Sharon Kilfoy’s impact on the Northside can be seen all over our neighborhood, beautifying lots of spaces. She is able to meld the skills of many people into works of art. One hat Sharon wears is as community muralist. In that role, she worked with students to paint murals at Lakeview Elementary and Sherman Middle School. She piloted Madison’s pavement painting ordinance with the community painting on Knutson Circle in 2014. If you’ve been to RISE on Fordem Avenue, you’ve seen more of Sharon’s work of combining the efforts of a community in creating artwork.

Sharon’s legacy on Fordem Avenue is much deeper than the artwork she facilitated. For over 25 years, Sharon Kilfoy was the child care program manager at The Respite Center. She developed programming and trained specialists to offer respite care for kids from birth to age 14, giving caregivers options for child care while going to appointments or searching for jobs or housing, as well as emergency care when families are in crisis. This 24/7 resource has given families a safe and beautiful place when they need it. Sharon has made all kinds of positive change on the Northside.