SHANELL WILLIAMS
San Francisco,CA
Summary
Accomplished and innovative leader with 24 years of social impact experience and 8 years of executive nonprofit leadership experience focused primarily on marginalized communities of color. Articulate and personable leader with excellent project management, strategic planning, and operational oversight abilities. Experienced in fundraising and development and management of multimillion dollar organizational budgets. Track record of success raising public awareness about initiatives, community-based programs and services.
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
Work History
Interim Executive Director
Rafiki Coalition for Health and Wellness
San Francisco, CA
05.2023 - Current
- Improved connection and collaboration with key stakeholders including staff, funders, vendors, partners, community and elected leaders.
- Secured legal counsel and auditors to reduce exposure to risk, ensuring compliance and fiscal oversight.
- Successfully negotiated retention and certification of all governmental contracts which is largest revenue source.
- Completed grant reporting and engagement of all private funders.
- Secured funding from public and private sources.
- Successful resolution of employment and labor relations challenges.
- Improvement in organizational infrastructure and implementation of new tools, technology, policies and procedures.
- Hiring of key staff to meet organizational deliverables.
- Developed strategies to promote the organization's mission throughout the community.
- Increase in community engagement with special events to raise awareness about the organization's mission.
- Evaluated existing programs for improvement opportunities while identifying new program ideas.
- Collaborated with external vendors to provide cost-effective solutions for services.
- Organized regular meetings with board members to discuss progress on initiatives and solicit feedback.
- Developed strategies to promote the organization's mission throughout the community.
- Created a collaborative environment that fosters innovation and encourages employee engagement.
- Provided oversight of all departments to ensure compliance with established policies and procedures.
- Managed the organization's financial resources and operations to maximize efficiency and effectiveness.
- Oversaw corrective action plans to remedy structural, organizational and departmental issues.
Director, Community Engagement and Partnerships
University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), California Preterm Birth Initiative (PTBi-CA)
San Francisco, California
02.2018 - Current
- Develop and direct PTBi-CA strategy for community engagement and mobilization portfolio to reduce the burden of preterm birth in San Francisco, Oakland and Fresno, California.
- Coordinated with internal departments to create content for newsletters, press releases, social media campaigns, and other outreach materials.
- Facilitated dialogue between different groups within the organization around topics related to diversity, equity, inclusion.
- Served as a spokesperson for the organization at public meetings and conferences.
- Recruited volunteers and interns who could assist with outreach efforts.
- Collaborated with external partners such as government agencies, nonprofits, businesses, universities to identify areas of mutual interest for collaboration.
- Cultivated relationships with key stakeholders in order to build support for PTBi among diverse communities.
- Managed the budget for community-based projects and initiatives.
- Researched best practices in community engagement methods and shared findings with colleagues.
- Responded promptly to inquiries from members of the public regarding our work.
- Created surveys and conducted research to measure the impact of community engagement efforts.
- Attended conferences and networking events relevant to our field of work.
- Developed and implemented comprehensive community engagement strategies to increase public awareness of our organization's mission.
- Identified potential funding sources for community-based programs and initiatives.
- Developed training materials for staff members involved in community engagement activities.
- Organized and facilitated events, workshops, and volunteer activities to foster relationships with local stakeholders.
- Assisted with grant writing efforts by providing detailed information about our organization's goals and objectives.
- Provided strategic guidance on various issues related to community engagement initiatives.
- Analyzed data from past engagements in order to develop more effective approaches in the future.
- Evaluated existing partnerships in order to determine if they are meeting their objectives.
- Enhanced exposure opportunities and controlled large, strategic messaging programs.
- Established and maintained working relationships with clients, government officials and media representatives.
Community Engagement Specialist
University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), California Preterm Birth Initiative (PTBi-CA)
San Francisco, California
03.2016 - 02.2018
- Developed and implemented PTBi's core community engagement programs: Community Advisory Board and Benioff Community Innovators.
- Fostered partnerships between community representatives and academic researchers.
- Provided technical assistance and training for community-academic partnership.
President, Board of Trustees
City College of San Francisco (CCSF)
San Francisco, California
01.2020 - 01.2022
- Served as external and internal liaison for the Board of Trustees.
- Media Spokesperson
- Resposible for setting all agendas, chairing board meetings and appointments to board committees.
- Served as direct supervisor for City College Chancellor.
Member, Board of Trustees
City College of San Francisco (CCSF)
San Francisco, California
01.2017 - Current
- The Board of Trustees assumes full responsibility for the general control and direction of the San Francisco Community College District.
- The CCSF Board of Trustees is composed of seven members elected citywide by the voters of San Francisco.
- Elected first place twice with most votes in history.
Student Trustee, Board of Trustees
City College of San Francisco (CCSF)
San Francisco, California
06.2013 - 06.2015
- Student representative for the college district.
- Advisory vote on the City College Board of Trustees.
Director, Organizing and Research
Young Women's Freedom Center
San Francisco, California
10.2014 - 07.2015
- Engaged CYWD program participants in design and implementation of a participatory action research project to identify service needs of low-income young women in San Francisco.
- Recruited, trained, supervised, evaluated and mentored staff members.
- Developed and implemented comprehensive strategies to improve operational processes and organizational efficiency.
- Organized and facilitated workshops and events for the local community.
Project Coordinator
Young Women's Freedom Center
San Francisco, California
03.2014 - 10.2014
- Provided programmatic and administrative oversight for the Young Women's Freedom Center during executive leadership transition.
- Crisis management and communications.
Field Organizer
David Campos for State Assembly
San Francisco, California
09.2014 - 11.2014
- Responsible for voter precincts in District 5, seven field interns, planning and execution of general field activities in Assembly District 17.
President, Associated Students, Ocean Campus
City College of San Francisco (CCSF)
San Francisco, California
07.2012 - 06.2013
- Provide oversight for San Francisco Community College District which serves 50-90k students across nine campuses
- Local, state, and national advocacy to retain CCSF accreditation
- Board Chair, Associated Students Executive Council
- Managed public relations and communications to 50,000 students at Ocean Campus
- Supervised and mentored five Vice Presidents, 10 Senators and 10 staff coordinators
- Oversee operations and 500k budget that supports 12 resource centers and 100 student clubs.
VP of Communications, Associated Students, Ocean Campus
City College of San Francisco (CCSF)
San Francisco, California
09.2011 - 07.2012
- Managed all communications and outreach for Associated Students Council of City College of San Francisco.
Events Convener
San Francisco Community Land Trust (SFCLT)
San Francisco, California
08.2012 - 01.2013
- Produced training events for 10 SFCLT cooperative housing sites including event promotion, curriculum development and facilitation.
Campaign Manager
Julian Davis for District 5 Supervisor
San Francisco, California
05.2012 - 08.2012
- Managed campaign communications, scheduling, field operations, event planning, fundraising, staff, and volunteers.
Principal
Citrine Marketing Group
San Francisco, California
01.2011 - 05.2012
- Consulting and special events production for non-profit organizations, governmental agencies, and businesses
- Produced Dub Fillmore Music Festival with 10,000 attendees, local and corporate vendors
- Secured grant from Mayor's Office of Economic and Workforce Development.
Program Director
Young Women's Freedom Center
San Francisco, California
08.2007 - 01.2009
- Responsible for managing, directing, and developing all CYWD programs
- Raised $350k for Center programs through private foundations, governmental agencies, and individual donors
- Responsible for program reports to Mayor's Office and Department of Children Youth and Families (DCYF)
- Responsible for supervision, evaluation, and training of program staff, developed new staff training curriculum.
Northern District Community Organizer
Safety Network Partnership
San Francisco, California
07.2006 - 08.2007
- Partnership with Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice and Urban Services YMCA
- Northern District had highest violent crime rate in country at the time, 70% reduction in incidents from organizing activities
- Led coordination of Northern District Police Captain, District 1 and 5 Supervisors, Department of Public Health, the Mayor's Office, neighborhood-based organizations, and residents to develop solutions to public safety issues
- Provided technical assistance and training to public housing development tenant associations
- Secured funding for social programs and property improvements at public housing sites.
Interim Program Director
Community Leadership Academy and Emergency Response Project (CLAER)
San Francisco, California
06.2005 - 07.2006
- Oversaw provision of case management and advocacy services for victims of violence in Sunnydale Housing Development.
Co-Founder
Youth Treatment and Education Court (YTEC) Leadership Fellows
San Francisco, California
01.2003 - 06.2005
- Developed curriculum and trained drug court administrators, judges, probation officers and thousands of service providers nationwide in culturally competent drug treatment for youth.
Office Assistant
San Francisco Human Rights Commission (HRC)
San Francisco, California
01.2001 - 06.2003
- Administrative and project support for Human Rights Commission staff
Education
Master of Arts - Urban And Public Affairs
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA05-2025
Bachelor of Arts - Urban Studies and Planning
San Francisco State University
05.2023
Associate Degree - Social and Behavioral Sciences
City College of San Francisco
01.2016
Leadership Development Program -
UCSF School of Medicine
Emerge California Training Program
Urban Solutions Enterprising Women
Women's Initiative for Self-Employment Training Program
Skills
- Community Engagement
- Leadership
- Policy Advocacy
- Nonprofit Experience
- Public Speaking
- Fundraising and Development
- Budgeting and Financial Management
- Negotiations
- Labor Union and Employee Relations
- Crisis Management
- Partnership Development
- Campaign Management
- Program Management
- Strategic Planning
- Stakeholder Relations
- Innovation and Creativity
- Media Relations
- Government Relations
- Organizational Development
- Service Delivery Oversight
- Compliance and Regulations
- Staff Development and Management
Fellowships/Internships
- Democratic Leader and Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Intern, Spring 2014
- Jobs with Justice, Change Walmart Fellow, Summer 2013
- Yes on Proposition A/AFT2121, Organizer Intern, Summer 2012
- UNITE HERE Local 2, Boycott Organizer Intern, Summer 2011
- Women's Foundation of California Women's Policy Institute, Fellow, 2008-2009
- Adolescent Health Working Group, Intern, 2003
Commissions/Boards
- Oversight Committee for the UCSF Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Anti-Racism (IDEA), 2022-Present
- Rafiki Coalition for Health and Wellness, 2021-2023
- San Francisco Community Action Agency Board, YMCA San Francisco, 2021-2024
- Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, 2021-Present
- San Francisco Workforce Investment San Francisco (WISF) Board, 2020-Present
- San Francisco Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure (OCII) Oversight Board, 2020-Present
- City College of San Francisco Foundation, 2020-2023
- Our City, Our Home (Prop C) Oversight Committee, President, 2020-Present
- UCSF Black Caucus Steering Committee, 2020-Present
- San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee, 2020-2024
- UCSF ASPIRE Board, 2019-2020
- District 5 Democratic Club, Vice Chair of Finance/VP of Internal Affairs, 2015-2018
- Student Senate for California Community Colleges, Communications Officer, 2013-2014
- Student Senate for California Community Colleges, Region III External Affairs Senator, 2013-2014
- Black Caucus of Student Senate for California Community Colleges, Northern Region Chair, 2013-2014
- Women's Foundation of California Race, Gender and Human Rights Fund Advisory Group, 2008
- Zellerbach Foundation Advisory Group, 2008
- San Francisco Children of Incarcerated Parents Partnership (SFCIPP), 2008
- San Francisco Juvenile Justice Commission, 2008
- Representative Nancy Pelosi San Francisco African American Leadership Group, 2007
- African American Community Police Relations Board, 2005-2007
- San Francisco Youth Commissioner, 2003-2005
- Systems of Care Youth Task Force, 2003
Consulting
- Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Movement Capacity Building, 2021-Present
- UCSF Clinical and Translational Science Institute, 2022-2024
- San Francisco BIPOC Family Justice Summit, 2020
- San Francisco Department on the Status of Women, Mayor's Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force, 2020
- California Student Sustainability Coalition, 2016
- Bay Area Student Labor Action Project, 2013
- Option Explore, 2014
- Wendy Aragon for College Board, 2014
- SF Environment, Green Home Assessor, 2011
- Differential Response Coordinator, Western Addition Family Resource Center, 2010
Presentations
- PTBi Community Engagement and Partnership, UCSF SYRMOUNT symposium, Williams S, Rand, L, November 2022
- Using our expertise to effect change: Advocacy in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, UCSF Grand Rounds, Williams S, Woodruff,K, Delgado, A, Gutierrez, C, Grossman, D, Griffin, R, May 2022
- Community Engagement in Research, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Single Cell Biology Annual Conference, Williams S, November 2022
- Developing and Maintaining Community Partnerships, UCSF Healing and Activism Conference, Williams S, October 2020
- Housing justice for pregnant people: The Benioff community innovators spark change in San Francisco housing policy and praxis, American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Expo, Creating the Healthiest Nation: Preventing Violence, Williams S, October 2020
- Mama sharing sessions: Benioff community innovators lessons learned gathering the voices of mothers living on the margins in San Francisco, American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Expo, Creating the Healthiest Nation: Preventing Violence, Williams S, Taylor B, October 2020
- Student Senate for California Community Colleges "March In March", Williams S, 2013
Publications
- Afulani PA, *Altman MR, Castillo E, Bernal N, Jones L, Camara T, Carrasco Z, Williams S, Sudhinaraset M, Kuppermann M. Adaptation of the Person-Centered Maternity Care Scale in the United States: Prioritizing the experiences of Black women and birthing people. Womens Health Issues. 2022 Jul-Aug;32(4):352-361. Epub 2022 Mar 9. PMID: 35277334.
- McLemore MR, Berkowitz RL, Oltman SP, Baer RJ, Franck L, Fuchs J, Karasek DA, Kuppermann M, McKenzie-Sampson S, Melbourne D, Taylor B, Williams S, Rand L, Chambers BD, Scott K, Jelliffe-Pawlowski LL. Risk and protective factors for preterm birth among Black women in Oakland, California. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2021 Oct;8(5):1273-1280. Epub 2020 Oct 9. PMID: 33034878; PMCID: PMC8079235
- McLemore M, Altman MR, Cooper N, Williams S, Rand L, Franck L. Health care experiences of pregnant, birthing, and postnatal women of color at risk for preterm birth. Soc Sci Med. 2018 Mar; 201:127-135, doi: 10.1016/j. socscimed.2018.02.013.Pubmed PMID:29494846
- Engaging Affected Under-Represented Communities in Research Priority Setting and Funding Decisions. 8th International Conference on Patient and Family-Centered Care, Promoting Health Equity and Reducing Disparities. Frank L, McLemore M, Williams S, Williams S. June 2018
- Franck LS, McLemore MR, Cooper N, De Castro B, Gordon AY, Williams S, Rand LR. A novel method for involving women of color at high risk for preterm birth in research priority setting. J Vis Exp. 2018 Jan 12; (131), e56220, doi: 10.3791/56220. Pubmed PMID: 29364217.
Awards
- Bay Area Reporter Black History Month Recognition, 2024
- Sun Reporter Newspaper "Talented 100", 2018
- UCSF School of Medicine STAR Achievement Award, 2018
- UCSF Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, Spot Achievement Award, 2017
- Sun Reporter Newspaper "Talented 25", 2016
- San Francisco Women's Political Women's Political Committee Award, 2015
- Harvey Milk Democratic Club "City College Champion" Award, 2014
- Soroptomist International Sierra Pacific Region, First Runner Up, 2014
- San Francisco Soroptomist International Women's Opportunity Grant, Grand Prize, 2014
- San Francisco Bay Guardian Local Hero Award, 2013
- California Teachers Association Peace and Justice Committee, Youth Activist Award Recipient, 2013
- Bridge to Opportunity Scholarship Recipient, 2013
- Mosaic Scholarship Recipient, 2012
- Scholarshare Scholarship Recipient, 2012
- Coalition of Labor Union Women Scholarship Recipient, 2011
- CCSF Administrators Association Scholarship Recipient, 2011
- CCSF Bertha Vee Chinn-Hunnicutt and Ethel Sadie Tutt Chinn Memorial Scholarship Recipient, 2011
- Jefferson Award for Public Service Recipient, 2005
Timeline
Interim Executive Director
Rafiki Coalition for Health and Wellness
05.2023 - Current
President, Board of Trustees
City College of San Francisco (CCSF)
01.2020 - 01.2022
Director, Community Engagement and Partnerships
University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), California Preterm Birth Initiative (PTBi-CA)
02.2018 - Current
Member, Board of Trustees
City College of San Francisco (CCSF)
01.2017 - Current
Community Engagement Specialist
University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), California Preterm Birth Initiative (PTBi-CA)
03.2016 - 02.2018
Director, Organizing and Research
Young Women's Freedom Center
10.2014 - 07.2015
Field Organizer
David Campos for State Assembly
09.2014 - 11.2014
Project Coordinator
Young Women's Freedom Center
03.2014 - 10.2014
Student Trustee, Board of Trustees
City College of San Francisco (CCSF)
06.2013 - 06.2015
Events Convener
San Francisco Community Land Trust (SFCLT)
08.2012 - 01.2013
President, Associated Students, Ocean Campus
City College of San Francisco (CCSF)
07.2012 - 06.2013
Campaign Manager
Julian Davis for District 5 Supervisor
05.2012 - 08.2012
VP of Communications, Associated Students, Ocean Campus
City College of San Francisco (CCSF)
09.2011 - 07.2012
Principal
Citrine Marketing Group
01.2011 - 05.2012
Program Director
Young Women's Freedom Center
08.2007 - 01.2009
Northern District Community Organizer
Safety Network Partnership
07.2006 - 08.2007
Interim Program Director
Community Leadership Academy and Emergency Response Project (CLAER)
06.2005 - 07.2006
Co-Founder
Youth Treatment and Education Court (YTEC) Leadership Fellows
01.2003 - 06.2005
Office Assistant
San Francisco Human Rights Commission (HRC)
01.2001 - 06.2003
Master of Arts - Urban And Public Affairs
University of San Francisco
Bachelor of Arts - Urban Studies and Planning
San Francisco State University
Associate Degree - Social and Behavioral Sciences
City College of San Francisco
Leadership Development Program -
UCSF School of Medicine
Emerge California Training Program
Urban Solutions Enterprising Women
Women's Initiative for Self-Employment Training Program
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