Helen Burns Sharp, born and raised in Chattanooga, is a public interest advocate who founded ATM, Accountability for Taxpayer Money. After earning degrees from the University of Tennessee and University of Texas, she became a principal planner in the Tennessee State Planning Office for 16 years. She worked in Oregon for 18 years as the city of Albany’s community development director. She is also on the board of Chattanooga’s Downtown Owners Collective and Unity Group of Chattanooga.