Our Team

Sharon Ferguson
Senior Counsel

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 is currently working with cultural institutions, higher education, and human service organizations as a senior counsel.

In her role as fundraising counsel, Ms. Ferguson 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 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, Ms. Ferguson worked with a diverse cadre of arts professionals, designing and implementing fundraising strategies with individual donors, corporations, and foundations. 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. She has also 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 University, she was a magazine editor and feature writer and a newspaper reporter. She has also provided guidance to various community organizations in marketing and public relations.

Ms. Ferguson has an undergraduate degree in English from St. Olaf College; a Masters Degree in music from The Ohio State University; and graduate course work in the School of Journalism and Writers Workshop, University of Iowa. She is a member of the Central Ohio Chapter of Association of Fundraising Professionals and sits on the Columbus Symphony Orchestra's planned giving committee.

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