Sharon Grant

Sharon Grant joined the Office of Civic Engagement (OCE) in November 2020 as the new Executive Director of the Community Programs Accelerator. In this position, Sharon will work to strengthen and scale the program through strategic partnerships, robust program development, and new revenue models to increase the number of South Side organizations we serve with our distinct nonprofit capacity building services.

A native Chicagoan, born and raised in the South Shore community, Sharon is passionate about strengthening the vitality of the South Side through innovative partnerships. She began her career as a Certified Public Accountant at PwC and later took on various roles of increasing responsibility at United Airlines, most recently serving as Vice President & Chief Community Engagement Officer. In this role, she was responsible for developing and leading the company’s philanthropic, humanitarian, and volunteerism strategies for strengthening the communities served by the airline. 

Under Sharon’s leadership, United expanded its corporate social responsibility footprint; launched a program that promoted employee action through United organized service events; initiated a grant program that addressed critical needs in communities where United’s customers live and work; and created a nonprofit board service program, matching senior executives with local partner organization boards.