Naomi Shelton
CEO
National Charter Collaborative
With more than 15 years of management, advocacy, and communications experience, Naomi N. Shelton is the chief executive officer of the National Charter Collaborative (NCC), a nonprofit organization focused on increasing the diversity and performance of the nation’s charter school sector by supporting the success of single-site schools led by leaders of color. NCC’s network includes more than 450 charter school leaders of color representing 25 states and the District of Columbia.
Prior to joining NCC, Shelton was the first director of Community Engagement at the KIPP Foundation. Her appreciation for education leaders of color deepened during her time as the inaugural director of K-12 Advocacy for UNCF (United Negro College Fund), the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization.
With cross-functional expertise, Shelton has provided operational support, project and crisis management and public relations counsel to private, public and non-profit organizations.
A long-standing resident of Washington, DC, Shelton currently serves as a volunteer member and secretary of the DC Public Charter School Board, appointed by Mayor Muriel Bowser in 2017.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Tougaloo College.
Ms. Shelton has deep experience in public policy both at the national and local levels. Naomi also serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Charter Collaborative, the only national nonprofit supporting the work of charter school leaders of color.
She is the Director of Community Engagement at KIPP Foundation, a nonprofit that provides tools, resources, and training to KIPP schools and communities across the country. She also was the Director of K-12 Advocacy at UNCF (United Negro College Fund), the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization.
There, Ms. Shelton focused on national education initiatives and community engagement efforts to ensure more African-American students are college and career ready. She also spent several years working in Washington, DC’s Executive Office of the Mayor and in several District agencies. She spearheaded efforts to improve online access to city services and greater efficiency between departments.
A life-long resident of Washington, DC, Ms. Shelton also worked in the private sector, providing project and crisis management, and public relations counsel. She has a bachelor’s degree in English from Tougaloo College.