Sherry Monaghan
Sherry Monaghan is a dedicated educator, marketing professional, and lifelong learner with over 30 years of experience inspiring high school students. As a Marketing Instructor at Centerville High School, she combines her expertise in branding, strategy, and creative thinking with hands-on learning experiences that prepare students for real-world success. Sherry’s teaching philosophy centers on making education engaging, relevant, and empowering, encouraging her students to lead with curiosity, confidence, and creativity.
Beyond the classroom, Sherry has shared her passion for creativity and connection through nearly a decade of cooking instruction at Dorothy Lane Market. She brings the same thoughtfulness and energy to her culinary classes, helping students and community members transform ingredients into memorable meals and experiences. In 2024, she expanded her skillset further by becoming a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200), integrating mindfulness, movement, and intentional living into her teaching approach.
Sherry’s impact extends into leadership and community engagement. She has served as President of the Centerville City Schools PTO, coordinated large-scale service projects with local nonprofits, and frequently leads workshops on marketing education, energy management, and authentic leadership. Whether in the classroom, the kitchen, or on the yoga mat, Sherry is committed to fostering growth, creativity, and connection, inspiring those around her to learn, explore, and thrive.
• Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200)
• Bowling Green State University - B.A.
• 2023 Ohio DECA CTE Advocacy Award
• 2022 Black & Gold Award
• 2022 Ohio High School Athletic Association Advocate Award
• 2009 Excellence in Education Award
• 1994 Marketing Education Young Professional of the Year
• DECA Inc.
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a career built at the intersection of teaching, creativity, and wellness. Over the past three decades, I have taught marketing, guiding students not only through strategies and analytics but also helping them build the confidence to pursue their dreams. Alongside my academic work, I pursued my passion for culinary arts, teaching cooking classes for ten years, and most recently, I completed my 200-hour yoga teacher certification—bringing a wellness-focused perspective to both my professional and personal life.
Teaching has always been the cornerstone of my journey. I have had the privilege of leading classrooms, managing a school shop, and collaborating with senior leadership to develop our online brand. The most rewarding aspect of my work has been witnessing students grow and succeed, knowing that my guidance and support helped ignite their ambitions.
Beyond the classroom, I have embraced opportunities to support wellness and personal development. My yoga training has shaped my teaching philosophy, reinforcing the value of balance, mindfulness, and self-awareness—principles I aim to pass along to both my students and colleagues.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received came through my mentor, Ana Eickman. She consistently showed up as her authentic self, and I admired how seamlessly she integrated her personal values into her professional life. Watching her teach was inspiring—there was never a divide between who she was personally and professionally, and it taught me the power of authenticity in building trust and impact in any career.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
For young women entering my field, my advice is to embrace authenticity and resilience. Teaching, especially when combined with marketing, demands showing up fully every day. It’s not a career for the faint of heart—you must make choices that align with your values, rather than seeking approval or validation from others. This is a path you pursue for yourself, and the most important thing is to always remain true to who you are.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Teaching comes with its challenges, and the pandemic highlighted just how essential adaptability and resilience are for both educators and students. Navigating these unprecedented dynamics has reinforced for me the importance of staying true to my values, making intentional choices, and cultivating a strong professional network. These lessons are critical not only for supporting my students’ growth but also for my own ongoing development and connection within the broader educational and professional community.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are authenticity, mindfulness, and service. Completing my yoga teacher training deepened my understanding of myself and helped me align with who I truly am—lessons I strive to share with my students while practicing mental well-being so I can give my best to them and everyone around me.
Beyond the classroom, I have dedicated time to projects that connect education with community impact. Through a service-learning initiative with Clothes That Work, a Dayton, Ohio-based nonprofit, my marketing students and I have organized clothing drives, professional skills workshops, and reentry programs for individuals transitioning from incarceration. Witnessing both my students’ growth and the tangible outcomes of these efforts has been incredibly fulfilling. I am proud to share that our initiatives led to the two largest clothing drives in the nonprofit’s history, prompting them to move to a larger location to accommodate the impact.