It is with deep sorrow that we share the news of the recent passing of Dr. Sharon Camp, former President and CEO of the Guttmacher Institute. Sharon was a visionary leader whose lifelong commitment to reproductive health and rights transformed institutions, advanced policy, and served as an inspiration to advocates and researchers.
Sharon joined the Guttmacher Institute in 2003 and served as President and CEO until her retirement in 2013. During her decade of leadership, she led the Institute through a period of significant growth in both size and influence. With Sharon at the helm, the organization nearly doubled its annual budget, saw its staff expand by a third, and significantly broadened its global reach. Under her guidance, Guttmacher launched research initiatives in dozens of countries and built lasting partnerships with local institutions, strengthening the global evidence base for reproductive health policy. Sharon was deeply committed to the Institute’s core pillars—rigorous research, strategic policy analysis, and effective communication—and she worked tirelessly to ensure that Guttmacher’s work informed public discourse and policymaking at the highest levels.
Before joining Guttmacher, Sharon had already made a profound impact on the global reproductive health landscape. She played a central role in drafting the Programme of Action adopted at the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, a landmark document that redefined international norms around reproductive rights and gender equality. She also founded and led Women’s Capital Corporation, where she oversaw the development and commercialization of Plan B emergency contraception—an innovation that expanded reproductive autonomy and access for millions and earned her recognition as a pioneer in the field.
Sharon’s leadership extended across numerous organizations, including Population Action International, where she served as Senior Vice President for nearly two decades, and service on the boards of Family Health International, the International Center for Research on Women, the Global Health Council, and Planned Parenthood of Maryland among others. Her scholarly contributions included more than 70 publications on family planning, emergency contraception, and reproductive health policy.
Beyond her institutional achievements, Sharon was a mentor and a champion of staff development, and her warmth and laughter lit up our office. She believed in lifting others up, and she created a culture at Guttmacher that valued collaboration, intellectual rigor, and compassion. Her leadership was marked by integrity, courage, and an unwavering belief in the power of evidence to drive change.
On behalf of the entire Guttmacher community, we extend our deepest condolences to Sharon’s family, friends, and all who were touched by her work and spirit. Her legacy lives on in the policies she shaped, the mission she helped define, and the countless lives she improved. We will honor her memory by continuing to pursue the vision she so passionately championed: a world where every person has access to the information, services, and rights they need to make informed decisions about their reproductive lives.
Sharon Camp will be profoundly missed, but her impact will endure for generations to come.