The Cleveland Museum of Natural History is pleased to announce that Acting President & CEO Meenakshi Sharma has been selected as the winner of Engage! Cleveland’s Generation NEXT Award for Mentor of the Year in the nonprofit category.
Engage! Cleveland’s annual Generation NEXT Awards recognize the individuals and organizations helping make Cleveland a great place for emerging professionals to live and work. The Mentor of the Year Award honors a leader who goes above and beyond in mentoring or serving as an executive sponsor to emerging professionals within their organization.
The recognition is especially fitting for Sharma, who has made mentorship a natural and intentional part of her leadership throughout her nearly eight-year tenure at the Museum.
Her approach is grounded in trust, empathy, and accountability. She invests in developing staff, encourages collaboration across departments, and creates opportunities for employees to take on new challenges, contribute ideas, and grow in confidence. She is especially committed to helping staff feel seen, valued, and connected to the Museum’s broader mission. For Sharma, mentorship is not a separate activity, but a core leadership responsibility.
Sharma joined the Museum in 2018 and served as Senior Vice President & Chief Strategy Officer before being appointed Acting President & CEO in May 2026. She now leads a nearly 165-member team and partners with the Board of Directors to advance the Museum’s mission. During her tenure, Sharma was instrumental in the development and implementation of the Museum’s strategic plan, which guided the organization through its $150 million transformation—the largest capital project in its history. She has also led or co-led multiple departments, including Visitor Experience, Operations, Education, Wildlife, and Exhibits, while helping strengthen collaboration and alignment across the institution.
Her commitment to developing emerging leaders extends beyond the Museum. Sharma supports talent development through programs including Weatherhead School of Management’s Graduate Coffee Connections, College Now mentoring, and Engage! Cleveland’s Luncheon with Leaders.
Sharma’s leadership has previously been recognized by Smart Business Magazine, which named her a Smart 50 Award honoree in 2024 and a Progressive Women honoree in 2023. She was also named to Cleveland Magazine’s Cleveland 500 in 2021 and 2026, and selected for the 2021 Leadership Cleveland class.
Strategic, empathetic, and highly effective, Sharma strengthens the Cleveland Museum of Natural History not only through what she leads, but through how she leads—with purpose, collaboration, humility, and heart.
