Sharon Gary-Smith

Sharon Gary-Smith "has focused her four-plus decades of community activism and leadership on a woman’s right to choose; affordable and accessible health care for all; community empowerment and economic development, and increasing the number of vulnerable and affected citizens involved in public discourse and influence policy that leads to fairer, more equitable systems.

"A native Oregonian, Sharon has held a number of professional positions within the nonprofit and business world, as a Program Fund Manager for United Way of Columbia-Willamette (Portland); Vice President, Austin (Texas) Urban League; National Programs Director, National Black Women’s Health Project (Atlanta); and National Girls Programs Director, Be Present, Inc. (Atlanta).

"Sharon co-chairs the People of Color Caucus of The National Network of Grantmakers; sits on the National Cultural Competence Advisory Group of The Alliance for Nonprofit Management, (Washington, DC), and the Racial Equity Committee of The National Network of Grantmakers. She is a board member of the Western States Center (Portland); a board member of Partnership for Safety and Justice (Portland), a board member of Changemakers, Inc. (San Francisco), as well as the Social Justice Fund NW (Seattle).

"She has consulted with a number of local, regional and national nonprofits and philanthropies that seek active engagement in the creation and funding of a racially and socially just world."