As a former mayor and city council member in the City of Irvine (2000-2016), I had the opportunity to work closely with Sharon for almost a decade. As Irvine’s Assistant City Manager, Sharon had broad responsibilities, and worked with our senior staff, elected officials and other key members of our city’s leadership team on a daily basis. In every instance, Sharon was engaged, professional and respectful. Her ability to bring patience, creativity and a “can-do” attitude to her work always impressed me. The city was navigating a lot of projects and interests during Sharon’s tenure. Her approach was always reflective of her understanding that the public interest, public assets and public resources must be protected, respected and effectively managed.
Whether developing the professional resources to support our sustainability initiatives or working with our Chief of Police to enhance public safety and code enforcement, Sharon was always collaborative and invested. She is an adept facilitator and negotiator. In fact, it was Sharon who was tasked with engaging protestors camped out on the lawn at City Hall during the Occupy movement, and who brought about a peaceful resolution to that situation. She was also effective in addressing the concerns of volunteers at our Animal Care facilities. I have never seen Sharon retreat from a problem, show a bad attitude or treat anyone disrespectfully. She’s a consummate leader and professional who brought her best every day and remained focused on her priorities until the work was done.
Irvine benefitted from Sharon’s skill as a lawyer. For example, she led the team that ultimately secured $292 million and 35 acres of land in Irvine’s settlement with the state after redevelopment was taken away. She was directly involved in many aspects of the transition of MCAS B Toro to the Orange County Great Park and surrounding development, a public project of unparalleled complexity and scale in the history of the city. Irvine has always had to navigate a multitude of development projects, and when working with developers, Sharon represented the city’s interests well. She’s an innovator, a visionary and an engaged communicator who led by example, set clear expectations and held herself to the highest ethical standards.
In my experience, one of the most important skills a City Manager can have is the capacity to develop effective working relationships with elected officials. Not everyone in public administration understands and values the role of the elected official, but Sharon always did. I appreciated that. I’m confident she possesses the experience, leadership abilities and disposition to be highly effective in any position she holds.
– Beth Krom, Former Irvine Councilmember and Mayor