Sharon Scott-Chandler has been President and CEO of ABCD since July 2022 and has over three decades of experience, committed to under-resourced communities and promoting programs and policies that promote opportunity for all. ABCD is one of the largest Community Action Agencies in the country, with an annual operating budget exceeding $325 million and serving more than 100,000 people in Greater Boston and the Mystic Valley each year. Under her leadership, In 2025, ABCD was named for the second time one of the Top 100 Women-Led Businesses in Massachusetts by The Women’s Edge, together with its partner The Boston Globe.
In addition to her position at ABCD, Sharon holds several state-appointed leadership roles, including gubernatorial appointments to the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC), the Special Commission on Poverty, and, most recently, to the Massachusetts Energy Transformation Advisory Board.
Sharon became a vital member of the ABCD leadership staff in 1999 after leaving the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office to pursue her commitment to directly impacting the communities in which she was raised. She served as Executive Vice President/COO for 13 years, a period of significant growth during which she was instrumental in the expansion of the Head Start and Early Head Start programs, supporting some 2,400 young children and their families in early education and care centers, and the introduction of innovative youth development programs, including WorkSMART and Youth Engaged in Action! (YEA!).
Prior to that, she was Vice President of ABCD Head Start and Children’s Services and Director of ABCD’s Child Care Choices of Boston (CCCB), the designated Child Care Resource and Referral Agency (CCRRA) for several Greater Boston communities. While with CCCB, she managed a $50 million program that brought additional resources and recognition to a program that supports more than 11,000 children, their families, and licensed early childhood education providers accessing financial assistance, training, and information.
An expert in human service management and policy, Sharon holds statewide leadership positions in various areas. She currently serves as a gubernatorial appointee to the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC), the Special Commission on Poverty, and the Massachusetts Energy Transformation Advisory Board. Sharon also serves on the Board for the Children’s Investment Fund (CIF), the Massachusetts Association of Daycare Agencies (MADCA), the Massachusetts Association of Community Action (MASSCAP), the Boston Private Industry Council (PIC), as well as a trustee of the Urban College of Boston (UCB), which was established as an ABCD program and evolved into a fully accredited college. She previously served for 10 years as a member of the Massachusetts Board of Early Education & Care, serving four years as Chair and as an appointee to the Governor’s Black Advisory Commission. On a national level, she serves on the National Community Action Foundation Board (NCAF) and is an active member of the National Head Start Association (NHSA).
Born and raised in Boston’s Mattapan neighborhood, Sharon began her career as a legislative aide to U.S. Congressman Sidney Yates and as an associate at a large Boston law firm. She went on to serve as an assistant attorney general for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Sharon holds a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law and a Bachelor’s degree from Tufts University.
