Trustworthy
Strategic
Evolving
Thoughtful

Meet Sharon

Sharon Shelton is an experienced, committed executive leader and strategic partner with specific focus and strength in organizational direction, program vision, design, resource/fundraising, advocacy strategies, grants management, volunteer support, and building positive internal and external relationships. She has guided organizations through evolution and transition, both as an executive and as a board member.

Early Beginnings

Sharon began her career 1991 with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), where she met iconic civil rights activist, Rosa Parks – a meeting that inspired and shaped her social justice career.

Eliminating Racism and Empowering Women at YWCA Greater Los Angeles

During 29 years with the YWCA Greater Los Angeles, Shelton held several positions, advancing to Vice President of Programs in 2013, Chief Operating Officer in 2020 and serving as Interim Chief Executive Officer from December 2022 to November 2023.

During her tenure, Shelton expanded service delivery and related staff to over 175, impacting more than 100,000 individuals and groups.  As a member of the C-Suite, she proved instrumental in securing an historical game-changing $20M unrestricted gift from MacKenzie Scott 2020.

Program developments and enhancements core to highlighting the YWCA GLA mission of empowering women and eliminating racism include:

  • Expanding child development services to provide crucial early care and education to families in need.

  • Expanding the gender-based violence program from one rape crisis center to three with on-site campus projects.

  • Developing and providing training for use of the Anti-Racism wheel (2007), a tool to highlight ways to eliminate racism with positive cultural communication and engagement for youth and adults.

  • Defining the equity initiative during the COVID pandemic, addressing racial inequities by investing in staff  to build a culture of knowledge, confidence, and work skills to greater community impact.

  • Establishing Wellness Employee rooms in 2023 at YWCA GLA Empowerment Centers, providing employees with a space to relax and rejuvenate, that also have also fostered a sense of community and well-being within the organization.

Sharon’s passion for mediation and racial justice ignited in 1996.
She has since been actively involved in facilitating racial dialogues and establishing partnerships with organizations such as the Institute of Non-Violence Los Angeles, as she firmly believes that racism is a health crisis that requires our attention.  Sharon is certified in Mediation and Conflict Management by the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office and is an active member with the national Mediators Beyond Borders International (MBBI), receiving a member spotlight in 2023.

Throughout her advocacy career, Ms. Shelton has been called upon to advocate for social justice issues exemplified by mission driven causes, including the following appointments and roles:

  • Los Angeles County Alcohol and Other Drug Commission addressing issues and the negative impact of substance use disorders on the quality of life for individuals and their families in Los Angeles County.

  • Former Chair of the Los Angeles Community Action Board, part of the nation’s Community Action Agencies established under Title II of the federal Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 to deliver anti-poverty services to impoverished communities.

  • Appointed by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors (March 2017) to the Women and Girls Initiative to better address the disproportionate disadvantages faced by women and girls.

  • Trustee, serving term II-2024-2026, Pacific Oaks College & Children’s School, a leading institution in education grounded in its social justice heritage. Pacific Oaks College prepares students to be culturally intelligent agents of change serving diverse communities guided by four core values—respect, diversity, social justice, and inclusion.

Sharon holds a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Communications from California State University Long Beach and a Master of Arts Degree in Behavioral Science from California State University Dominguez Hills.