Sheridan Woman Honored in Magazine

Amy Albrecht, Sheridan, was recently interviewed in the Wyoming Business Report, Wyoming’s Only Statewide Business Journal, for inclusion in their special publication, Women of Influence 2022. She joined eight other influential Wyoming women, including Wyoming’s First Lady Jennie Gordon.

The nine women who were featured make up the whole supplement and the Wyoming Business Report used this edition to announce those women who were nominated as the Women of Influence for 2022.

Albrecht is the executive director of the Center for a Vital Community at Sheridan College. She said she wasn’t sure how she was chosen, but she was honored to be included.

She talked about the CVC and the two leadership programs they have to train leaders in the community. One is the Sheridan CiViC Project, their flagship program.

The other program is aimed at students. In 2008 CVC created CampFIRE (formerly known as Youth CiViC Leadership Camp). They take 8th graders to the Big Horn Mountains in partnership with the Sheridan County YMCA every June to learn about themselves, identify their leadership skills, and engage in fun, challenging activities to use them most effectively.

The youngsters spend five days at Camp Roberts at YMCA of the Bighorns, days that are fun, educational, and filled with outdoor adventures as a way to help 8th graders meet the challenges of transitioning to high school. She talked about what the kids do at the camp.

She added that they follow the students after the camp, and find that many of them have earned scholarships, and continue to lead.

She said they also offer non-profit support as well. With Sheridan having a population of nearly 30,000 and over 400 registered nonprofits, Sheridan County has an abundance of organizations dedicated to improving the lives of all their residents. She said she liked the fact that the non-profits were not in competition with each other, but worked together very well. Most non-profits have small staffs, and the CVC brings in national experts to train staff, volunteers and board members in critical subjects including fundraising, effective communication strategies and more.

Albrecht grew up in Peoria, Ill, but moved to Sheridan permanently 30 years ago. Her dedication to Sheridan has not gone unnoticed. In 2019 she received the spirit of Sheridan award from the Sheridan County Chamber of Commence, and was service person of the year in 2012 from the Council of Social Agencies.

About the interview she said, “What a huge honor, I’m in the same supplement as the First Lady of Wyoming. It was so flattering to be asked.”