diff --git a/src/components/HGNHelpSkillsDashboard/CommunityMembersPage.jsx b/src/components/HGNHelpSkillsDashboard/CommunityMembersPage.jsx
index 94c7f11df2..ba68f1e2f4 100644
--- a/src/components/HGNHelpSkillsDashboard/CommunityMembersPage.jsx
+++ b/src/components/HGNHelpSkillsDashboard/CommunityMembersPage.jsx
@@ -10,10 +10,12 @@ function CommunityMembersPage() {
   const [selectedSkills, setSelectedSkills] = useState([]);
   const [selectedPreferences, setSelectedPreferences] = useState([]);
   const [searchQuery, setSearchQuery] = useState('');
+  const [sortBy, setSortBy] = useState('name');
+  const [sortOrder, setSortOrder] = useState('asc');
   const darkMode = useSelector(state => state.theme.darkMode);
 
-  const hasFilters =
-    selectedSkills.length > 0 || selectedPreferences.length > 0 || searchQuery.trim().length > 0;
+  const handleSortByChange = event => setSortBy(event.target.value);
+  const handleSortOrderChange = event => setSortOrder(event.target.value);
 
   return (
     <div className={`${styles.container} ${darkMode ? styles.darkMode : ''}`}>
@@ -21,6 +23,34 @@ function CommunityMembersPage() {
 
       <SearchBar searchQuery={searchQuery} setSearchQuery={setSearchQuery} darkMode={darkMode} />
 
+      <div className={styles.toolbar}>
+        <label htmlFor="communitySortBy" className={styles.sortLabel}>
+          Sort by:
+        </label>
+        <select
+          id="communitySortBy"
+          className={styles.sortSelect}
+          value={sortBy}
+          onChange={handleSortByChange}
+        >
+          <option value="name">Name</option>
+          <option value="score">Score</option>
+        </select>
+
+        <label htmlFor="communitySortOrder" className={styles.sortLabel}>
+          Order:
+        </label>
+        <select
+          id="communitySortOrder"
+          className={styles.sortSelect}
+          value={sortOrder}
+          onChange={handleSortOrderChange}
+        >
+          <option value="asc">Ascending</option>
+          <option value="desc">Descending</option>
+        </select>
+      </div>
+
       <Accordion title="Filter by Skills" defaultOpen darkMode={darkMode}>
         <SkillFilterButtons selectedSkills={selectedSkills} setSelectedSkills={setSelectedSkills} />
       </Accordion>
@@ -33,17 +63,13 @@ function CommunityMembersPage() {
       </Accordion>
 
       <div>
-        {hasFilters ? (
-          <RankedUserList
-            selectedSkills={selectedSkills}
-            selectedPreferences={selectedPreferences}
-            searchQuery={searchQuery.trim()}
-          />
-        ) : (
-          <p className={`${styles.message}`}>
-            Search or select skills and preferences above to see filtered members.
-          </p>
-        )}
+        <RankedUserList
+          selectedSkills={selectedSkills}
+          selectedPreferences={selectedPreferences}
+          searchQuery={searchQuery.trim()}
+          sortBy={sortBy}
+          sortOrder={sortOrder}
+        />
       </div>
     </div>
   );
diff --git a/src/components/HGNHelpSkillsDashboard/RankedUserList.jsx b/src/components/HGNHelpSkillsDashboard/RankedUserList.jsx
index 27c288b031..b3edd73ae2 100644
--- a/src/components/HGNHelpSkillsDashboard/RankedUserList.jsx
+++ b/src/components/HGNHelpSkillsDashboard/RankedUserList.jsx
@@ -5,7 +5,64 @@ import { useSelector } from 'react-redux';
 import styles from './style/RankedUserList.module.css';
 import UserCard from './UserCard';
 
-function RankedUserList({ selectedSkills, selectedPreferences, searchQuery }) {
+const extractSkillEntries = skillData => {
+  if (!skillData || typeof skillData !== 'object') return [];
+
+  if (Array.isArray(skillData)) {
+    return skillData.flatMap(skill => {
+      if (typeof skill === 'string') return [{ name: skill, rating: undefined }];
+      if (skill && typeof skill === 'object') {
+        const name = skill.name || skill.skill || skill.label || skill.type;
+        return name ? [{ name, rating: skill.rating ?? skill.score ?? undefined }] : [];
+      }
+      return [];
+    });
+  }
+
+  return Object.values(skillData).flatMap(section => {
+    if (!section || typeof section !== 'object') return [];
+    if (Array.isArray(section)) {
+      return section.flatMap(skill => {
+        if (typeof skill === 'string') return [{ name: skill, rating: undefined }];
+        if (skill && typeof skill === 'object') {
+          const name = skill.name || skill.skill || skill.label || skill.type;
+          return name ? [{ name, rating: skill.rating ?? skill.score ?? undefined }] : [];
+        }
+        return [];
+      });
+    }
+
+    return Object.entries(section).map(([skillName, rating]) => ({
+      name: skillName,
+      rating: typeof rating === 'number' ? rating : undefined,
+    }));
+  });
+};
+
+const normalizeUser = user => {
+  if (Array.isArray(user.topSkills) && user.topSkills.length > 0) return user;
+
+  const rawSkills = user.skills;
+  const skillEntries = extractSkillEntries(rawSkills);
+
+  const uniqueSkills = Array.from(
+    new Map(
+      skillEntries.filter(entry => entry.name).map(entry => [entry.name.toLowerCase(), entry]),
+    ).values(),
+  );
+
+  const sortedSkills = uniqueSkills
+    .sort((a, b) => (b.rating ?? 0) - (a.rating ?? 0))
+    .map(entry => entry.name);
+
+  return {
+    ...user,
+    topSkills: sortedSkills,
+    skills: sortedSkills,
+  };
+};
+
+function RankedUserList({ selectedSkills, selectedPreferences, searchQuery, sortBy, sortOrder }) {
   const [allUsers, setAllUsers] = useState([]);
   const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true);
   const darkMode = useSelector(state => state.theme.darkMode);
@@ -15,14 +72,28 @@ function RankedUserList({ selectedSkills, selectedPreferences, searchQuery }) {
       setLoading(true);
       try {
         const params = {};
+        const hasFilters =
+          (selectedSkills && selectedSkills.length > 0) ||
+          (selectedPreferences && selectedPreferences.length > 0) ||
+          (searchQuery && searchQuery.trim().length > 0);
+
         if (selectedSkills && selectedSkills.length > 0) params.skills = selectedSkills.join(',');
         if (selectedPreferences && selectedPreferences.length > 0)
           params.preferences = selectedPreferences.join(',');
+        if (searchQuery && searchQuery.trim().length > 0) params.search = searchQuery.trim();
 
-        const response = await axios.get(`${process.env.REACT_APP_APIENDPOINT}/hgnform/ranked`, {
+        const endpoint = hasFilters
+          ? `${process.env.REACT_APP_APIENDPOINT}/hgnform/ranked`
+          : `${process.env.REACT_APP_APIENDPOINT}/hgnHelp/community`;
+
+        if (!hasFilters && sortBy === 'name' && sortOrder) {
+          params.sortOrder = sortOrder;
+        }
+
+        const response = await axios.get(endpoint, {
           params,
         });
-        setAllUsers(response.data);
+        setAllUsers(response.data.map(normalizeUser));
       } catch (err) {
         // error handled silently
       } finally {
@@ -31,8 +102,7 @@ function RankedUserList({ selectedSkills, selectedPreferences, searchQuery }) {
     };
 
     fetchUsers();
-    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
-  }, [selectedSkills, selectedPreferences]);
+  }, [selectedSkills, selectedPreferences, searchQuery, sortOrder]);
 
   // Client-side filter by searchQuery on top of API results
   const filteredUsers = searchQuery
@@ -45,13 +115,33 @@ function RankedUserList({ selectedSkills, selectedPreferences, searchQuery }) {
       })
     : allUsers;
 
+  const sortedUsers = [...filteredUsers].sort((a, b) => {
+    if (sortBy === 'score') {
+      const scoreA = typeof a.score === 'number' ? a.score : -Infinity;
+      const scoreB = typeof b.score === 'number' ? b.score : -Infinity;
+      if (scoreA < scoreB) return sortOrder === 'desc' ? 1 : -1;
+      if (scoreA > scoreB) return sortOrder === 'desc' ? -1 : 1;
+      const nameA = (a.name || '').toLowerCase();
+      const nameB = (b.name || '').toLowerCase();
+      if (nameA < nameB) return -1;
+      if (nameA > nameB) return 1;
+      return 0;
+    }
+
+    const nameA = (a.name || '').toLowerCase();
+    const nameB = (b.name || '').toLowerCase();
+    if (nameA < nameB) return sortOrder === 'desc' ? 1 : -1;
+    if (nameA > nameB) return sortOrder === 'desc' ? -1 : 1;
+    return 0;
+  });
+
   if (loading) return <p className={`${styles.message}`}>Loading ranked users...</p>;
-  if (!filteredUsers.length) return <p className={`${styles.message}`}>No users found.</p>;
+  if (!sortedUsers.length) return <p className={`${styles.message}`}>No users found.</p>;
 
   return (
     <div className={darkMode ? `${styles.darkMode}` : ''}>
       <div className={`${styles.container}`}>
-        {filteredUsers.map(user => (
+        {sortedUsers.map(user => (
           <div key={user._id} className={`${styles.userWrapper}`}>
             <UserCard user={user} />
           </div>
@@ -65,6 +155,8 @@ RankedUserList.propTypes = {
   selectedSkills: PropTypes.arrayOf(PropTypes.string),
   selectedPreferences: PropTypes.arrayOf(PropTypes.string),
   searchQuery: PropTypes.string,
+  sortBy: PropTypes.string,
+  sortOrder: PropTypes.string,
 };
 
 export default RankedUserList;
diff --git a/src/components/HGNHelpSkillsDashboard/UserCard.jsx b/src/components/HGNHelpSkillsDashboard/UserCard.jsx
index eb7363bdb8..b97b7ccd6a 100644
--- a/src/components/HGNHelpSkillsDashboard/UserCard.jsx
+++ b/src/components/HGNHelpSkillsDashboard/UserCard.jsx
@@ -5,9 +5,20 @@ import slackIcon from './style/slack_icon.png';
 import { useSelector } from 'react-redux';
 
 function UserCard({ user }) {
-  const { name, email, slack, score, topSkills } = user;
+  const { name, email, slack, score, topSkills, skills } = user;
   const darkMode = useSelector(state => state.theme.darkMode);
 
+  const normalizedSkills = Array.isArray(topSkills)
+    ? topSkills
+    : Array.isArray(skills)
+    ? skills
+        .map(skill => {
+          if (typeof skill === 'string') return skill;
+          return skill.name || skill.skill || skill.label || skill.type || '';
+        })
+        .filter(Boolean)
+    : [];
+
   return (
     <div className={`${styles.userCard} ${darkMode ? styles.darkMode : ''}`}>
       <img src={avatar} alt="Avatar" className={`${styles.avatar}`} />
@@ -40,7 +51,7 @@ function UserCard({ user }) {
 
         <div className={`${styles.skillsSection}`}>
           <div className={`${styles.skillsLabel}`}>Top Skills:</div>
-          <div className={`${styles.skillsText}`}>{topSkills.join(', ')}</div>
+          <div className={`${styles.skillsText}`}>{normalizedSkills.join(', ')}</div>
         </div>
       </div>
     </div>
diff --git a/src/components/HGNHelpSkillsDashboard/style/CommunityMembersPage.module.css b/src/components/HGNHelpSkillsDashboard/style/CommunityMembersPage.module.css
index 42eb579511..13fb9b9bd7 100644
--- a/src/components/HGNHelpSkillsDashboard/style/CommunityMembersPage.module.css
+++ b/src/components/HGNHelpSkillsDashboard/style/CommunityMembersPage.module.css
@@ -113,16 +113,17 @@
 .darkMode .preferenceButton:hover {
   background-color: #374151;
 }
+
 .darkMode .skillButton.selected {
   background-color: #3b82f6;
   border-color: #3b82f6;
-  color: #ffffff;
+  color: #fff;
 }
 
 .darkMode .preferenceButton.selected {
   background-color: #22c55e;
   border-color: #22c55e;
-  color: #ffffff;
+  color: #fff;
 }
 
 .searchContainer {
@@ -144,6 +145,33 @@
   color: #000;
 }
 
+.toolbar {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 0.75rem;
+  margin-bottom: 1rem;
+  justify-content: flex-end;
+}
+
+.sortLabel {
+  font-size: 0.95rem;
+  font-weight: 600;
+}
+
+.sortSelect {
+  border: 1px solid #d1d5db;
+  border-radius: 0.5rem;
+  padding: 0.4rem 0.75rem;
+  background: white;
+  color: #111827;
+}
+
+.darkMode .sortSelect {
+  background: #1f2937;
+  color: #f9fafb;
+  border-color: #4b5563;
+}
+
 .clearButton {
   background: none;
   border: none;