CNCounty News

Profiles In Service - Nov.27, 2017

Upcoming Events

Conference

2026 NACo Legislative Conference

Related News

County News

Naake-led years bring stability, growth to NACo

County News

Tumultuous ’80s test NACo’s fundamentals

Nancy Sharp

Chair, Human Services and Education Committee
Commissioner
Arapahoe County, Colorado

Number of years active in NACo: 6

Years in public service: 24 — city planning commission, city council, mayor and county commissioner.

Occupation: Chair, Board of Commissioners

Education: B.S., psychology with a minor in math from Louisiana State University.

The hardest thing I’ve ever done: Running for office!

Three people (living or dead) I’d invite to dinner: Elon Musk, Margaret Thatcher and the Wright brothers.

A dream I have is to: Go with a medical team to a third world country to help children with debilitating medical conditions.

My favorite way to relax is to: Sit under an umbrella on the beach.

 

I’m most proud of: My family.

My favorite music is: Jazz.

My favorite meal is: Crab cakes, and fresh corn and tomatoes bought from a roadside stand in North Carolina.

You’d be surprised to learn that I: When young, won barrel racing competitions on my horse Sugar.

Every morning I read: The Wall Street Journal

My pet peeve is: People who talk about themselves and what they’ve done too much.

The last book I read was: All the Light We Cannot See.

My favorite movie is: I like to see a lot of different movies so I don’t have a favorite but I do like ones that are based on history.

My favorite U.S. president is: Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan.

My county is a NACo member because: We see the significant value to our citizens when we can effect change in national policies that make a positive change in their everyday lives.

 

Tagged In:

Attachments

Related News

The 1990s brought a new opponent into view for counties: Unfunded mandates. President George H.W. Bush decried them during his 1992 State of the Union address. Photo by David Hathcox
County News

Naake-led years bring stability, growth to NACo

NACo Executive Director Bernie Hillenbrand  (second from left) advises President Bill Murphy, flanked by Jackson County, Mo. Legislator Archie McGee and Merced County, Calif. Supervisor Ann Klinger.
County News

Tumultuous ’80s test NACo’s fundamentals

NACo took two entrepreneurial risks in the 1980s one nearly bankrupted the organization and the other has gone on to pay dividends for more than 40 years.

President J.D. Clark (front row, in red jacket), and the NACo Board of Directors pose in front of the Wise County, Texas Courthouse during the 2025 Fall Board Meeting. Photo by Joe Duty
County News

NACo Board approves new outreach campaign, new affiliate

NACo will launch a public awareness campaign in 2026 promoting the role of county governments to federal policymakers.