Sharon Baker
President & Founder

The official information for my credentials is listed below. In a nutshell, I am a master’s prepared nurse with a specialty in women’s health. I have had the privilege of practicing nursing in hospitals, teaching institutions, clinics and women’s centers. During the last few years of my career, I worked in a methadone clinic and then a nursing home.

My true passion remains women’s health and consumer education. I founded WIN in 1991 in order to bring information to the community regarding “normal” issues such as menopause. Normal doesn’t necessarily mean without issues. (Think pregnancy. There are lessons for this event!) As health issues or needs arose, I found women to help me get the word out to other women. We learn from experts, but also need to have a forum to have our own voices heard and shared with other women.

Accurate information from a variety of specialists gives us what we need to make better decisions about our own health. I believe it is helpful to hear from knowledgeable experts in a setting that is designed to be comfortable and that encourages dialogue with professionals and among the participants.

I envisioned this setting based on professional presentations I had attended. At the end of a lecture, the experts were asked questions, sometimes challenged, and sometimes even disagreed with each other. This is healthy and enables participants to sort out differing opinions and decide what is right for them.

I am now in the fourth year of retirement from a “real” job. I devote most of my energies to bringing our WIN activities to the forefront of community awareness through new programs. It is so much fun to be able to set my own agenda each day and devote time to the topics I feel consumers need to know, but where there is no reliable way to obtain current, accurate and understandable information. We just completed two workshops and will be working on our schedule for 2020.

I also serve as chair of the health committee for the Georgia Commission on Women. (GCW) I was appointed by the Governor in 2000 and have served ever since. We work on improving the health and welfare of the women of Georgia. Currently our initiatives are on the prevention of human trafficking, encouraging literacy by partnering with the “Talk With Me Baby” program, and women’s health issues. This coming year we will be focusing on osteoporosis, maternal mortality and mental health issues for women.

The times when I’m not working on WIN or GCW, is largely spent in my yard. I love “digging in the dirt.”  I have numerous vegetables, fruit and berry trees and never enough space. Thank goodness I don’t have more space because the weeds would win the war!

I have two grown sons. My oldest is an ICU nurse and planning to begin courses to become a nurse practitioner in the fall. My youngest has an MBA and works for a large insurance company. I think I must be a great planner. One son can take care of my health and the other my finances! I have a daughter-in-law who is beautiful and smart and is an actuary. My favorite time is when we are all together. Thank goodness they are all now living in Georgia!

My other family member is a rescue dog named “Bebe.” He follows me every step I take. What a loyal companion and joy he is.

Finally, I am an active member of First Baptist Church. I enjoy finally having the time to volunteer at this wonderful church, participate in book studies, Wednesday night dinners and programs and working as chair of the health committee. If you don’t have a church home, I encourage you to call me and I’ll meet you there! I remain a Bible study student with lots of questions. There is a place for everyone there and lots of initiatives that benefit this community.

I love hearing from community members and hope you will join me in coming up with ideas for needed programs, or questions about health or life that you might have. I certainly don’t claim to have all the answers, but I can look for them! We need everyone’s ideas, talents and contributions to develop excellent programs. I look forward to hearing from you.