Sharon Ferguson

Senior Consultant

Sharon Ferguson is a seasoned fundraising professional with more than 20 years’ experience in nonprofit fundraising, volunteer management, and public relations and marketing. She has served as the chief development officer in arts and higher education and, as a senior consultant, has worked with higher education, human services, cultural institutions, and religious organizations.

In her role as fundraising counsel, Sharon has conducted feasibility studies and development assessments; directed all aspects of campaign fundraising; developed leadership skills with boards and volunteer corps; and written and refined fundraising and communication materials, including cases for support, campaign promotional materials, and feasibility and assessment reports. Recently, she has worked with the Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, St. Luke’s Church, Mid-Ohio FoodBank, YMCA of Central Ohio, The Ohio State University School of Music, Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Planned Parenthood of Central Ohio, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Kenyon Review, National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation, Agua Caliente Cultural Museum, and the American Music Center.

During her fundraising career with The Ohio State University, Sharon designed and implemented fundraising strategies with individual donors, corporations, and foundations in support of the arts and arts education at Ohio State. She participated in the university’s billion dollar capital campaign by accomplishing the College of the Arts’ goal to enhance endowment funds and scholarship support.

Before joining the university’s development staff, Sharon served the university—as well as Opera Columbus—as a public relations and marketing professional, planning and managing news and information functions and creating promotional and communications messages and strategies. Prior to work with the opera, she was a magazine editor and feature writer and a newspaper reporter. She also volunteered with various community organizations to provide guidance in marketing and public relations.

Sharon has an undergraduate degree in English from St. Olaf College and a Masters Degree in music from The Ohio State University. She has also pursued graduate studies in the School of Journalism and Writers Workshop, University of Iowa, and in arts policy and administration at Ohio State. She is a member of the Central Ohio Chapter of Association of Fundraising Professionals and participated in the Columbus Symphony Orchestra’s planned giving initiatives.