Good Shepherd Lutheran Church | Burnsville, MN

Ms. Sommer

Office Manager

Summary: Ms. Sommer accepted the role of Full Time Office Manager for Good Shepherd Church & School in August of 2015.

Staff Role at Good Shepherd: Office Manager/Administrator
Volunteer Roles: Team Member of the Board for Member Support, Team Member of the Capital Campaign Committee, LES Art Adventure Coordinator and LES PTO, Planning Team Member for the WELS Executive and Support Staff Conferences.

Favorite Bible Passage: “I have several bible passages that lead me in God’s path through daily life: John 13:34 – love one another; Prov 3:5 – trust in the Lord; Prov 22:6 – well guided children become well guiding adults.”

Why Ms. Sommer wanted to work at Good Shepherd: “Leadership and organization comes easily to me, but I found that the demands of corporate management didn’t align with the needs of my growing children and extended family. Working at Good Shepherd allows me to use my God-given strengths, more of my creative talents and, most importantly, allows me more time with my loved ones than I’d had in positions elsewhere. To be surrounded by my Christian family- colleagues who are united in faith, mission and vision- is simply a bonus.”

Ms. Sommer’s philosophy: “I don’t believe in management so much as leadership. My goals are always to be the example, to create value rather than count it; to inspire rather than control; be people-focused rather than work-focused and proactive rather than reactive. I believe those traits motivate others and mobilize resources, so teams can accomplish their missions together. Also, ‘Live simply and remain grateful.’”

Education: Ms. Sommer received a Bachelor of Science in Family Consumer Science with emphases in Marketing and Management in Fashion Design, and a Minor in Art. She has taken ongoing education courses in Accounting, Budgeting, Finances, Entrepreneurship, Event Planning, Leadership, Human Resources, Management, Marketing, and Facility Maintenance.

Experience: Ms. Sommer focused her career in Management; starting in retail and later moving to property management. In both roles, she was responsible for stabilizing financial performance by implementing and administrating processes that created a more efficient and friendly atmosphere, and guiding coworkers to reach their fullest potential to achieve company goals.

Home Life: Ms. Sommer enjoys being a mother. Family time is usually enjoyed with home improvement and landscaping projects, lake life, outdoor activities, and family game or movie nights.

dsommer@goodshep.com