Cheese Credentials
Sharon is one of the first 12 people in the world to achieve Level 3 Fellow certification with the Academy of Cheese (London)—the highest current level of professional cheese education globally.
The Academy of Cheese Fellow certification requires mastering:
- The complete cheese library of 300+ protected and iconic cheeses worldwide
- Comprehensive cheese production science and artisanal techniques
- Affinage, maturation, and quality assessment
- Regulatory frameworks and industry best practices
- The cultural heritage and history of global cheese traditions
Additional Cheese Qualifications
- Four decades of dedicated study of artisan cheeses worldwide
- Founder and host of the Beijing Cheese Society (since 2004)
- International cheese judge (International Cheese and Dairy Awards, UK)
- Currently pursuing Master of Cheese certification with the Academy of Cheese (the gold standard in cheese education)
Cheese Education & Training
Sharon teaches cheese classes and leads tastings for everyone from enthusiasts to industry professionals. She works with people pursuing Academy of Cheese certification, teams seeking professional development, and anyone wanting to deepen their knowledge of artisan cheese in an engaging, memorable way.
Coaching for Cheese Professionals
Sharon offers low-cost executive coaching to dairy owners, cheesemakers, affineurs, distributors, mongers and cheese shop owners who want to grow their management skills. Her clients are people who are passionate about their craft, and want to become even more effective in leading their teams, working with colleagues and partners, and maintaining successful businesses.
Coaching Credentials
For over a decade as an executive coach, Sharon has worked with individuals and teams to help them reach their highest potential - delivering effectively for their organizations while enhancing their personal ease and satisfaction at work. She uses the Co-Active Coaching model, partnering with her clients with a "whole-person" approach. While she supports entities of any size, her particular passion is working small to mid-size organizations, including charities and nonprofits, that aim to rapidly grow and expand their reach and impact.
- Columbia University Certified Coach (Cohort XVI)
- Professional Certified Coach (PCC), International Coach Federation—a rigorous credential requiring 500+ hours of coaching experience, extensive coach-specific training, and demonstrated coaching competencies through recorded sessions and written exams
- 12+ years coaching senior leaders and company founders; coaching clients include Goldman Sachs, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Powerhouse Arts, Yale-New Haven Hospital, Google, Roblox, leading law firms and venture capital firms, and many start-ups
Leadership Background
As a coach, Sharon draws on her extensive prior career as a senior executive at a range of companies operating globally. What ties together Sharon's senior roles across a diverse range of companies, industries, and countries is her success in devising multi-year strategies and leading high-performing teams to execute dramatic business transformations and expansions. She has a track record of launching innovative product and service lines, building cultures that motivate teams, forging strong partnerships that amplify impact and visibility, and delivering strong bottom-line results.
Senior Leadership Roles:
- VP Corporate Affairs, Asia Pacific for Mars Incorporated, one of the world's leading candy and pet food companies (leading multinational teams across 10 countries)
- Managing Director for APCO Worldwide in Beijing (directing 30+ consultants advising Fortune 100 multinationals)
- Managing Director, China for Elsevier Science & Technology, the world's leading science publisher based in Amsterdam (reporting to global CEO)
- VP Marketing at E-Loan, an early Silicon Valley internet lending startup (employee #4, helped lead the company through a successful IPO in 1999; named one of "Top Ten Financial Marketers in the USA" by American Banker magazine)
- Director at San Jose Mercury News, a major US newspaper (full P&L responsibility for $100+ million revenue business)
Education
In addition to her lifelong study of artisan cheese, along the way Sharon also obtained:
- MBA, Stanford Graduate School of Business
- BA, Yale University
Find Out More About Coaching with Sharon
Sharon understands what it means to build strong organizations in competitive industries —to manage teams, navigate complex decisions, and create sustainable, lasting businesses.
When working with cheese professionals on their business challenges and leadership development, she brings her passion for and understanding of the cheese industry along with a focus on highly practical problem-solving, helping her clients tackle timely issues without getting bogged down in management theory.
If you're interested in learning more about how coaching could support you in your cheese industry role and career, email: sharon@cheesecoach.com
Contact
Based near New York City, working with clients globally in person and virtually.