Sharon H. Abrams is an American nonprofit executive. She was the executive director of the

Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers Maine Children's Home (MCH) (also known as Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers) is a nonprofit agency in Waterville, Maine, that provides education, counseling, adoption, day care, and early childhood education services for pregnant teens ...

, a nonprofit agency in

Waterville, Maine Waterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The city is home to Colby College and Thomas College. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census the populatio ...

, from 1992 to 2015. She began working at the Home as a teacher in 1973 and was subsequently promoted to program head, assistant executive director, and executive director. Since retiring from the latter position, she continues to work at the Home as a volunteer and social worker. She was inducted into the

Maine Women's Hall of Fame The Maine Women's Hall of Fame was created in 1990 to honor the achievements of women associated with the U.S. state of Maine. The induction ceremonies are held each year during March, designated as Women's History Month. Nominees are chosen by the ...

in 2004.

Early life and education

Sharon Abrams was born in Waterville, Maine. Her father was a shirt cutter at C. F. Hathaway Company for more than four decades. She attended Waterville Senior High School and the

University of Maine at Farmington The University of Maine at Farmington (UMaine Farmington or UMF) is a public liberal arts college in Farmington, Maine. It is part of the University of Maine System and a founding member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. History ...

. She is a certified teacher and licensed social worker.

Career

After graduation and marriage, Abrams worked as a substitute teacher in the home economics department of Waterville Senior High School. In 1973 she joined the staff of the

as the first teacher in their Teen Parent School Program, which provides an "alternative" high-school education combined with classes in childcare and parenting for pregnant teens. Abrams taught in the program for eight years until becoming program head from 1982 to 1990. In 1990 she was promoted to assistant executive director of the Home and, in 1992, to executive director. Abrams retired from the executive directorship on December 31, 2015. She plans to continue working at the Home as a volunteer and social worker.

Other activities

In 1978 the

Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation The Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation (JPKF) is a non-profit foundation founded by Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. in 1946 in memory of his son Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. The foundation was led by his youngest brother, U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy, ...

invited Abrams to participate in a study of its new "curriculum of caring". In 1996 she was appointed as a member of the Committee to Study Poverty Among Working Parents in the 117th Maine Legislature. In 2014 Abrams joined the board of the nonprofit REM (Revitalize the Energy in ME). She is also a member of that group's Youth Homelessness Planning Team.

Awards and honors

In 1979 she was voted one of America's Outstanding Young Women. She was inducted into the

in 2004.

Personal life

Abrams is married and the mother of two. She and her husband Don reside in

Winslow Winslow may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Winslow, Buckinghamshire, England, a market town and civil parish * Winslow Rural District, Buckinghamshire, a rural district from 1894 to 1974 United States and Canada * Rural Municipality of Winslow ...

References

External links

“Sharon Abrams, Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers” (video)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abrams, Sharon H. 1949 births Living people University of Maine at Farmington alumni People from Waterville, Maine Women in Maine American nonprofit executives