Sharon Lowe

Sharon has been involved with Poetry as a Tool for Wellness (PTW) and The Institute for Poetic Medicine continuously since January 2023, first as a PTW student and then as a volunteer for organizational development, including board and program development and fundraising.

"I have loved poetry for as long as I can remember and in it's way, poetry has loved me back. It gained me recognition from teachers during elementary school. By high school I was changing out the words in songs and poems for use in school plays and celebrations. In college, I chose to write an essay about Lawrence Ferlingetti's poem, "Dog," for an elective class in Urban Studies, and the department head invited me to consider graduate school in that discipline. As a management-side public higher education attorney, I once waged a written argument in iambic pentameter and the union representatives recited it back to me during our next meeting. As a nonprofit leader I frequently used poetry in weekly emails and fundraising appeals.

I discovered Poetry as a Tool for Wellness during COVID while I worked as Executive Director of Austin Clubhouse, a non-clinical, community-based, mental health organization. I felt deeply moved by what I witnessed in participants and myself. When I retired in October 2022, Athena McClendon and Kristin Thompson invited me to train to be a trainer for PTW.

I began volunteering for nonprofits serving persons who had low incomes and were unhoused in 2001, while in seminary. I discovered Foundation for the Homeless (FFH) in 2003 and recruited my church to join their Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN or Family Promise) shelter network in 2004. Later in 2004, I was recruited to serve as the Interim IHN Director for several months. When Hurricane Katrina hit in August 2005, I signed-up to serve as a chaplain to hurricane survivors at the Austin Convention Center and was quickly asked to help FFH set-up and run a disaster assistance program that I led until October 2006. In October 2007, I was asked to serve as Interim Executive Director of FFH which became permanent in May 2008. I led FFH until June 2017. By building collaborative relationships with local nonprofits, government, and businesses between 2008 and 2015, FFH was able to triple our budget, programming and staff. I worked as a fundraising consultant and HR Director for Front Steps 2017-2020 and as Executive Director of Austin Clubhouse 2020- October 2022. I also served in church and board leadership roles between 2005 and 2025, including: Austin Area Disaster Assistance, The Seton Cove (14 years), Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO), Community of Hope, Affordable Housing Austin (AHA), St. Matthew's Art and Music Festivals."