In our monthly member spotlight, Women’s Impact Fund celebrates its wonderful collection of leaders – new and tenured. As a charter member of WIF, Sharon Harrington describes her tenure as a wonderful journey that has allowed her to reimagine (and expand) her community contributions, ways to give back, and how to be an impactful leader.
Sharon Harrington was born in Burgaw, North Carolina, a small town near Wilmington, N.C. and raised in Wilmington, Delaware (hometown of President Joseph Biden). Accustomed to providing landmarks such as Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. when referring to her hometown; she now jokingly refers to Delaware as the political epicenter and a key venue during the last presidential campaign. Harrington graduated from the University of Delaware where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Psychology (with honors) and later earned her law degree from Duke University School of Law. As a first-generation college graduate, Sharon acknowledges her parents as her most significant advocates, mentors, and champions for pursuing higher education.
Upon graduating from law school, Sharon worked as an attorney with a national public interest law firm and government agencies in Washington, D.C., and New Orleans, specializing in environmental regulatory issues, policies, and programs. After working in the legal sector for several years, Sharon realized that she had a passion for public interest/community service and transitioned to the not-for-profit sector, eventually focusing on higher education.
Sharon relocated to Charlotte in 1999 and dedicated her career and civic activities to support national and regional organizations focused on higher education and impact philanthropy. She served in senior leadership roles with Davidson College, UNC Charlotte, and Johnson C. Smith University. “I worked as an advisor for alumni, friends, foundations, and corporate partners on meaningful and strategic giving in higher education, helping to ensure that the doors of education are open to all. At Novant Health, I found an incredible opportunity to combine my experience in non-profit management with my strong interest in transformational philanthropy,” states Sharon, who joined the healthcare system in 2018.
“I was immediately drawn to Novant Health’s commitment to building healthier communities, advocating for those who are vulnerable and need care, and innovating how and where healing can happen—both inside our hospitals and out in the community.”
Sharon loves that her role as Chief of Staff for Novant Health Foundations enables her to serve donors in exploring strategic gift options, including those involving estate and retirement planning. She is passionate about matching individual’s philanthropy with the right program, gaining support for Novant Health’s patients, families, care team, and service lines through creative, flexible tools such as bequests, charitable income gifts, gift of life insurance, gifts through retirement plans, and other vehicles.
Committed to philanthropy and community service, Sharon’s engagement with WIF was inevitable. She describes her WIF tenure as enriching, deep-rooted, and evolving even after all these years. Sharon joined with the first group of 158 dynamic women who launched the organization in 2003. In fact, she served as the staff lead with Foundation For The Carolinas – the early fiscal and planning partner for WIF. “I remember those early brainstorming sessions with our founders about the mission, vision, and values that this new non-profit and giving circle hoped to accomplish,” Sharon shares, “I was so inspired by the mission, energy, and opportunity to move the needle on crucial community issues and areas of need that I jumped in and formed a decade-long relationship with WIF.”
Sharon has served in a myriad of roles: as the inaugural grant lead for the social capital grant committee awarding its first grants in 2004 (later renamed and embedded in all five grant-making committees); as chair of the member education committee, coordinating and implementing Social Hours for Social Issues, Women & Wisdom, and Lunch & Learns; twice on the WIF Board of Directors; and supporting the nominating/governance committee over the past few years, among other activities.
Sharon is particularly proud of her recent WIF board service. “In 2017, Women’s Impact Fund reached an important milestone, recruiting 500+ members to the organization. More importantly, we renewed the commitment to recruiting diverse WIF members, including all dimensions and opportunities to convene an inclusive group of women from across our community.” She continues this critical work, currently serving on the newly-minted diversity, equity, and inclusion committee with WIF, noting that there is more work to be done in this area. Her best advice to other WIF members? “It really is about increasing the community impact and making major changes in our region and beyond. WIF allows us to dream big and achieve those dreams. I am immensely proud to serve and partner with this growing network of women, connectors, and change agents. My hope is that WIF continues to serve as a leading hub that my daughter-in-law and granddaughter one day might join.”
In her free time, she and her husband, Rob, enjoy spending time with their son Jourdan, his wife Brianna, and their new granddaughter – Riley. Sharon and Rob also love all things related to food, wine, jazz, and travel.
