Sharon Zackfia, CFA, partner and group head of the consumer sector, joined the equity research group of William Blair in 2000 with a focus on restaurants, lifestyle and leisure brands, and automotive retail/e-commerce. Previously, she worked in research at Credit Suisse First Boston and with the Nasdaq Stock Market and Jennison Associates. Sharon has been recognized as a top earnings estimator multiple times in the StarMine Analyst Awards, including most recently in 2019. She was also recognized by The Wall Street Journal's Best on the Street as the No. 1 stock analyst in restaurants in 2010 and 2011 and as the No. 2 analyst in 2010 in leisure goods and services, and was named the No. 1 stock picker in restaurants in both 2009 and 2010 in the Financial Times/StarMine World's Top Analysts listing. She is a CFA charterholder and received a B.A. from Yale University. Sharon also serves as a board member of the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago and on the board of trustees of Lincoln Park Zoo.