Sharon Manana, Director

Sharon Manana has over 17 years of experience in early childhood education, previously serving as the Director of The New E3 School in Park Place. She worked closely with the University of Virginia’s Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning to pilot and implement the STREAMin3 Curriculum, a comprehensive model for birth-to-five classrooms that intentionally blend academic and social-emotional learning for all. As a Ugandan-American, community is at the heart of Sharon’s work as she’s lived abroad, bringing fresh perspectives to her personal and professional life. She currently serves as the Director of Community Engagement at WPA in downtown Norfolk. She is well-known for building positive rapports with families and the community as she is actively engages in working with stakeholders, residents, and community members. Her efforts have led to positive outcomes for residents, neighborhoods, and communities as she designs strategies to maximize engagement in social, economic and coastal issues. Sharon is passionate about transformative community engagement, transparent public process, and building consensus with groups of people. Sharon holds a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from Old Dominion University and served as the President of the Early Childhood Organization. She also studied graduate courses for Special Education at the College of William and Mary.