With profound sorrow, the Board, staff and clients of Bailey House share the
death of Sharon L. Perkins on September 26, 2008.
Sharon
served as Deputy Executive Director of Bailey House from 1994 until 2002, and
as Chief Operating Officer from January 1, 2003 until her death. As COO she was
responsible for overseeing management of Finance, Client Services, Human
Resources, Technology, and Office Operations. She received her Masters of Social
Work from
Columbia
University
and was an esteemed graduate of the CORO Fellowship Program in Public Affairs,
one of the top ten non-academic, full-time postgraduate programs in the country.
For over 30 years, working at agencies including the
Bronx
Psychiatric
Center
, the New York City Department for the Aging, and MHRA, Sharon developed a keen
interest in the interrelationships between program and organizational
infrastructure. Her expertise in clinical services, contract management,
nonprofit management, program policy and planning helped develop Bailey House
programs into national models that are well respected by funders, consumers and
the community.
Sharon
was dedicated to insuring that men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS had
a voice in Bailey House programs and that programs responded to their needs
despite funding and other challenges. "Bailey House's board, staff and
clients will greatly miss Sharon. She helped lead BH for 14 years, never letting
us forget that we are here to serve the best interests of our clients and our
community. If clients needed a service,
Sharon
figured out how to fund it. Her passion, determination and humor inspired us
for over a decade." (Gina Quattrochi, CEO).
Sharon
chaired the Infrastructure Workgroup of the NYC Health and Human Services
Planning Council from 2002 - 2005. In recognition of her dynamic leadership, she
was recently appointed to a two-year term on the NYC Mayoral HIV/AIDS Services
Administration (HASA) Advisory Committee.
"Sharon Perkins was an advocate for people. She witnessed poverty and
homelessness and made it her life's work to try to end it - one person and one
family at a time. The enduring example of
Sharon
's compassion will serve always as our true north, guiding us, ever forward, as
we work together to try to help those in need." (Jeffrey W. Schneider,
Board Chair)
Funeral services will be announced by her family. A memorial service will be
held in
Sharon
's memory later in the month and Bailey House will celebrate her life at its
Annual Key Awards on November 24, 2008. Please check www.baileyhouse.org
for an update.
