into reliable systems — coordinating partners and consultants, documenting the processes that keep work consistent, and tracking the details that give leadership confidence and visibility.
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Leads business attraction projects and investment inquiries, coordinating internal teams, regional partners, consultants, and site selectors.
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Directed statewide marketing events and trade shows representing the State of Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Built multi-year trade show strategies advancing key Wisconsin industry sectors.
Wisconsin Housing & Economic Development Authority
Supported Section 42 Tax Credit programs and HR Training & Development with documentation, scheduling, and compliance coordination.
Rotary International
Coordinated logistics, communications, and participant support for international leadership training programs.
Workflow coordination, project tracking, deadline management, briefing materials, operational documentation.
Work instructions, checklists, SOPs, process mapping, knowledge management.
RFI/RFP intake & response, Certified Sites administration, site-visit coordination.
Regional partners, consultant relationships, cross-divisional collaboration.
Salesforce, project tracking, research synthesis, dashboard collaboration.
Trade show strategy, logistics, vendor contracts, budgets, ROI tracking.
Master of Business Administration
Bachelor of Arts
Minor in Biology
Whether it's a complex program, a partnership, or a project that needs steady operational footing — I'd be glad to connect.
Operations · Project Management · Process Improvement
For fifteen years she has been the steady center of complex programs — the one who brings structure, documentation, and calm to work with many moving parts.
The Profile
Sarah Bownds is an operations and project management professional with more than fifteen years of experience supporting complex programs, cross-functional initiatives, and stakeholder-facing projects for mission-driven organizations.
Her reputation is built on organized execution and dependable follow-through. Colleagues and partners describe a professional who keeps complex work moving in fast-paced environments — synthesizing research, coordinating partners and consultants, and quietly building the documentation and processes that make intricate work repeatable.
Across business attraction, events and exhibits, and program administration, the through-line is the same: she brings calm, practical structure to ambiguity, and she follows through.
"Known for the ability to bring structure, documentation, and calm operational support to complex work."
Career, in Detail
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Leads a portfolio of business attraction projects and investment inquiries, coordinating internal teams, regional partners, consultants, and site selectors as a lead point of contact for complex opportunities.
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Directed planning and execution for statewide marketing events and trade shows representing the State of Wisconsin, managing vendors, budgets, and ROI reporting across concurrent projects.
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Built multi-year trade show strategies leveraging Wisconsin's brand, managing an annual portfolio of conferences and events from needs assessment through results measurement.
Wisconsin Housing & Economic Development Authority
Supported Section 42 Tax Credit programs and HR Training & Development, coordinating documentation, scheduling, reporting, and compliance support across departments.
Rotary International
Coordinated logistics and communications for international leadership training programs, serving as liaison among leadership, vendors, volunteers, and participants.
Fields of Expertise
Workflow coordination, project tracking, deadline management, operational documentation.
Work instructions, checklists, SOPs, process mapping, knowledge management.
RFI/RFP intake & response, Certified Sites administration, site-visit coordination.
Regional partners, consultant relationships, cross-divisional collaboration.
Salesforce, project tracking, research synthesis, dashboard collaboration.
Trade show strategy, logistics, vendor contracts, budgets, ROI tracking.
Education
Master of Business Administration
Bachelor of Arts · Minor in Biology
Hello, I'm
Program operations · project management · process improvement
A little about me
I bring structure, clarity, and calm to complex, mission-driven work.
For more than fifteen years I've supported complex programs, cross-functional initiatives, and stakeholder-facing projects — turning many moving parts into organized, dependable execution.
I'm known for organized follow-through, attention to detail, and a steady presence that helps teams and partners keep complex work moving. I love building the quiet systems — the documentation, the processes, the tracking — that make good work repeatable.
Where I've been
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Leading business attraction projects and investment inquiries — coordinating partners, consultants, and site selectors, and directing the Certified Sites Program.
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Directed statewide marketing events and trade shows representing Wisconsin — managing vendors, budgets, and ROI across many concurrent projects.
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Built multi-year trade show strategies advancing key Wisconsin industries, managing a full portfolio of events from budgeting to onsite execution.
Wisconsin Housing & Economic Development Authority
Supported Section 42 Tax Credit programs and HR Training & Development with documentation, scheduling, and compliance coordination.
Rotary International
Coordinated logistics, communications, and participant support for international leadership training programs.
What I do well
Workflow coordination, project tracking, deadlines, operational documentation.
Work instructions, checklists, SOPs, process mapping.
RFI/RFP response, Certified Sites, site-visit coordination.
Regional partners, consultants, cross-divisional collaboration.
Salesforce, project tracking, research synthesis, dashboards.
Trade show strategy, logistics, vendor contracts, budgets, ROI.
Education
Master of Business Administration
Bachelor of Arts
Minor in Biology
Operations and project management professional with 15+ years building the systems, documentation, and steady coordination that keep complex, mission-driven programs moving.
01 Profile
Turning ambiguity into organized, dependable execution — with calm, practical structure.
For more than fifteen years, Sarah has supported complex programs, cross-functional initiatives, and stakeholder-facing projects across Wisconsin's economic development landscape.
She specializes in operational process design — coordinating partners and consultants, documenting workflows, and maintaining the CRM records and reporting that give leadership clear visibility into complex work.
02 Experience
2022 — PRESENT
WISCONSIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Leads a portfolio of business attraction projects and investment inquiries, coordinating internal teams, regional partners, consultants, and site selectors.
2018 — 2022
WISCONSIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Directed planning and execution for statewide marketing events and trade shows representing the State of Wisconsin.
2011 — 2018
WISCONSIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Built multi-year trade show strategies advancing key Wisconsin industry sectors, managing events end to end.
2006 — 2011
WISCONSIN HOUSING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
Supported Section 42 Tax Credit programs and HR Training & Development with documentation, scheduling, and compliance coordination.
2001 — 2006
ROTARY INTERNATIONAL
Coordinated logistics, communications, and participant support for international leadership training programs.
03 Capabilities
Workflow coordination, project tracking, deadline management, operational documentation.
Work instructions, checklists, SOPs, process mapping, knowledge management.
RFI/RFP intake & response, Certified Sites administration, site-visit coordination.
Regional partners, consultant relationships, cross-divisional collaboration.
Salesforce, project tracking, research synthesis, dashboard collaboration.
Trade show strategy, logistics, vendor contracts, budgets, ROI tracking.
04 Education
MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
BACHELOR OF ARTS · MINOR IN BIOLOGY
Est. Madison, WI · 15+ Years in the Field
Operations & project management pro who turns ambiguity into organized, dependable execution.
Bringing structure and calm to complex, mission-driven work.
For more than fifteen years, Sarah Bownds has guided complex programs, cross-functional initiatives, and stakeholder-facing projects across Wisconsin's economic development landscape.
She turns moving parts into reliable systems — coordinating partners and consultants, documenting the processes that keep work consistent, and tracking the details that give leadership confidence.
// Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Leads a portfolio of business attraction projects and investment inquiries, coordinating internal teams, regional partners, consultants, and site selectors as a lead point of contact for complex opportunities.
// Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Directed planning and execution for statewide marketing events and trade shows representing the State of Wisconsin — managing vendors, budgets, and ROI across concurrent projects.
// Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Built multi-year trade show strategies leveraging Wisconsin's brand to advance key industry sectors, managing events from needs assessment through results measurement.
// Wisconsin Housing & Economic Development Authority
Supported Section 42 Tax Credit programs and HR Training & Development with documentation, scheduling, reporting, and compliance coordination.
// Rotary International
Coordinated logistics and communications for international leadership training programs, serving as liaison among leadership, vendors, volunteers, and participants.
MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
BACHELOR OF ARTS
Minor in Biology
Turning ambiguity into organized, dependable execution — bringing structure, documentation, and calm to complex, mission-driven programs.
Known for organized execution, dependable follow-through, and the ability to bring structure and calm to complex work.
For more than fifteen years, Sarah has supported complex programs, cross-functional initiatives, and stakeholder-facing projects across Wisconsin's economic development landscape.
She specializes in turning moving parts into reliable systems — coordinating partners and consultants, documenting processes, and tracking the details that give leadership confidence and visibility.
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Leads business attraction projects and investment inquiries, coordinating partners, consultants, and site selectors.
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Directed statewide marketing events and trade shows representing Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Built multi-year trade show strategies advancing key Wisconsin industries.
Wisconsin Housing & Economic Development Authority
Supported Section 42 Tax Credit programs and HR Training & Development with documentation, scheduling, and compliance coordination.
Rotary International
Coordinated logistics, communications, and participant support for international leadership training programs.
Workflow coordination, project tracking, deadline management, operational documentation.
Work instructions, checklists, SOPs, process mapping, knowledge management.
RFI/RFP intake & response, Certified Sites administration, site-visit coordination.
Regional partners, consultant relationships, cross-divisional collaboration.
Salesforce, project tracking, research synthesis, dashboard collaboration.
Trade show strategy, logistics, vendor contracts, budgets, ROI tracking.
Master of Business Administration
Bachelor of Arts
Minor in Biology
Whether it's a complex program, a partnership, or a project that needs steady operational footing — I'd love to connect.