Angie Sharp, the former co-anchor of WQAD’s Good Morning Quad Cities, will take over Tuesday, June 7, as the City of Bettendorf’s new community engagement manager.
“I am very excited to join this dynamic and diligent team,” Ms. Sharp said in a news release from the city. “As community engagement manager, I plan to do just that – find creative and impactful ways to connect with the people who are supporting, growing, and living in the City of Bettendorf. When we do that, the entire Quad Cities area succeeds and more people will know just how vibrant this community is to raise a family, build a business, and have a fun and fulfilled life.”’
Ms. Sharp graduated from Augustana College, Rock Island, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications and English. She had worked at WQAD since 2009 – the last five-plus years co-anchoring Good Morning Quad Cities.
For days, Quad Cities fans speculated on where Ms. Sharp would land after she announced she was leaving Channel 8. But she declined to immediately reveal her next destination.
For example, in a Friday, May 27, post to her Facebook page, Ms. Sharp wrote, “It’s been an incredible 12.5 years at WQAD. I’ve learned a lot … but the most important thing this Chicago Suburb Girl has learned is how wonderful the Quad Cities is.”
The post also included this teaser: “I’m not moving away. I’m not stepping away from any of the causes I’m committed to. I’m simply taking on a new challenge – a new way to make our area go from GOOD to GREAT.”
Among the causes and organizations Ms. Sharp has been involved in the Quad Cities are: the Augustana College alumni group, Lead(h)er, American Heart Association, Dress for Success Quad Cities, and YWCA Quad Cities.
Ms. Sharp and her husband Zach, along with their son Zander and their dog Zuno, live in Moline, the city news release said, but are actively looking for a home in Bettendorf.
According to the city’s job posting for the position, as community engagement manager, Ms. Sharp will oversee city staff in engaging the public through various avenues of community.
She also will work with staff, boards, commissions and groups to build innovative and dynamic messaging strategies that not only communicate to the public, but also engage, support, inform and build brand loyalty among all the city’s audiences.
In addition, she will work with Economic Development Director Jeff Reiter to develop a vision for community engagement and play a lead role in implementing that vision, the job description said. And she will share public speaking duties to spread the city’s stories at public events.
Kathleen Richlen, Bettendorf’s human resources director, said of Ms. Sharp’s hiring, “With the city’s continued growth, the City Council goal is to regularly and strategically engage with the public and the timing was right to develop this management position.”
“The city does a really good job of utilizing digital communication since COVID, so much so, that the city felt it was time to create a stronger consolidated and strategic approach to all of the city’s communication’s efforts,” she added. “With Angie background and community involvement, we believe she is the right person to help develop and lead these efforts.”
