• Executive Program Director, Northern Rivers Early Learning Center
• Senior Director, Northern Rivers Early Learning Center
• Director, Northern Rivers Early Learning Center
• Assistant Director, Parsons Early Head Start
• Center Coordinator, Parsons Early Head Start

Career Highlights

• After more than two decades in the Northern Rivers family, Sharon loves her work now more than ever.
• During her time at Northern Rivers, Sharon has benefitted from the Northern Rivers commitment to promoting from within, and has advanced in her career multiple times over the years.
• With each step in her career progression, Sharon stresses that she has felt prepared and ready to be successful in her next position.

As the executive program director of the Early Learning Center (ELC), Sharon H. provides oversight and management of the organization’s Early Head Start program and the Neil Hellman Preschool in Schenectady. Sharon says that she loves her job and enjoys coming to work each day, and that her passion for the work is matched only by that of her team.

She began with the organization as a center coordinator for Early Head Start, then moved into an assistant director role with the program. As the organization evolved, Sharon moved into a director position and added oversight responsibilities over the Neill Hellman Preschool to her duties. She soon was promoted into a senior director position, and most recently into her current position as the executive program director of the Early Learning Center. Each move changed the nature of the work Sharon performed, and increased the level of responsibility and accountability.

“We are honored every day to be trusted with contributing to the development of a future generation and to do so in partnership with those who know them best, and love them the most, their families.”

Sharon completed both a master’s degree in social work and a master’s degree in education with the help of Northern Rivers tuition reimbursement program, and she was able complete her internships within the organization. In addition, at Northern Rivers, training, mentoring, and practice-based coaching are available to help staff meet professional development goals.

At the Early Learning Center, Sharon says, “we show up and we bring our knowledge, skills, and passion to the work that we do. We are honored every day to be trusted with contributing to the development of a future generation and to do so in partnership with those who know them best, and love them the most, their families.”