What’s Possible with Sharon Callahan
Sharon Callahan is an Angel Investor, Board Director, Strategic Advisor, and Leadership Coach. She is the former CEO of CDM and TBWA\WorldHealth, two of the world’s leading healthcare advertising agencies. During her tenure at Omnicom Health Group (OMC), Sharon also held the role of Chief Client Officer where she led Omnicom’s relationships with its largest healthcare clients. She was awarded Industry Person of The Year by Medical Advertising News in 2018, and the following year she received the prestigious Women of The Year Award from the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association. She currently serves on the Boards of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, GLAAD, and Wheaton College. She previously served as a Director of Vertical Health before it was acquired by TopSpin partners
My Story
I understand firsthand that it can be lonely at the top and burnout is real. As a former executive with a track record of success, one of my greatest challenges was that I couldn’t see how much I was holding back—and that an even more successful and fulfilling life was possible.
As a CEO, few people in my world said what I needed to hear. Working with a coach, I discovered that my greatest strengths were also my biggest weaknesses. When I was able to confront those blind spots honestly and with compassion, I soared higher professionally than I ever imagined and built a life beyond my dreams. This drives the work I do today in service to others.
Prior to being an executive coach, I was CEO of CDM, one of the world’s leading healthcare advertising agency networks, where I led the transformation of the 45 year-old legacy company to a digital first business partner, achieving significant revenue and margin growth. Before joining CDM, I was CEO of TBWA\WorldHealth, a healthcare advertising agency network I founded in 2016. Under my leadership, we quadrupled in revenue and profitability, grew to 12 offices across the globe, and were named 2019 Agency of the Year by Medical Advertising News.
During my tenure at Omnicom, I also served as Chief Client Officer of Omnicom Health Group (OHG). My client relationships, change leadership, and strategic business development skills were central to doubling the group’s revenue and profit, resulting in OHG now being the world’s largest and fastest growing network of healthcare communications companies.
Sharing my experience and paying it forward brings me joy. I am an active board member of corporate and philanthropic organizations, including the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund (former Chair), GLAAD (Vice Chair), and Wheaton College (Board of Trustees). I previously served as a Director of Vertical Health before it was acquired by TopSpin partners.
I graduated from Wheaton College with a B.A. in English Literature and Columbia University’s Coaching Certification Program. Over nearly four decades, I built my career and community in New York CIty. My greatest accomplishment in life is my family–my four children and my wife–who make every day more meaningful and fun than I ever imagined it could be.