Sharon Paley is a leading organizer of Baltimore’s innovation and civic hacking communities. Working with the federal, state, and local governments, Sharon has organized hackathons focused on healthcare, parks and recreation, and Baltimore’s chapter of the National Day of Civic Hacking.

She recently cofounded Hack Baltimore, a nonprofit that helps the people who improve Baltimore make better connections, identify available resources, and find support and like-minded folks.

As Chief Operating Officer for Greater Baltimore Technology Council, Sharon spearheaded numerous events like BmoreFail, a discussion of the importance of risk taking, and unWIREd, an unconference that explored out-of-the-box ideas for improving quality of life in Baltimore. She also provided mentorship and connections to early-stage startups, helping move them toward real, sustainable revenue.

Sharon oversees operations of DreamIt Health Baltimore, an accelerator designed to speed the growth and success of early-stage health IT companies in Central Maryland.