Meet the CXPA Team

Lesley Lykins

Director of Member Engagement

Raised on a farm in Ohio, I grew up learning how to milk goats. I accepted a Naval Reserve Officer Training Corp scholarships to Boston University as a method of escaping Ohio. After graduating with a degree in General Management I started my career driving warships for the Navy. After three years in the Navy's Surface Warfare community, I was selected as one of the Navy's 200 public affairs officers. I had opportunities to collaborate and lead major Navy outreach opportunities including New York City Fleet Week, and ended my active career in the Navy standing up the Navy's social media program. I had a brief stint as a community manager for SocialMedia.org and then was blessed to be introduced to CXPA. It is my pleasure to serve as the association's community manager. On the home front, I spend time fundraising for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, participating as a leader in my church and am a wife and mother of four young children living once again back in Ohio. (No goats this time!)

Quick facts about Lesley

She loves to cycle and has completed multiple century (100 mile) rides
She won the 4-H state title twice for her public speaking demonstrations while in high school
Lesley ran into Goonies Star Sean Astin on an elevator and it took 11 floors for her to realize who he was

Lisa Wilberding

Marketing Manager

lisa@cxpa.org

With over 15 years of marketing communications experience under her belt, Lisa Wilberding has the experience, knowledge and determination to help companies develop and implement strategic communications strategies focused on obtaining qualified leads and improving the bottom line. Passionate about driving results, she takes a strategic approach and determines what differentiates organizations from the competitor, develops impactful messages and determines the right tools to deliver those messages to target audiences.

Quick facts about Lisa

My mother, a microbiologist, worked with Jonas Salk on the first successful polio vaccine!
I love to cook and travel...but don’t do nearly enough of either!
I’ve traveled far and wide but always being a Michigander at heart, my favorite place is “up north” at our cottage on Lake Huron.

Allie Poikonen

Event Specialist

allie@cxpa.org

As an Event Specialist, Allie loves the nitty gritty details and pulling off successful events!

Allie has a BS in Hospitality Management from Southern New Hampshire University and is pursuing her MBA at Fitchburg State University. She started working for CXPA in February 2015, and has loved every second of the welcoming atmosphere that CX professionals have to offer!

Quick facts about Allie

She has a twin brother who is her total opposite
She’s lived in Florence, Italy and loves to travel!
She loves to cook, and entertain friends and family

Kim Proctor

Member Concierge

welcome@cxpa.org

As the member concierge Kim personally sends an email to every new member and offers them tips for getting started, answers questions and more. If you need help email Kim. Kim has loved customer experience before she even knew it was called that. After reading Jeanne Bliss’ first book Chief Customer Office she knew this was her world! She loves being a founding member of the CXPA because she has met so many great people. It’s a delight to help out the CXPA in various hats she has worn over the years since joining the organization.

Quick facts about Kim

She is a huge cat lover and has 2 cute tortie cats.
She has been a vegetarian for 20 years and loves swapping recipes.
She loves to travel and has been to South Africa twice!

Erica Ashfeld

Community Manager

erica@cxpa.org

Erica Ashfeld serves as CXPA's Community Manager for Local Networking and Corporate Membership. In this role, she partners with Local Networking leaders on event planning, membership growth and connecting members across the globe. She also focuses directly on Corporate Membership benefits and resources. As the newest team member, she is excited to partner with the CXPA in a new capacity after being a member for almost two years!

Quick facts about Erica

Loves boating and waterskiing on Minnesota's 10,000 lakes
Grew up wanting to be a nurse, has always had a passion for healthcare and helping others
Enjoys spending time with her family and two young children, bargain hunting and baking

Karl Sharicz, CCXP

Content Curator

Karl@cxpa.org

As Content Curator, Karl strives to ensure that members have access to the latest and most important topics in customer experience, by members and for members. It’s all about member to member sharing and being connected to one another, and having great conversations every day. Karl is a creator, an instigator, sometimes an agitator, often a moderator, but never an imitator.

Karl is a Certified Customer Experience Professional, [CCXP] has a Master’s Degree in Instructional Design and Adult Learning from Boston University and built a reputation for himself as a CX thought-leader while honing his craft in CX while working with Tyco SimplexGrinnell. Most recently, Karl began his own CX consulting practice called CX Partners, focusing on helping small and mid-sized businesses get started along the customer experience pathway and thereby reaping the business benefits of being a customer-centric organization. Karl lives in Houghs Neck, just south of Boston, with his wife Carol and three cats and enjoys creative photography as well as gourmet dining and fine wines.

Quick facts about Karl

Being a proactive customer experience professional and ever curious about CX best-practices, Karl is known to take just about every survey coming his way and is very likely to reach out and provide customer feedback on the survey and often offers his thoughts and impressions even when no one is asking.
Karl is a singer and songwriter and has been known to write songs with special lyrics around CX for the Annual CXPA Insight Exchange.
He has recorded two full-length CDs, the latter which is available (your choice) either for a nominal fee or free by just asking Karl.

Megan Cannon

Program Manager

megan@cxpa.org

As Program Manager, Megan links people and projects together. She specializes in CXPA membership and sponsorship, and loves to help! Megan has a BA in Theatre from UMass, Amherst. She lives a busy life on a hill in western Massachusetts with her husband and two little ones. Megan started with the CXPA in June 2014, and has loved getting to know each and every member of the CXPA family.

Quick facts about Megan

She spent a season wrangling elves for Santa at Macy’s NYC
She is a certified pyro technician, firearms safety trainer and precision stunt driver
Some of her credits include performing for 20,000 people as a Wiggle, and driving the Batmobile
She enjoys juggling, both figuratively and literally

Emma Celeste

Program Coordinator

emma@cxpa.org

As a Program Coordinator for the CXPA, Emma is a customer service enthusiast who loves to help in any way she can. She spends her days working on all aspects of the membership process, providing support on CXPA projects and reports, and working closely with the events team to coordinate logistics.

Emma was born and raised in Massachusetts with a great appreciation and love for all four seasons. She graduated from Endicott College in Beverly, MA with a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management, four internships and lots of lifelong friends. She loves warm vacations, spending time with great people, football season (go Pats) and is always up for a spontaneous adventure.

Quick facts about Emma

She stood three feet away from Tom Brady at Patriots Training Camp
Despite her famous last name, her family is not in the frozen pizza business
She volunteers as a mentor at Girls Inc., helping high school girls apply for college