Sharon was born in Farmington, NM in 1949 and was raised in Gad’iiahi, west of Shiprock, New Mexico. She is the daughter of Eleanor and the late Herbert Clah, and granddaughter of two former Navajo Nation Chairmen, Deshna Clahchischilliage (1928-1932) and Sam Ahkeah (1946-1954). She is married and has two daughters, three sons, five granddaughters, and one grandson.

Sharon is Todik’ozhi, born for Kin l ichii’nii, with maternal lineage to Tsin sikaadnii and paternal lineage to Hashk’ahadzohi.

Sharon graduated from Navajo Methodist Mission in Farmington in 1968. She earned her Bachelor of Science (BSE) in Education from Eastern New Mexico University in 1976 and a Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Pennsylvania in 1991. Since then, Sharon has acquired additional training in Guidance Counseling, Special Education and Administrative Education from the University of New Mexico.

Sharon has extensive experience in the Public Service field. After more than ten years serving as a special education teacher at Albuquerque Public Schools, Bernalillo Schools, the Farmington School District, and guidance counselor at the Southwestern Polytechnic Institute, Sharon was a Lt. Commissioned Corps Officer, United States Public Health Service (USPHS) with the elder President George H. Bush administration’s “Points of Light,” Family Center Program located at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, which dealt with substance abuse recovery. While there, Sharon also worked at the Strecker Substance Abuse Unit at the Institute of Pennsylvania Hospital. She was later assigned to the Indian Health Service, Albuquerque Service Unit.

Sharon worked as a liaison between the Department of Children, Youth and Families and New Mexico tribes with former State Cabinet Secretary Heather Wilson during New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson’s administration.

In 1999, Sharon served as the Executive Director of the National Council on Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) in Washington, DC.

In 2001, Sharon was nominated by former President George W. Bush as Commissioner, Administration for Native Americans (ANA), at the Department of Health and Human Services.

However, Sharon withdrew her nomination to return to New Mexico to run for the Office of Secretary of State in 2002. Sharon’s platform focused on fair elections for all New Mexicans. While New Mexico chose her opponent in that election, she later agreed to serve as NNWO Executive Director at the request of Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley, Jr.

Sharon has established her platform on nine years of experience of being the Executive Director of the Navajo Nation Washington Office (NNWO), appointed by four Navajo Presidents including current President Joe Shirley, Jr., former President and now Arizona State Senator Albert Hale, former President Thomas Atcitty and former President Milton Bluehouse Sr. The NNWO is located in Washington, DC and serves as the official link between the Navajo Nation and the United States government. The NNWO monitors and analyzes congressional legislation, disseminates congressional and federal agency information, develops strategies and decisions concerning national policies and budgets that affect the Navajo Nation. This office also assists the Navajo Nation in developing legislative language and testimony.

Sharon resigned from her position as Executive Director of the Navajo Nation Washington Office in May 2010 to announce her candidacy for Navajo Nation President.

Sharon is well prepared to restore the people’s confidence in their government by forming an accountable government sensitive to the Navajo people.