Lasting change happens when leaders can skillfully lead through it.
My work is generative, which means there isn’t a fixed program or plan. We start with an honest assessment, looking at what’s actually happening, what’s possible, and what this moment actually needs, and design from there. Most engagements unfold across months and years, not in a single session. Although, sometimes that’s how this starts.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
DEI is a living framework that requires readiness, knowledge and skills.
It is not a checkbox on a list to address and move on.
Helping systems and leaders to become more equitable and inclusive shapes everything I do. Culture, leadership, equity, and inclusion aren’t separate workstreams. They’re often the same work at different stages of maturity.
“I gave Sharon a vision for what I wanted the team to “feel” after the retreat, and somehow she managed to take that very broad vision with little direction and bring it to life.”
Sharon brings a thoughtful and energizing presence. Her unique approach supported our team in reconnecting and re-attuning to one another using their whole selves and our shared values after being virtual for the last two years. I couldn’t recommend her highly enough.
Irving Washington FASAE, CAE
Former Executive Director/CEO, Online News Association
Organizational Transformation & Culture Consulting
This is the work most clients come for, and it looks different every time.
Senior leaders bring me in when they know something fundamental needs to shift: how people treat each other, how decisions get made, how culture either supports or undermines the mission. My role isn’t to arrive with all the answers. It’s to be a partner as you lead the change your organization needs.
This work draws on more than 15 years of experience inside complex associations and is grounded in organizational development (OD), an applied behavioral science focused on how people and systems change. Culture, DEI, leadership, and governance are not separate threads here. They are woven together because that’s how organizations actually work.
This can include:
organizational transformation engagements • culture consulting • DEI as a value and system lens • governance and board coaching • long-term advisory partnerships
Board, Team & Leadership Facilitation
The right conversation, held well, can shift everything.
I design and lead facilitated conversations that help boards, leadership teams, and organizations navigate important conversations. This isn’t about running a meeting. It’s about creating the conditions for something real to happen and knowing how to hold that space well, even when it gets hard.
Workshops and retreats are also available as standalone engagements or as an entry point into longer-term work. A well-designed session can spark insight and alignment, and set the stage for what comes next.
This can include:
board and team facilitation • executive retreats • leadership workshops • governance sessions • ongoing learning experiences.
“Sharon Newport helped transform the way our organization approaches DEI.”
Her expertise and unique background in the association world were invaluable to our work. Sharon has a natural ability to connect with and engage leaders and volunteers, creating an environment where everyone feels invested in the process. She guided us in focusing and structuring our DEI volunteer efforts to drive meaningful impact, developing a clear roadmap that aligns with our strategic plan, mission, and values.
Dominique Blandine Smith
Senior Director, Marketing and Membership
Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine
Executive Coaching for Senior Leaders
Leadership challenges sometimes call for private support.
I offer executive coaching to senior leaders who are ready to look honestly at how they show up, particularly in moments of pressure, uncertainty, or transition. This isn’t about adding more to your plate. It’s about developing the steadiness, discernment, and ease that make it possible to lead well through hard things.
Available as part of organizational engagements or as a standalone offering for senior leaders.
Keynote Speaking
A single session can shift how people think about what’s possible.
I design for highly interactive sessions about organizational culture, leadership, change, and DEI. My sessions are designed to inspire audiences with a new framework, reflective questions, a willingness to look at themselves and their work differently.
Customized keynotes and conference sessions are available. Topics and format are shaped around your audience and goals.
Every engagement begins the same way:
with a conversation.
We’ll talk about what’s going on and what you’re hoping for. If it makes sense
to work together, we’ll figure out what that looks like.
