Sharon most recently completed work as a consultant for a diversity, equity and inclusion initiative with the Society of Biblical Literature, a learned society headquartered in Atlanta. She returned home to Atlanta in 2019 after several years in Boston, MA. While there, she served in three different positions as strategic adviser; associate director of fellowships and evaluation; and fellowships program manager at the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) from 2013 until 2019.

Before these roles, she was senior adviser to the Salzburg Global Seminar’s Mellon Fellows Community Initiative to enhance global education initiatives at thirty-six selected historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and colleges in the Appalachian College Association (ACA). Earlier in her career she was Assistant Dean of Admissions in the Graduate School at Vanderbilt University; Dean for Sophomores and Director of Minority Student Affairs at the University of Rochester; Vice President of Doctoral Programs and Administration at the Fund for Theological Education (now The Forum for Theological Exploration); and an instructor of political science at several colleges and universities including the University of Rochester, Dillard University, and others.

She earned a BA in political science from Spelman College (Atlanta, GA) and MA and PhD degrees in political science from Northwestern University (Evanston, IL) She currently gives service to several nonprofit and educational boards. She and her spouse have four adult children and several grandchildren. She loves to travel, read, and spend time with family and friends. Sharon has recently taken up Tai Chi as a new spiritual practice!