Sharon Woodward is passionate about health and fitness. That passion stems, in part, from being a three-time breast cancer survivor. As a result, she has been a keynote speaker for the American Cancer Society and has assisted with the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer initiative. She has volunteered for the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition and was featured in a magazine’s photo essay on breast cancer survivors.

Her commitment to health and fitness is obvious. She is a certified BopdyPump, TRX, Schwinn Indoor Cycling, KTX Step and R.I.P.P.E.D. instructor and a licensed Zumba ® instructor. Sharon performed live with the creator of Zumba ® Fitness at the Party in Pink event to promote breast cancer awareness. She has helped to plan Highmark’s annual women’s health conference; received the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s Anchor Award for outstanding leadership in education for healthy lifestyles; was recognized by the Harrisburg YWCA as an honoree in the 2015 Tribute to Women of Excellence for going above and beyond in her professional and personal life to contribute to the community; and received the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority’s Community Woman of the Year Award. 

Sharon is constantly on the go. She has volunteered for the YMCA’s Teen Achiever program; Highmark’s Youth Experiencing Success program; Fountain Gate Church’s youth program and food ministry; the Board of Managers for the Camp Curtin YMCA; as coach of the girls’ basketball program at Bishop McDevitt High School; and for two KaBOOM! playground construction projects in Harrisburg.

She serves on the Executive board of the Chris “Handles” Franklin Foundation and received the 2014 African American Chamber of Commerce “Doer” Award for contributions to the community.  She’s the former President of the Greater Harrisburg National Black MBA Association. She is a member of the Women’s Leadership Network, and the National Coalition of 100 Black Women; and volunteers as a varsity assistant coach for the boy’s football program at Central Dauphin East High School. Most recently, Sharon was inducted into the Major Prep Hall of Fame; and the proud co-owner of Be Dope Fitness, LLC.

Sharon’s professional experience for the past 35 years has been with Highmark Blue Shield, where today she works as a manager in the Knowledge Management Services Department.

She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh and is a proud member of the Pitt Alumni Association.

Hearing all that, I think you will understand Sharon’s philosophy, summed up by this quotation: “We teach some by what we say, we teach some by what we do, but we teach most by who we are.”