FOUNDER & PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT

Emily Sharrock brings more than 20 years of cross-sector leadership spanning nonprofits, philanthropy, higher education, and local government, with a through-line of building and reforming public systems for children and families.

Before launching her consulting practice, Emily served as Associate Vice President for Policy at Bank Street College of Education, where she led the Education Center's public policy strategy and expanded the organization's influence in early childhood and K–12 systems. She spearheaded the launch of Learning Starts at Birth, a national initiative focused on improving quality early learning systems that included a new the early childhood policy fellowship for system leaders. Her work there combined thought leadership, program development, and successful fundraising — securing over $6 million in philanthropic support within her first 18 months. She led the publication of several research and policy briefs, including "Coaching: How a Focus on Adult Development Leads to Improvements in Student Learning,"  and initiated new programs across the college — from graduate degrees to customized professional learning services for school systems. She also served as a strategic advisor to national philanthropic collaboratives such as the Ideal Learning Roundtable, and worked with funders and grantees in places like New Haven, CT, to design collective impact strategies for early childhood.

Previously, Emily spent a decade at the New York City Department of Education, where she held multiple leadership roles under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, helping to design and implement systemic reforms. As a Network Leader, she founded and led a citywide network of 26 schools, providing oversight and integrated support to principals and school teams. She also led leadership and teacher professional development programs, rolled out a citywide teacher effectiveness initiative across 300 schools, and supported the creation of the district's first Autonomy Zone. Her work consistently bridged strategy and implementation, with a focus on building capacity in systems and people.

Earlier in her career, Emily served as Interim Vice President and Program Officer at United Way of the Bay Area, managing investments in education and economic mobility and advising nonprofits on strategy and implementation. Her background also includes leadership roles in curriculum and instruction at Expeditionary Learning Schools, and strategic planning, operations, and business development as Deputy Executive Director of Strategy & Systems at Bank Street's Education Center. She began her career in juvenile justice, foster care, and welfare-to-work, and served as a fellow at several city agencies including the Department of Homeless Services and the Office of Management and Budget.

Emily holds a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, where she was awarded the Harvey Picker Prize for Public Service, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Wesleyan University. She currently sits on the Board of Directors at the Pelham Art Center.