Sharon Prost was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2001. Judge Prost served as Chief Circuit Judge from May 31, 2014 to May 21, 2021. Prior to her appointment, Judge Prost served as Minority Chief Counsel, Deputy Chief Counsel, and Chief Counsel of the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate from 1993 to 2001. She also served as Chief Labor Counsel (Minority), Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources from 1989 to 1993. Prior to her work on Capitol Hill, she served for fifteen years in five different agencies of the executive branch. These agencies included the Department of Treasury, National Labor Relations Board, and General Accounting Office.

Judge Prost received a B.S. from Cornell University in 1973, an M.B.A. from The George Washington University in 1975, a J.D. from the Washington College of Law, American University in 1979, and an LL.M. in tax law from The George Washington University School of Law in 1984.