Sharif Watson

Sharif’s journey toward technology began with the hope of becoming a Naval aviator, as he has a strong passion for aviation. When that ambitious goal didn’t become a reality, he turned his attention to something else he’d always been interested in: technology. This interest became a passion as Sharif developed his skills and ultimately began working with organizations to help them create and scale new technology systems to power their work.

With the Colorado Health Foundation, he sees an opportunity to bring his set of skills to an organization with a powerful mission that he believes in. Sharif believes the Foundation’s spotlight should be on community. To shine that light, he and his team strive to empower staff members to build relationships that support bringing health in reach to all Coloradans. Whether through managing back-end systems or developing new tools for the team, he seeks to be the ultimate strategic partner, helping everyone at the Foundation do their best work. At his core, Sharif is a hands-on team member focused on strengthening core technology. He aims to lead a team of IT professionals who wish to activate their skills where people need them the most. He wants to figure out how tech can be used as a tool to help us be more efficient and build stronger, more authentic community rather than interrupting human relationships.

For Sharif, working at the Foundation also offers an opportunity to dig deeper into the things that make Colorado what it is. Though he attended high school in Colorado and has lived here for more than a decade, he still wants to understand more about the state — including the things we may not be able to see on the surface.

Sharif has designed his life to be about connecting his mind and body. His weekends are spent watching Tottenham Hotspur, working out and taking advantage of Colorado's various outdoor exercise possibilities, as well as immersing himself in one of his many hobbies.

Education

BS – Information Technology, Slippery Rock University