Shelly Skinner (She/Her) is an activist, educator, change-maker and community builder. With her lived experience of, poverty, racism, domestic and sexual violence and homophobia, she carries a story of inspirational perseverance, resiliency and dedication to the betterment of her community. In recent years, she has established herself as a sought-after leader whose influence resonates in the communities of Barrie and the Greater Simcoe County Region and beyond.
Shelly is a dedicated community connector and has lent her skills and expertise to support countless organizations, including Women and Children’s Shelter of Barrie, Barrie Pride, Redwood Park Communities, the Ethnic Mosaic Alliance, the MacLaren Art Centre and the Women’s Advisory Committee of WCS Barrie.
In 2020, amid a global pandemic, Shelly founded UPlift Black (http://upliftblack.org) the first social service agency dedicated to increasing the visibility and socio-economic development of the black community in Simcoe/Muskoka. She is also the Co-Founder and Director of Making Change (http://makingchangesc.com) an educational organization focused on sparking conversation around equity, diversity and inclusion.
Shelly is a powerful and inspirational speaker who has lent her voice to many organizations, including The City of Barrie, Georgian College, Ontario Trillium Foundation, EGALE, and countless other community agencies.
Shelly has been recognized by her community for her leadership and in 2020, the Barrie Chamber of Commerce named her “Woman of the Year- Heart and Soul” during the Women in Business Awards and was recognized as one of Barrie’s “8 Notable Women Who Have Made an Impact in Our Community,” by Barrie 360 in 2019.
Overall, Shelly brings passion, leadership and drive to everything she does, and she is an inspiration to people of various backgrounds to become the leaders their communities sorely needs.
