Paula Sharpe

Background

Paula Sharpe is a senior business execution consultant within Global Operations at Wells Fargo, supporting the Payment Operations Monitoring Support Team. In this role, she is a key contributor to the Payment Command Center, where she monitors enterprise wire systems, manages incident response communications, and ensures continuity of operations in a high-stakes production environment.

Sharpe brings an extensive background in HR operations, business execution, auditing, risk management, and governance. She has developed subject matter expertise in control design, policy implementation, and process improvement. Her strong analytical skills are complemented by her ability to clearly communicate business impacts and deliver exceptional service to internal stakeholders, clients, and external customers. Her work is grounded in a commitment to minimizing disruption, maintaining operational excellence, and proactively addressing system issues.

She holds a Master of Science in Information Systems from Florida State University and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Georgia State University. Her academic foundation has enabled her to bridge technical and operational functions, contributing to her growing expertise in technology integration within financial services.

Outside of her corporate career, Sharpe serves as a certified referee with the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, reflecting her dedication to community engagement and personal discipline.

Her pursuit of a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) is a natural extension of her passion for business, leadership, and global strategy. She aspires to expand her research and expertise in banking, international business, and operational resiliency, with the ultimate goal of becoming a study abroad professor and global business educator. She envisions creating immersive learning experiences for students and delivering thought leadership through speaking engagements, seminars, and academic forums.

Research Interest

Sharpe’s research interests center on the concept of “depth work”—cognitively demanding tasks that drive innovation, problem-solving, and strategic progress within organizations. In today’s fast-paced business environment, the ability to consistently engage in depth work is increasingly essential, yet often undermined by workplace distractions and declining employee well-being. She seeks to explore how organizations can foster environments that support sustained cognitive engagement by emphasizing employee wellness, particularly through nutrition and physical activity. By integrating principles of wellness and productivity, Sharpe aims to offer actionable insights that connect human performance with strategic business outcomes.