Sharon Lyle

In the course of her work, Sharon’s favorite thing is to step back in the middle of a frenetic event and watch all of the guests (who are hopefully having fun, learning something, making new connections, and creating memories). She is the founder and president of Ensemble, an experiential design studio based in Dallas, TX. Ensemble works with clients to build programs, experiences, and activations to help tell the stories of our clients’ missions in ways that stick with people. Prior to starting Ensemble, she co-founded Public City, a community engagement firm, which she co-led from 2013-2017.

In her early career, Sharon started out as a fundraiser, went back to business school for her MBA, and then landed a pretty amazing job working with creative dynamos at the brand/ marketing shop Arrow in Austin, TX. After a move back to Dallas in 2009, she started and ran TEDxSMU and TEDxKids @SMU through 2012. TEDxKids @SMU (the first ever TEDx programming for young folks) and TEDxSMU quickly became passion projects for Sharon and her team, and she was immersed in a global community of incredible thinkers, artists, change agents, and innovators. She found her place as a content curator, platform builder and dot connector. With an added knack for a little spontaneous fun and a sometimes wicked wit, Sharon spent the about four years building community around TEDxSMU and other programs she came up with along the way, like the firstever (and now emulated) Idea Week.

Other teams she’s had the privilege to serve alongside include the educators and do-gooders at KIPP Dallas-Fort Worth; the PR geniuses at Levinson Brinker Public Relations (including her mentor Stan Levinson); the creative minds at The CE Group; the fundraising sharp-shooters at San Antonio Academy; and the witty and bright team led by her other mentor Rena Pederson at The Dallas Morning News. Sharon’s big on collaborations. She’s big on cities. She’s bullish on Dallas, her home base. And she is loving the fact that she continues to get work on projects that mean something to the people they serve.