Sharmila Fowler-Pos is Founder and Coach, The Red Lion Institute. She is a Certified Professional Coach, Certified Myers-Briggs (MBTI®) Trainer,  Certified Professional Resume Writer and Member of The Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches.  She holds an MBA in Marketing and Strategic Planning from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a BA in Computer Science/Mathematics from the University of Rochester. She is the recipient of the 2018 Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business Award.

​

She was drawn to coaching as she is passionate about helping others succeed in their careers and in life!​ Sharmila draws on her rich career history during her coaching sessions. She has significant expertise in diversity & inclusion, multicultural marketing, and global business development.  Her passion is to understand human behavior through a cultural lens whether it is in the workplace, the marketplace or the community space. She is currently Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Echo Global Logistics. Previously, she was a Global Director in McDonald's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Group.  Earlier, she led Asian American marketing for McDonald's U.S. Business. Sharmila also held senior-level roles in the multicultural marketing research and consulting industry where she worked with leading Fortune 500 firms, ethnic advertising agencies and ethnic media firms in the areas of research and strategy.  Previously she spent years in global business development. 

​

Sharmila has presented at numerous conferences and authored several reports and articles on multicultural consumers and diversity/inclusion.  She has also utilized her cultural diversity expertise to teach a course on International Management as an adjunct professor at North Central College.

​

With a strong interest in helping underrepresented communities, Sharmila is active on several boards and committees. She serves as a Board Member and VP Membership for ASCEND Midwest, on Nielsen's External Advisory Council (for Diversity), and is on the Strategic Advisory Team for Frontline Partnerships for the DuPage Children's Museum.  Previously, she was on the National Board of ASCEND and was an Officer and Board Member of the Asian American Advertising Federation (3AF). 

 

Sharmila lives in the Chicagoland area with her husband. She enjoys learning about new cultures, traveling, cooking, gardening, entertaining, skiing and spending time with family and friends.