Experience

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  Sharon M Combs Executive Coaching

  • Brooklyn, NY

  • Executive Coach

    • Aug 2011 - Present
    • Brooklyn, NY

    Sharon M. Combs, Executive Coach, Ed.M., CPCC, ACC, partners with nonprofit leaders who're highly committed to achieving change in their busy professional and personal lives. By investing time and energy at a pace that fits comfortably in their lifestyles, senior and mid-level managers uncover strengths they may not yet be aware of, tap their deepest intuitive understanding of who they are and what matters most, and find solutions and new ideas to achieve greater productivity. Services are result oriented and engage clients in a range of areas including the following: * Strategic Career Management * Succession Planning * Leadership Development * Engaging and Motivating Employees * Improving Board Effectiveness * Managing Organizational Change, including Mergers * Resolving Conflict * Onboarding New Talent

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  Nonprofit Finance Fund

  • New York, NY

  • Vice President, Knowledge & Advocacy

    • Feb 1997 - Dec 2010
    • New York, NY

    Promoted to management positions of increased responsibilities at the headquarters of one of the nation's leading community development financial institutions. Launched and contributed to the development of a $41M portfolio of national initiatives funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Ford Foundation, The Goldman Sachs Foundation, and The Kresge Foundation; and cited by WolfBrown--leading arts consultants--for successfully meeting key goals. Deployed more than $26M in capital and loans to nonprofit arts and culture organizations nationwide. Served on the Senior Management team. Highly skilled in program management and administration, grant management, presenting, and building and maintaining positive and productive external relationships.

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  San Jose Office of Cultural Affairs

  • San Francisco, CA

  • Independent Arts Consultant

    • Mar 1996 - Dec 1996
    • San Francisco, CA

    Provided services to a community research project sponsored by the San Jose (CA) Office of Cultural Affairs.

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  Grants for the Arts of the San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund

  • San Francisco, California

  • Associate Administrator

    • Jan 1987 - Oct 1995
    • San Francisco, California

    Managed day-to-day operations of City's $10M grantmaking agency--the largest public benefactor to local nonprofit arts, cultural, and promotional organizations. Contributed to the development and implementation of agency policies that provided greater transparency to grantmaking process and increased equity in grant allocations; and new funding initiatives that addressed organizations' needs in a changed operating environment.

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  City Celebration

  • San Francisco, CA

  • Coordinator, San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival (EDF)

    • Jan 1984 - Aug 1986
    • San Francisco, CA

    Promoted to positions of increased responsibilities at a leading regional arts presenters organization. Managed growth of the Festival and all aspects of year-round productions; created the first dance-in-the-schools program, comprehensive newsletter, and audience survey and data analysis.

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  Columbia College of Columbia University

  • New York, New York

  • Director, Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP)

    • Sep 1975 - Aug 1983
    • New York, New York

    Promoted to HEOP Director and led the administrative and fiscal management of a New York State-funded program that subsidized the recruitment, admission, academic support services, and financial aid to more than 200 talented students from families with low-income. Achieved an average rate of 70% graduation within four years for HEOP students, which compared favorably with the overall College rate. Achieved nearly 100% professional/graduate school and job placement rate for HEOP students.

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  New Rochelle High School

  • New Rochelle, NY

  • Guidance Counselor

    • Sep 1974 - Jun 1975
    • New Rochelle, NY

    Managed docket of about 300 students in grades 10-12, who received academic and college counseling. Achieved 100% placement of college-bound students.

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  Harvard University

  • Cambridge, MA

  • Co-Director, Afro-Americans for Educational Opportunity (AAEO)

    • Jan 1971 - Aug 1972
    • Cambridge, MA

    Promoted to Co-Director at a national higher education demonstration project of the Carnegie Corporation. Co-led management of the program, including designing and implementing a training institute for 30 college student recruiters, and developing more than 200 Student Profiles--comprehensive information that supplemented students' college applications. Achieved 100% college placement of AAEO students.