Welcome to our series, #WHYoming.
We are highlighting people from around our communities and asking them a few questions. We want to learn a little about them and see why they chose this great state to raise their families, start their businesses, or simply to ask — Why Wyoming?
For this week’s #WHYoming, I had a chance to talk with Kris Sherwin, Girl Scout Troop 1041 leader. Kris has been involved in Girl Scouts for nine years and has been the service unit manager of the Green River Girl Scouts since 2014. She loves being a part of Girl Scouts as she views it as a privilege to be able to help young women better their community.
Kris has also been a Physician Assistant at Castle Rock Medical Center for the past 20 years. She has dedicated her life to helping others through her career and her service with the Girl Scouts. Kris loves the sense of community within Green River and Sweetwater County, and she believes Wyoming is a place that upholds the values she wanted to raise her family with. Kris is happy to be able to call Green River and Wyoming home.
Kris, how did you get involved with Girl Scouts?
In her fifth year as a Girl Scout, my daughter’s troop needed a leader. I volunteered to be that troop’s leader and nine years later I am still the leader of Troop 1041. As a troop leader I have the privilege to assist young women in achieving their goals to make the world a better place. In 2014 I took the role of service unit manager of the Green River Girl Scouts. Providing support to the ten Girl Scout troops in Green River gives me the opportunity to practice true servant leadership.
What is your favorite part about working with the Girl Scouts?
Relationships with Girl Scouts of all ages from all places is my favorite thing about Girl Scouts. While there is so much to learn from each other, true scholarship happens when true relationships happen.
What do you do for a living?
For the past 20 years I have worked at Castle Rock Medical Center as a Physician Assistant.
How did you end up in Green River?
At the time my husband, Sean, and I moved to Green River, WY, Sweetwater County was classified as an underserved area in health care. I accepted a Physician Assistant job offer in Rock Springs but chose to live in Green River. Working in Sweetwater County has allowed me to achieve my professional goal to work in rural primary care.
What do you appreciate most about our community?
Well, the word community says it all. Community is people. The valuable people in my personal and professional life are my role models.
What are some of your hobbies?
Anyone who knows me knows I am a voracious reader. At Immaculate Conception Church, my son, Greg, and I teach a 4th grade Faith Formation class. I’ve been known to stream and binge watch Sci-Fi, fantasy, and dystopian future series.
If you could give one brief piece of advice, what would it be?
There is a quote attributed to Albert Einstein that “The important thing is to never stop questioning.” My advice – Question to Learn and Learn to Question.
Who would you want to play you in a movie about your life?
To represent my younger self, choose my daughter. I’m told she looks like me, but it goes beyond that. She is the best of me. For my older self, choose from my best friends. They know who they are. They see me in ways I don’t see myself. My friends and my daughter would portray my life with truthful love.
What would you sing at karaoke?
Bon Jovi – “We Weren’t Born To Follow”.
How would your friends describe you?
I think they would see me as reliable, pragmatic and logical. They would know me as fiercely loyal and generous. They would rely on me to be prepared.
What is one of your proudest accomplishments?
Sean and I raised two children, Sheridan and Greg, who are strong in their faith, kind to others and will make a positive difference in our community of the world.
What is something unique about you?
I feel as though I’ve been responsible for damage to our cargo hauler’s fender(s) more that the average person. It seems as though it’s a unique skill. (Yeah, there’s a few stories behind that.)
Why do you choose to live in Wyoming?
My husband and I grew up in Wyoming. While life took us to live in other states, we knew that Wyoming would have the values, support and freedom we want to raise a family.
