Beverly Sharp

Beverly Sharp is the Director of Reentry Initiatives for the West Virginia Council of Churches and the Founder and Executive Director of The REACH Initiative, developing programs, initiatives, and training to improve the opportunities for formerly incarcerated people to successfully return to the community as productive citizens, as well as to educate communities on the barriers faced by former incarcerated people, to reduce recidivism and to Build Bridges to a Better Community.  Additionally, she was instrumental in the formation of Reentry Councils across the state of West Virginia.

She has worked in the field of Law Enforcement and Corrections for over 35 years.  Most of her professional career was spent with the United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons.  She held several positions of increasing responsibility including Correctional Officer, Correctional Treatment Specialist, Correctional Program Manager, Employment Development Manager and Director of Human Resources and Training. Beverly has been certified by the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) in the following areas:  Offender Employment Specialist, Offender Workforce Development Specialist (OWDS) Training and OWDS Certified Instructor. 

Beverly currently serves on the Board of Directors for the West Virginia Association of Addiction and Prevention Professionals; former Co-Chair of Housing, Transportation and Employment on the WV Governor’s Council for Substance Use Disorder; and member of the Reentry Subcommittee on the Access to Justice Commission, WVU Law School.