Source: DSCC
WILMINGTON, Del. (April 29, 2026) – The Delaware State Chamber of Commerce and Delaware State Chamber Foundation are pleased to announce that Sharon Kelly Baker has been named the 2026 John H. Taylor, Jr. Education Leadership Award honoree for her outstanding contributions to education, storytelling, and community engagement across Delaware.
An award-winning writer, director, and producer, Baker has spent more than 35 years using film and media to educate, inform, and inspire. Her work has aired on American Public Television, PBS, The History Channel, Nickelodeon, BRAVO, and National Geographic, and has earned her nine regional Emmy Awards and the Governor’s Award for the Arts. Through her storytelling, Baker has consistently elevated important social issues and brought greater visibility to Delaware’s history, communities, and challenges.
Baker is co-founder of TELEDUCTION, Inc. and founder of Serviam Media, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to socially focused filmmaking through its Hearts and Minds Film Initiative. As TELEDUCTION grew — attracting clients like DuPont and major banks headquartered in Wilmington — Baker increasingly felt called toward mission-driven, nonprofit work.
Her commitment to education extends beyond the screen. Her Media Mentors program trained underserved youth in the art and craft of digital storytelling. Baker’s work reflects a deep belief in the power of storytelling as a tool for learning, connection, and change.
“Sharon has dedicated her career to helping people better understand the world around them,” said Delaware State Chamber President Michael J. Quaranta. “Through her lens, she has created opportunities for others to learn, engage, and be heard. Her impact on education in Delaware is both meaningful and lasting.”
From 2005 to 2011, Baker instructed students at Delaware State University in the art of documentary filmmaking. With the arrival of the COVID19 pandemic in March of 2020, Baker and her colleagues began an online interview series, Conversations from Quarantine as a public service to help keep Delawareans informed and connected.
Baker’s connection to the award is especially significant. She collaborated with John H. Taylor on a number of issue-oriented projects and has long shared his commitment to thoughtful dialogue and informed public discourse. Like Taylor, she has used her platform to elevate important conversations and strengthen the community.
“For more than 35 years, Sharon Kelly Baker has been an educator with a mission to inform, inspire, and empower communities through the media arts. She and John collaborated on many media projects throughout their careers, as well as the annual Gridiron. I know John would be proud to see Sharon honored with this award,” adds Maria Taylor, John Taylor’s wife and a member of the award selection committee.
Baker was honored yesterday at the Navigating Delaware Pathways Summit during a lunchtime awards ceremony.
About the John H. Taylor, Jr. Education Leadership Award
Throughout his professional career, Mr. Taylor was an educator. He began his career as a teacher, then served as the assistant to the superintendent of the Wilmington Public Schools.
Taylor’s education background, coupled with his ability to share information and make connections served him well as he rose to become editorial page editor for The News Journal before becoming executive director of the Delaware Public Policy Institute in 2005. As a founding member of the Vision Coalition, Taylor’s leadership and directness were instrumental in building an impactful public-private partnership to advocate for improved education in Delaware. Taylor’s leadership style was always straightforward, clear-headed, and often unwavering. At the same time, he was a humorous and truly humble person.
The John H. Taylor, Jr. Education Leadership Award recognizes leaders within the community who have provided sustained leadership in advancing Delaware education and who, by doing so, have also made our community a better place in which to live and work.
