Naomi N. Shelton

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, the nonprofit support organization that facilitates the exchange of insights and ideas both within the KIPP network and with partners including other public schools, non-profit organizations, and institutions of higher learning. Shelton’s 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. At UNCF, she led national and local engagement efforts focused on messaging and research to ensure more African-American stakeholders are involved and informed to best advocate for Black student college and career readiness. With cross-functional expertise, Shelton has provided operational support, project and crisis management and public relations counsel to private, public and non-profit organizations. Notably, Shelton spent several years working in Washington, DC’s Executive Office of the Mayor and the Office of the Secretary of the District during the administration of Mayor Adrian M. Fenty. Preceding her experience with the Government of the District of Columbia, Shelton served as both co-campaign manager and press secretary during a 2004 congressional campaign for the first African American woman to run for office in Mississippi’s Second District. Shelton began her career as an integral team member with Xenophon Strategies, Inc., a boutique public relations and crisis communications firm. 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 in English from Tougaloo College in Tougaloo, MS and resides in the Southwest Waterfront neighborhood of the District.