Sharon Epperson

Sharon Epperson teaches professional development for students interested in media careers.

Epperson is an award-winning journalist and author, and an expert on energy prices and personal financial security. She serves as senior energy and personal finance correspondent at CNBC, where she covers the global energy and commodities markets from the floor of the New York Mercantile Exchange and contributes special reports on personal finance. She has also hosted CNBC special programs and has been a fill-in anchor on several CNBC shows. Sharon is also a regular contributor on NBC’s Today and appears frequently on NBC Nightly News, MSNBC and NBC affiliates nationwide.

Epperson contributes regular columns to USA Weekend. Her articles have also appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Self, Essence, Ebony and Time, where she covered business, culture, social issues and health prior to joining CNBC.

Her first book, The Big Payoff: 8 Steps Couples Can Take To Make The Most Of Their Money—And Live Richly Ever After (Harper Collins), was a finalist for the 2008 Books For A Better Life Awards, honoring works that have “changed the lives of millions.” She also was a contributing writer in the book The Experts’ Guide To Doing Things Faster (Random House).

Epperson has served on the board of directors of the Council for Economic Education, which recently awarded her with the William A. Forbes Public Awareness Award. She has also served on the boards of the eWomen Network Foundation, Family Services of Westchester and Jack and Jill of America Inc., Westchester Chapter.

She received the 2010 Making the Difference Award from the National Foundation For Credit Counseling for her distinguished public service. General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt and the African-American Forum at GE awarded her the 2010 ICON Growth Award for her leadership in working to improve financial literacy worldwide. She has received numerous honors for her journalistic achievements, including the Vanguard Award for her distinguished career in business and personal finance reporting from the National Urban League Guild, the All-Star Award from the Association of Women in Communications and the prestigious Gracie Allen Award from the American Women in Radio and Television for a series on female CEOs. She also has won awards from the New York Festivals, the New York Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Black Journalists.

Epperson holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and government from Harvard University and a Master of International Affairs from SIPA.

Education

• MIA, Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs
• BA in Sociology and Government, Harvard University