Sharon Kneebone

Background

About Sharon Kneebone

Growing up as a Navy brat meant moving every two years, learning the unspoken rules of school culture, and quickly adapting to new environments. That lifestyle taught me to seek out opportunities, even risky ones, and gave me the resilience to thrive in new and challenging situations. I’ve always been drawn to mission-driven organizations, and for more than 20 years, I’ve guided associations through pivotal moments of transformation. My career began in association management companies, where I learned to wear many hats and balance the needs of multiple boards. Those early years taught me that quickly establishing trust, strong governance, transparent finances, and a clear mission are the foundation for impact. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of leading national organizations through turnarounds and growth. At the American Academy of Pain Medicine, I stabilized operations, secured $869K in grants in my first year (including a federally funded clinical guideline), and rebranded our annual meeting to achieve $200K in net operating revenue at the inaugural PainConnect event. At the National Society for Histotechnology, I led a governance restructure that sunset its delegate assembly to create more nimble oversight, paid off a $600K line of credit, and grew net assets to $1.8M. I thrive on building trust with boards, empowering staff, and implementing systems that tie strategy to results. Whether it’s launching new programs, modernizing governance, or cultivating partnerships, my goal is always the same: to create sustainable growth and amplify the organization’s impact. Outside of work, I’m a lifelong competitive swimmer and spent five years coaching summer and US Swimming athletes. I foster puppies and dogs to ensure they find their forever homes, and I volunteer extensively with the American Society of Association Executives as a faculty member and thought leader, sharing what I’ve learned to help strengthen the association community.