Carson - Dr. Sharma Henderson

The City Clerk’s Office is the beacon of democracy for residents and the first shield of defense against corruption in local government. Throughout Carson’s history we have had the great honor of having long-standing, dignified, and experienced elected City Clerks. Over the last year and a half, however, the CCO has lost its way and its light. It remains in desperate need of new, competent, and qualified leadership someone committed to encouraging all Carson residents to be civically engaged, equipping them with increased access to city information and records, keeping meeting minutes and other documents up to date, and educating them about how local government works and ways they can access it.
Instead of the exemplary service we are accustomed to, Carson residents have been left with an abundance of late or missing City Council meeting minutes, without continuous access to online contracts and other pertinent records, negatively affected by the ongoing departure of dedicated CCO staff, and with delayed and unanswered Public Records Requests. Simply put, the residents of Carson deserve better, better is available, better is willing, and better is waiting to serve!

Dr. Sharma is the Board President for Carson Accountability and Transparency, publisher of The Carson Observer, Co-Founder/President of the Carson Stroke Center Volunteer Association, and she serves on the Carson Sheriff’s Station Support Foundation Board. She is actively involved in over twelve other Carson organizations and initiatives and a former City of Carson Board Member and Commissioner. She currently serves as the President and CEO of CO-OP, a local nonprofit, the former Interim Executive Director of the Carson Coordinating Council, and is a former Carson 411 group administrator and nonprofit advisor.

Dr. Sharma has been a corporate, small business, and nonprofit consultant with her own firm since 1998. She has a Doctorate degree in Organizational Leadership from Pepperdine University as well as three other degrees from the University of Southern California (USC): BAs in psychology and African American studies and an MS in Education Administration. She is experienced with managing multimillion-dollar budgets, administering federally funded programs, evaluating government projects, change management, strategic planning, business planning, and resolving interpersonal conflicts. She is a nationally known grant writer having acquired over $45 million in funds to support people in need.

Dr. Sharma regularly watches, attends, and participates in Carson City Council meetings. She is an actively sought advocate and volunteer for her fellow Carson and regional community leaders and by City of Carson staff. She maintains a positive relationship with city employees and is well respected throughout the Carson business community.

Dr. Sharma is the President and CEO of CO-OP, a community-based nonprofit human and social services organization serving the City of Carson and the Greater Los Angeles area since August of 2001. She also served as the most recent Interim Executive Director of the Carson Coordinating Council, a nonprofit organization that has provided the most vulnerable residents of Carson with academic, mental health, and basic needs services since 1978.

Dr. Sharma is President of the Carson Accountability and Transparency (Carson CAT) Board of Directors, publisher of The Carson Observer - the only publication exclusively dedicated to educating and informing local residents about Carson municipal and community activities. She regularly watches and attends Carson City Council meetings and is on the record as a regular contributor of Oral Comments about both agendized and non-agendized items. Her record and experience is well known and recognized by many throughout the community.

Here is a partial listing of Dr. Sharma's contributions to the City of Carson:

Carson Accountability and Transparency (President/Board Chair)
The Carson Observer Social Media Committee (Chair)
The Sai Momoli Civic Excellence Award 2022 (Event Chair)
Carson 411 (Former Group Administrator)
Carson Sheriff's Station Support Foundation (Board Member)
Carson Stroke Center Volunteer Association (President/Founder)
City of Carson Community Civic Engagement Board (Former Chair)
City of Carson Commendation (Recipient)
Carson Senior Citizen Advisory Commission (Former Member)
City of Carson Charter Committee (Member)
City of Carson Volunteer (Multiple Departments)
Election Central - City of Carson (Creator/Facilitator)
City of Carson 50th Anniversary Commission (Member)
Carson Coordinating Council (Former Interim Executive Director)
The Carson Report (Creator/Editor)
Elevate Carson Initiative (Founder/Editor)
Carson College Access Network (Founder/Workshop Facilitator)
Carson Volunteer Network (Founder)/Coordinator)
Leaves of Carson Volunteer Recognition (Honoree)*

*Dr. Sharma is one of a select group of individuals to have been honored as a member of the esteemed “Leaves of Carson” volunteer recognition program, which is the City’s highest award reserved for its most dedicated volunteers and community contributors.

Using over 25 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, government, education, public service, fundraising, corporate consulting, and community advocacy Dr. Sharma will:
● develop and execute department improvements that will restore accountability and transparency to City Hall ● design and implement a comprehensive Strategic Plan that will ensure proper management and elevate the functioning of the City Clerk’s Office ● utilize her skills as a successful grant writer to secure financial resources and grants to balance that will supplement the CCO budget ● identify and apply best practices for community involvement to ensure that Carson residents are educated, informed, and aware of their rights and opportunities as stakeholders in this city ● improve overall access to City information and records for residents by identifying gaps in service, locating and updating missing records, increasing technology and digital/online support and, ● ensure that every act of City Clerk's Office leads to the betterment of the City of Carson and the lives of the people who live, work, and play in it.
Dr. Sharma is dedicated to developing innovative community engagement services, streamlining CCO services, improving resident services, and empowering voters - leading to a more successful and impactful Carson experience for all Carson stakeholders.