About Sharon Maier-Kennelly
Sharon grew up on Long Island in New York and has a BA from Binghamton University in Spanish. She began her career in Human Resources, in high tech (in both Melville, New York and Hillsboro, Oregon) and healthcare (in Butte, Montana), focusing on recruiting, employee relations, and communications. She entered the nonprofit world more than 20 years ago, and for more than a decade served as the Executive Director of a community center in Port Washington, New York that operated a 425-seat theater. She significantly grew the organization’s performing arts series and community-based programming through deepening partnerships with schools and other nonprofit organizations in the region. After moving with her family to Bend in September 2019, Sharon worked at the Tower Theatre Foundation from March 2020-May 2023. There she helped spearhead the Stage the Change Conference in 2022 and 2023; an event to empower high school students to use the performing arts to find their social voice and be catalysts for change. Sharon became the High Desert Food and Farm Alliance (HDFFA)'s second executive director in June 2023. She is thrilled to lead HDFFA’s important work supporting Central Oregon's food and farm network, creating and fostering community partnerships, and championing the belief that everyone deserves good food.
