#DukeWLAX20th Spotlight: Sheila Powenski Stafford

As the Duke women's lacrosse program celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2015-16, GoDuke.com will be catching up with several Blue Devil alumnae to highlight memories from their collegiate careers and the paths they've taken to success in their professional fields. Look for the profiles throughout the year, and be sure to check out the 20th Anniversary landing page at goduke.com/wlax20th for more information.

Sheila Powenski Stafford, 2001-04
A goalkeeper for the Blue Devils from 2001-04, Powenski Stafford made 12 appearances in goal over the course of her career while notching 22 saves. The Orchard Park, N.Y., native totaled 44:09 in the net as a senior, compiling a 5.44 goals against average and a .733 save percentage. As a mechanical engineering major, Powenski Stafford was a two-time ACC Academic Honor Roll selection. She went on to receive an MBA in marketing from Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business in 2009 and now works in supply chain integration at the Whirlpool Corporation in Italy.

GoDuke.com: What are some of your favorite lacrosse memories from your time at Duke?
Sheila Powenski Stafford: The funny part about all of my favorite memories of being a member of the Duke lacrosse team is that none of them are related to the game itself. All of my memories are about my teammates and the unbreakable bond that we formed while there. A few examples …

When eight of us crammed into Meg Miller's Toyota Celica, at some ridiculously early hour in the morning, rushing to get to our team run. En route, we were pulled over by the cops! We pleaded with him … Do whatever you need to do, just let us go so we are not late! Clearly Kerstin's wrath would be much worse than a ticket split eight ways … He let us go with a warning!
Workouts that pushed us to our limits, our mind, body and souls! In particular ones that involved the sand pit, Jeff Howser or the stadium! Individually, we became stronger mentally and physically, and as a team, did not let a single person give up, ensuring that as important as it was to individually endure, it was just as important if not more, that we endured as a team.
The true feeling of family: When we arrived on campus, we walked out of the arms of our parents and into the many arms of our teammates. Unlike others on campus trying to find their way, we were immediately welcomed by our upperclassmen, coaches and support network. The feeling of family was further reinforced as many of us chose to live together, on top of working together and playing together. We continue this family relationship today, from participating in each other's weddings, celebrating the birth of future Dukies and staying involved in each other's lives, no matter the distance that time has put between us.

GoDuke.com: What lessons did you take with you from your time on and off the field?
SPS: The life lessons that being a Duke lacrosse player instills in you are endless:

Never be late: Being prompt is a reflection of who you are, and indicates respect for the person you are meeting with. This lesson has stuck with me so much that every now and then, I still wake up from a dead sleep, fearing I might be late for practice!
You do not have to be the star player to make a difference on the team. Everyone plays a role, both on and off the field. You need to find what that role is for you and exemplify it.
Time management: You need to be productive while you have the time, not when you feel like it.
Always be ready, you never know when you might be called on to perform.

GoDuke.com: Who were some teammates that influenced you?
SPS: Not a teammate per se, but Kerstin Kimel was a huge influence on me. She taught me that in fact, I can “have it all” – i.e. be successful in your career and be successful as a mother.

When Caroline was born, the way Kerstin handled being a first-time working mom was incredible. She did not make excuses for being a mom and a professional. She figured out a way to do both, successfully. Caroline came to practice, on road trips, slept in the office - Ker figured out a way to make it work, whatever it took. In the end, she demonstrated that in fact she could do it, and eventually, we could too.

Side note: One funny memory was Kerstin had Caroline in the baby Bjorn at practice one day. Caroline was facing out from Ker's body looking at all of us. Kerstin was really fired up about something pointing and waving moving back and forth. All of a sudden Caroline spit up, not just a normal spit up, nearly a projectile vomit type spit up. Ker had no idea, and just kept going on, waving more and more… no one dared to interrupt. We could barely keep our faces straight without laughing out loud as we were being reprimanded. At least it was comic relief by the time she realized we were no longer watching her, but cautiously watching Caroline's next move!

In addition to Ker there were many of my teammates that influenced me, and still influence me today. One is CL Horton. CL is an incredible athlete who could build muscle in her sleep just dreaming about lifting. However over the course of her career she faced many knee injuries. LCL, PCL, MCL - ironically you name the “CL” and CL tore it… multiple times. By the middle of our senior season, she was forced to stop playing. It was simply too dangerous. Instead of complaining, or taking pity on herself, CL took the leadership role she had on earned on the field directly to the sidelines without missing a beat. She served as a player-coach, but more importantly as a mentor, friend and inspiration to us all. Today, she is still serving in this capacity, probably to many more as an ER Doc. In fact, she was in the ER at Brigham and Women's Hospital when the first victims of the Boston Marathon tragedy arrived. CL is well equipped to handle the uncertainly that life brings; the victims were in good hands. We all knew CL was an inspiration. Now, many more are learning the same.

GoDuke.com: How did your education prepare you for your professional career?
SPS: Although I am no longer an engineer by title, the systematic way in which I was taught to dissect problems and determine the root cause, is used daily. In addition, having an engineering degree gives me immediate credibility when interacting with our engineering teams.

GoDuke.com: How did you become interested in pursuing a career in the consumer goods industry?
SPS: I have always had a passion for creating products that have a true impact on the end user. At Whirlpool Corporation, our products are used by millions of people, daily!

GoDuke.com: What is your favorite aspect of your job?
SPS: The favorite aspect of my job is that I feel unconstrained. I have the freedom to look into any opportunity that may be worthwhile for Whirlpool to pursue, from new products to new business models. If I can prove a solid business case, or good reasoning behind it, I know I have the support that Whirlpool will pursue it.

GoDuke.com: What have been some keys to reaching the level of success you are at now?
SPS: The key to my success has been two-fold: first is not waiting for someone to hand me a perfect opportunity, but rather taking what I have, and figuring out ways to expand the role and push the boundaries to a new level. Second, not being afraid to speak my opinion, especially when I was in a junior position.

GoDuke.com: What advice would you give to current or future student-athletes?
SPS: A student-athlete immediately has a leg up on all of the others, as they have had an additional training in self-discipline, teamwork and time management. Be sure to take full advantage of this additional skill set, as it will allow you to quickly stand out above the rest.

GoDuke.com: Any other interests or fun facts we should know about?
SPS: I have a wonderful husband, James, and two very energetic future Dukies, Steele (3) and Jett (1). We recently relocated to the Milan, Italy area pursuing a new opportunity within Whirlpool. We enjoy travelling and taking full advantage of our new location.

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#DukeWLAX20th Spotlight: Sheila Powenski Stafford

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