Dr. Sterling Wilder is seeking re-election to his City Council seat representing Ward 2. During his tenure, he has been proud to support investment in downtown revitalization, higher wages and better facilities for the Lynchburg’s police and fire departments, and renovations to Parks and Recreation community centers across the city.

Early in his career, Sterling spent a decade as an auditor/investigator for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (FDIC) Office of Inspector General. There, he determined whether FDIC units were performing in accordance with proper management policies, procedures and objectives, and implemented procedures to improve the efficiency of corporate activities.

For the last three decades, Sterling has focused on advocacy and mentorship for youth in our community. In 1998, he created the Jubilee Family Development Center, where his role as executive director enables him to develop extensive educational and recreational programming designed to inspire achievement and self-sufficiency in the City’s youth – including summer enrichment camps, a STEM center, and vocational training. Prior to being elected to City Council in 2016, Sterling served for nine years on the Lynchburg City School Board, including a Vice Chair position.

Sterling has provided governance and oversight to a variety of local organizations, sitting on the Boards of Directors of the Free Clinic of Central Virginia, Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest, Community Access Network, and Opera on the James. He also served on the Workforce Investment Board, Region VII, overseeing Virginia’s efforts to innovate and improve employment, training, and education programs. 

Sterling is a graduate of E.C. Glass High School, with degrees from Virginia State University and the University of Lynchburg. He has been a foster parent for more than 25 years, providing a home for dozens of teenagers who needed a stable environment. He is the proud adoptive father of one son, who attends Sandusky Middle School. A man of faith, Sterling is the Executive Pastor of the Prayer of Faith Temple.