My Hero!

Sharon A. Barbano, M.Ed.

Sharon Barbano, Vice President of Public Relations, Events and Athletes for Saucony, Inc., has been a key player in sports and fitness marketing for over two decades. A recognized industry leader, Barbano has appeared worldwide on television, radio and in print as a consumer marketing expert, brand spokesperson and sports commentator.

Barbano is a nationally recognized fitness expert and developer of a wide variety of sports and fitness training programs followed by millions. She is the creator of Hasbro Toys' "Get In Shape, Girl!" fitness gear, tapes and programs for children.

Barbano was presented with the 2008 Women's Trailblazer Award by Running USA, the national organization for running in the United States. Barbano is a past member of the Board of Trustees of the Women's Sports Foundation. She is also a recipient of the Women's Sports Foundation President's Award and the National Association of Women in Education Woman of Distinction Award.

Barbano has been the official announcer for many of the nation's top running events as well as twenty-year lead analyst for WBZ Radio's award-winning coverage of the Boston Marathon.

A former world class distance runner who participated in the Olympic Marathon Trials, Barbano is past winner of the Finland and Long Island Marathons, the U.S. 50K Trail Running Championship and the Women's International 10K Championship, among others. She is also a winner of the Blackburn Challenge, one of the nation's most prestigious open ocean kayak races and has a black belt in Chinese Karate. Barbano has a B.A. in Sociology from Gettysburg College and an M.Ed. in Psychological Services from Springfield College