Sarah Pancheri serves as President and Chief Executive Officer for Milwaukee World Festival, Inc., (MWF) the non-profit organization that produces Summerfest presented by American Family Insurance and manages, develops and stewards the 75-acre Henry Maier Festival Park. In 2024, events held at the Park delivered $318 million in economic impact to Wisconsin, supported 4,700 jobs and generated over $22.6 million in state and local taxes.
After spending the formative years of her career with MWF, Sarah left the organization to gain experience as managing director for Milwaukee Fundraising at Marquette University, and, later, as vice president of development and communications for the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee. Rejoining the MWF team in December 2015 as vice president of sales and marketing, Sarah continued to play a central role in strategic planning, budgeting, programming and operating decisions for MWF. She was promoted to president in 2022, and on January 1, 2024, she also assumed the role of chief executive officer.
Sarah is a proud graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She recently completed her term as Board Chair of VISIT Milwaukee and serves on the Wisconsin Council of Tourism and the boards of the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and the Historic Third Ward Association. Sarah has also been recognized as a Woman of Influence by the Milwaukee Business Journal and one of TEMPO’s 50 Most Influential Women.