Jana Sharp, Principal and Founder

Jana is the Founder and Principal of Sharp Insight.  She is responsible for the vision and management of Sharp Insight, strategic and content oversight of projects, evaluation expertise, and capacity building.  Since 2002, Jana has provided evaluation consulting services to hundreds of organizations in the nonprofit, foundation, and public sectors. 

While initially drawn to the field of evaluation through her work in education and public health, Jana is continually inspired by the challenge of bridging research and practice. She loves partnering with organizations to uncover how their staff and leadership define “success” and to better understand the difference they are making in their communities.

Sharp Insight clients recognize Jana’s collaborative work style, deep knowledge of evaluation theory and practice, interactive facilitation, and her personal investment to their organization’s mission.

Jana earned her undergraduate degree from Northwestern University and her Master of Public Health from the University of Maryland. She is a Spanish speaker and has twice served as an international public health volunteer in Venezuela. As a former middle school teacher in the New Jersey and Illinois public school systems, Jana carries with her a passion for supporting youth-serving organizations.

Jana is a member of the American Evaluation Association, the Washington Area Evaluators, the Equitable Evaluation Initiative, and the Mid-Atlantic Facilitator’s Network. Jana lives in Montgomery County, Maryland with her husband and two children. 

Outside "the office"

Outside the office, Jana can most often be found outdoors (literally!) running after her kids.  Community is important to her and she enjoys being involved in a variety of local activities and organizations. Jana loves bringing family and friends together for holidays and special occasions.  And in the few minutes a week when she’s not doing any of the above, she tries to squeeze in a good podcast or watch a sappy drama.