Sharon Ackah

Sharon Ackah is Chief of the Exceptional Family Member (EFM) Legal Assistance and Policy Branch, Civil Law and Litigation Directorate. Her mission is to build a special education law capability across the Department of the Air Force. She provides legal expertise on EFM policy matters, expert counsel to attorneys and key stakeholders, and client representation in complex special education disputes. Mrs. Ackah is also responsible for special education law training and developing best practices through innovation and leadership. She is a published author and accomplished speaker who has a 20-year background involving public health, management, policy, training, and preventative law.

In 1998, Mrs. Ackah attained a Master of Public Health (MPH), with a concentration in Management and Policy Sciences. She has since dedicated her career to improving the lives of children and families impacted by exceptional medical and social circumstances. Her public health profession involved program management, field support, training, and outreach related to disease prevention and developmental disabilities.

In 2004, Mrs. Ackah earned her law degree from The George Washington University Law School. She then spent more than a decade serving as policy analyst and deputy program manager for Northrop Grumman Corporation. She also served as partner in a private practice focused on medical insurance claims, representation of guardians of disabled persons in cases involving supplemental needs trust, and general civil practice. Mrs. Ackah became a Department of Defense civilian in 2015 serving as a legal assistance attorney at the United States Military Academy (USMA). She then joined the Office of Soldiers’ Counsel (OSC), where she served as both Medical Evaluation Board (MEB) and Physical Evaluation Board (PEB) counsel for wounded, ill and injured Soldiers.

In 2022, Mrs. Ackah received the Blacks in Government Military Meritorious Award for the United States Air Force. In 2021, she was named Senior Civilian of the Year for the Department of Air Force, Civil Law and Litigation Directorate. In 2018, Mrs. Ackah received the Office of Soldiers’ Counsel Award for Excellence in Client Satisfaction (ICE Award).

Mrs. Ackah is a member of the Council of Parents, Attorneys and Advocates for students with disabilities (COPAA), the Military Spouse JD Network (MSJDN), and the Health and Educational Relief Organization (HERO). She is also a volunteer with Child Advocates of San Antonio (CASA). Mrs. Ackah is married to MAJ (Ret.) Kwansah Ackah and has three sons, Xavier, Josiah, and Aiden.