Sharon Carney

Principal

Sharon has focused her career on advancing socioeconomic mobility by creating vibrant cities. With experience spanning local government, research and advocacy, she specializes in developing strategies that blend data-backed approaches with real-world pragmatism to achieve concrete results.

Prior to HR&A, Sharon served eight years in economic development leadership roles in the District of Columbia Mayor’s Office. As chief of staff of the agency responsible for growing and diversifying tax base, supporting businesses and increasing affordable housing in Washington, DC, Sharon oversaw budgeting, business operations, legislative and program functions and led pivotal interagency initiatives, including Mayor Muriel Bowser’s post-pandemic economic development and downtown transformation strategy, the Housing in Downtown program, the District’s first upward mobility action plan, and deployment of a half billion dollars of grants to local businesses and affordable housing providers.

Before public service, Sharon spent a decade in the nonprofit sector, including at the Urban Institute, where she served as chief of staff, and the Michigan Suburbs Alliance, where she facilitated regional cooperation around shared urban challenges in metro Detroit.

She holds a masters in public policy from New York University and a bachelors from University of Michigan.