Colin Sharkey

Executive Director

Colin Sharkey is the Executive Director of the Association of American Educators (AAE) and the AAE Foundation. In this role, he leads all aspects of both organizations—including operations, programs, staff, fundraising, and strategic planning—and serves on the board of directors for each.

Mr. Sharkey previously served as Executive Vice President, responsible for day-to-day operations, including setting and meeting membership and revenue goals, hiring and supervising managers and staff, controlling expenses, and developing and directing operating procedures to support AAE’s objectives and policies. Before that, Mr. Sharkey served as senior director of national projects for AAE, spearheading numerous innovative technology, membership, expansion, and development initiatives.

Prior to joining AAE, Colin was the Project Coordinator for the Coalition Relations Department at The Heritage Foundation, where he contributed to major efforts such as the annual Resource Bank Meeting, the Policy Experts directory, and the Leadership for America campaign. Earlier in his career, he served as a Program Officer at the Collegiate Network (a project of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute), supporting nearly 100 independent student publications. While there, he also served as Managing Editor of CAMPUS Magazine Online, launched the National Security Online Resource Center, and blogged for National Review Online.

Mr. Sharkey has been featured in numerous national and local media outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, New York Post, Newsweek, Politico, Education Week, and The Hill, as well as on Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox, Yahoo News, MSN, and AOL News. He is also a frequent guest on radio programs and podcasts focused on education and labor policy.

Born and raised in Abington, Pennsylvania, Colin is a proud product of the award-winning Abington public school district. Colin completed a two-year honors program at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania, and he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Political Science at the University of Notre Dame. Colin lives in Newtown, Pennsylvania, with his wife, two sons, and two stepsons.

If forced to choose only one, Colin’s favorite educator is his tenth grade English teacher, Mr. Ted Weiner—a passionate and knowledgeable teacher with high expectations.