Her Story
About Sharon
I have spent my entire career in Human Resources, but my path into the field started in a way I never could have planned. While attending college full-time, I was working part-time in the mailroom at Edward Jones. It was an entry-level role that I took thanks to a referral from my best friend, but I approached it with the mindset my mother instilled in me early on: whatever you do, do it well—because someone is always paying attention.
That mindset proved true. A member of the HR team noticed my work ethic and approached me about an opportunity in Human Resources. At the time, I didn’t know much about the field, but I knew it was an opportunity for growth and, candidly, a chance to get out of the mailroom, so I said yes. That moment ultimately shaped the trajectory of my entire career.
From there, I built a strong HR foundation in corporate America, working for large organizations and gaining experience across multiple disciplines within Human Resources. In my final corporate role, I spent seven years supporting an international division, where I developed expertise in navigating complex environments, supporting diverse teams, and aligning HR strategy with broader business objectives.
After many successful years in the corporate sector, I made a very intentional decision to transition into nonprofit work. I was seeking more than operational success. I wanted my work to directly impact people and communities in a meaningful way. I was drawn to the mission-driven nature of nonprofit organizations and the opportunity to align my professional skills with a deeper purpose.
In 2019, I joined the YWCA of Metro St. Louis, as their Chief Human Resources Officer where I spent five years helping to transform the HR function and its role within the organization. When I arrived, HR was largely viewed as reactive, focusing on compliance and problem-solving after issues arose. I worked closely with the executive team to shift that perception and reposition HR as a strategic partner at the leadership table.
With the support of a strong and dedicated team, we made significant progress. We reduced turnover, increased employee retention, and implemented initiatives that improved both employee engagement and organizational stability. We also successfully reduced health insurance premiums while enhancing our benefits offerings—an outcome that required both strategic planning and strong vendor partnerships. Our commitment to employee well-being was recognized externally, as we earned two consecutive Cigna awards for excellence in workplace wellness across a workforce of approximately 500 employees.
In August 2024, I stepped into my current role as Chief Human Resources Officer at Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition. While we are a smaller organization of about 100 employees, the impact of our work is profound. We are dedicated to finding safe, supportive families for children in foster care and helping adoptive families navigate their journeys.
In this role, I oversee all aspects of Human Resources, with a strong focus on building and sustaining a culture that fully supports our mission. This includes ensuring our employees have access to competitive benefits, a positive and inclusive work environment, and strong employee relations practices that foster trust and engagement.
This work is deeply personal to me. My grandmother was adopted, so I have a firsthand understanding of how life-changing foster care and adoption can be—not just for a child, but for generations of families. That connection fuels my commitment to ensuring that the people doing this important work are supported, valued, and empowered every day.
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Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sharon
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute much of my success to a simple but powerful piece of advice my mother gave me early in life: whatever you do, do it well—because someone is always watching. That principle has stayed with me throughout every stage of my career.
When I was working in the mailroom at Edward Jones while attending school full-time, it would have been easy to treat that role as “just a job.” Instead, I approached it with intention and pride. I showed up, worked hard, and took the role seriously—even though it was entry-level. That commitment did not go unnoticed. A member of the HR team recognized my work ethic and offered me my first opportunity in Human Resources. That moment was a turning point, and it reinforced the value of doing your best, regardless of the role or visibility.
I have carried that mindset with me ever since. It has shaped how I lead, how I show up for my teams, and how I think about performance and accountability. I often share this lesson with young professionals: you may not always feel recognized in the moment, and others may even question why you’re putting in so much effort—but consistency, reliability, and excellence always stand out over time. When opportunities arise—and they will—you want your name to come up as someone who can be trusted, someone who delivers, and someone who adds value.
Equally important to me is the belief that we each have a responsibility to leave things better than we found them. In every role I’ve taken, I’ve been intentional about building, improving, and strengthening the organization in a meaningful way—whether that’s through developing people, enhancing culture, or driving more strategic and effective HR practices.
Those two principle of doing my best no matter the role, and leaving every organization better than I found it have been the foundation of my career and continue to guide how I lead today.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've received is, if you are the smartest person in the room, it's time to change rooms.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell them their reputation is being built every single day. It’s not defined by one big moment, but by the small, consistent choices they make by showing up on time, following through, being accountable, and demonstrating integrity in their work. Those are the things that set you apart and open doors.
I also emphasize the importance of leaving every role and every organization better than they found it. No matter your position, they have the ability to make an impact, whether that’s improving a process, strengthening relationships, or contributing to a more positive and productive culture. That mindset not only benefits the organization, but it also defines the leadership and their legacy.
At the end of the day, I would tell them their career is not just about the positions they hold, it’s about the reputation they build, the impact they make, and the way they show up consistently over time. Those are the things that will carry you forward.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Talent shortages + skills gap. This hasn’t gone away—it’s actually getting more complex.
It’s no longer just “finding people”—it’s finding people with the right capabilities, or reskilling the current workforce fast enough, especially in nonprofit.
Funding for nonprofit organizations can also be a challenge. We rely on donor engagement, private donors, corporate donors, government funding to sustain the work we do.
AI and technology disruption. AI is reshaping HR faster than most organizations can keep up.
We are also seeing an increase in employee mental health & burnout.
Retention, engagement, and changing expectations. Employees want something very different than they did even 5 years ago.
The HR field has a significant opportunity to move beyond its traditional role and become a true driver of business strategy. Today, HR leaders are uniquely positioned to shape how organizations grow by aligning talent, structure, and workforce planning with long-term goals.
A major opportunity lies in leading the integration of AI and technology—ensuring it enhances, rather than replaces, the human experience at work. At the same time, HR can shift organizations toward a skills-based approach, focusing on developing and retaining talent instead of relying solely on external hiring.
There is also a strong opportunity to redefine the employee experience by building cultures that prioritize engagement, well-being, and effective leadership. Strengthening manager capability and using data to drive decisions are key levers in this work.
Ultimately, HR’s greatest opportunity is to design the future of work—reimagining how work gets done, how employees are supported, and how organizations create value through their people.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that guide me most are integrity, accountability, excellence, and impact. I believe in leading with integrity and being transparent, even in difficult situations. I value accountability in doing what I say I’m going to do and being someone others can rely on. I also believe in excellence, which comes from a lesson I learned early on: whatever you do, do it well.
Most importantly, I’m driven by impact. I want my work to make a meaningful difference for employees, the organization, and the broader community.
Family is incredibly important to me and is a big part of what grounds and motivates me every day. I’ve been married to my husband, Tony, for 30 years, and we have two adult children, Taylor and Sydney, who mean the world to me. They often call me “Momma Bear,” which I take as a reflection of how deeply I care for and protect the people I love.
In both my personal life and my career, I strive to be a strong woman of faith, a strong leader, and a strong wife. It’s important to me that my children see not just what I say, but how I live—through my values, my work ethic, and how I treat others.
That sense of responsibility carries over into my professional life as well. The same commitment, integrity, and care that I bring to my family is what I bring to my work and to the people I lead every day.
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