2021 Group Award Honoree — Special recognition of The Dow Company Foundation, Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation and The Charles J. Strosacker Foundation.
President/CEO, Midland Area Community Foundation
Sharon Mortensen serves as president/CEO of the Midland Area Community Foundation, a position she has held since June of 2012. She is responsible to help carry out the community foundation’s mission of providing philanthropic leadership to strengthen the community by fostering collaboration and giving today and in the future.
Sharon has worked in the nonprofit world for over 30 years. Prior to her current position, she served as the Executive Director of the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (Shelterhouse). She has also held positions as program coordinator, group therapist, community treatment therapist and parenting and community educator. Sharon has a master’s degree in counseling and a bachelor’s degree in communications.
Sharon has extensive nonprofit and community involvement through service on boards, commissions, collaborative groups and service clubs. She currently serves as a member of the City of Midland Housing Commission, the Center City Authority Board, the MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland board, the Michigan College Access Network board and the Midland Kids First board. She is past president and an active member of the Midland Rotary Club. She is also a member and past president of the Zonta Club of Midland, member and past chair of the Health and Human Services Council and member and past chair of the Community Success Panel. She serves on advisory boards for Midland Community Center and the ROCK Center for Youth Development. She is a member of the 100 Club.
She has been honored with awards including the YWCA Lifetime Achievement Award, the Athena award, the Leader of the Year award, the Making Democracy Work award and the MyPros Stewardship award. Sharon and her husband, Rob, have four adult children and their spouses and are blessed to have eight grandchildren. They are actively involved in a Christian ministry and run a home fellowship.
