LP 40 for 40 – Sharon Hill Goldblatt

The Plano Chamber of Commerce’s signature program, Leadership Plano, celebrates its 40^th anniversary! For the past 40 years, Leadership Plano has been dedicated to educating, developing, and empowering current and future leaders for the community and motivating them to serve civic, charitable, and business organizations.

We are celebrating the impact of the past 40 years by spotlighting 40 Leadership Plano graduates who have paved the way for future generations, created meaningful change for the community, and continue to serve in leadership roles. This celebratory series, Leadership Plano 40 for 40, is Presented by UBS – The Kravitz Group.

Introducing our next spotlight, Leadership Plano Class 18, Graduate, Sharon Hill Goldblatt, Community Volunteer. With past employment in entertainment, corporate, and small business, Sharon Goldblatt proudly describes herself as a professional volunteer. Before and after earning a BFA in Dance from Southern Methodist University, she performed in multiple dance companies, summer stock productions, dinner theaters, touring companies, and Broadway. She met her husband, Barry, while working at EDS, and they have been married for 43 years. They have two adult children, Allie and Jordan.

A passionate advocate for children and youth, she has held leadership positions for a number of community and statewide boards and coalitions working to create a better environment for our children, including Texas PTA President, Vermont PTA Acting President, National PTA Board of Directors, Plano ISD Council of PTAs President, Plano Youth Leadership Chair, Alliance on Underage Drinking (ALOUD) Coalition Chair, and Texans Standing Tall (now Texans for Safe and Drug-Free Youth) President. In Plano, she has served on a number of Plano ISD committees, held leadership roles on the Plano ISD Education Foundation, chaired the PISD Key Communicators for 18 years, and volunteered weekly on an elementary campus for more than 25 years. Sharon continues to support PTA, currently chairing a special project team for National PTA, while she works as a consultant and trainer for Carrell Boggs Consulting LLC.

Sharon has been recognized in many ways, some of which include Texas PTA’s Honorary Life Membership, Extended Service Award, and “Sharon Goldblatt Day” February 25, 2012 (Mayor of Houston); National PTA’s Life Achievement Award, State Presidents’ Club Honor Roll 2020, and President’s Distinguished Service Award (2012 and 2022); and the Plano community’s Plano ISD Education Foundation Board of Honor (2012), 1997 Volunteer of the Year Award/Collin County Individual in Education (1997), JCPenney Golden Rule Award Finalist (1997), and Plano Family of the Year Nominee (1999 and 2002).

With the ongoing goal of developing new and existing leaders, she has conducted workshops and training for civic groups, government entities, and all levels of PTA. She enjoys the opportunity to share her experience, and she loves hearing from and working with others to help them reach their personal best.

Sharon’s vision is that everything matters, and every individual has a responsibility to give back to the community in whatever way, large or small, that they can.

1. What first made you interested in participating in Leadership Plano?

At the time, the majority of my volunteer work had been centered on child advocacy and education. I became aware of the program through a friend at Plano ISD, and I felt that the Leadership Plano program would be a wonderful opportunity to expand my knowledge of the city and its workings, broaden my ability to give back to the community, and invest in my personal leadership skills. I am so happy to say, I benefited in these ways and so many more.

2. What is the most memorable part of your experience (or what is something that was happening in Plano that you remember about that year)?

I will never forget the Criminal Justice session, where we toured the Juvenile Detention Center. While, of course, I was aware of the facility and its function, the reality was nevertheless deeply disturbing. The tour reinforced my passion to encourage, support, and engage all youth on a positive path to their future.

3. Why do you think LP is so impactful for our community?

Leadership Plano builds an ever-expanding network of leaders and volunteers who care. Each class creates its own micro-community, developing, first, as a team, and, eventually, as an instrument of change. The class members learn about themselves and each other through the various aspects of the program, finally understanding how they can fit in the grand scheme of things that will create and/or expand upon their individual purposes. The relationships formed within each class provide the connections that allow them to make a difference for the betterment of the community.

4. What is one thing you can attribute to LP that is a success in your life or career?

Through the program, I began to understand how important connections were—not for my own benefit, but for the benefit of this community and beyond. I remember taking the DISC assessment, which gave me a better understanding of my own personality and the ways I normally interacted with others. I came to realize that I needed to change and be the one who extended the first hand and not wait for someone else to do so. Today, I am a facilitator and consultant for two different assessment programs that allow others to have a similar “ah ha” moment. My personal success is confirmed when someone thanks me for being their mentor.

5. Why was your class the “Best Class Ever”?

We always believe that our class is the best; however, I have been so very proud of the many achievements of my classmates as they reached the milestones to become not just leaders, but true contributors to our community. Lessons learned were lessons successfully put into practice!