Sign In
Upcoming Event
Free Newsletter
2026 Forty Under 40: SHARON MANANA
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT | WORK PROGRAM ARCHITECTS | NORFOLK
Virginia Business //April 28, 2026//
2026 Forty Under 40: SHARON MANANA
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT | WORK PROGRAM ARCHITECTS | NORFOLK
Virginia Business //April 28, 2026//
A graduate of Old Dominion University, Manana has built a career at the intersection of design and civic life. At Work Program Architects, she translates community input into adopted plans and funded projects, including St. Paul’s Area Transformation Project and the William A. Hunton YMCA. She serves as district council chair of the Urban Land Institute’s Virginia chapter, and has been deeply involved with Elizabeth River Trail beautification efforts.
GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT: Leading community engagement for the City of Norfolk’s Comprehensive Plan, NFK2050. Rather than relying on traditional public meetings, I reimagined engagement by meeting people where they already gather — at Juneteenth celebrations, arts festivals, local schools, summer camps, trails, neighborhood restaurants, etc.
KEY TO MY SUCCESS: A philosophy rooted in Ubuntu, which means “I am because we are.” The first time I heard Nelson Mandela speak after the end of apartheid, he used this phrase to describe how collective humanity can heal and strengthen a divided society, and it deeply shaped how I move through the world.
