Shelly Skinner (She/Her) is an activist, educator, change-maker and social entrepreneur. 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 all across Ontario and beyond.

Shelly is a dedicated community connector and has lent her skills and expertise to support countless organizations, including Barrie Pride, Innisfil Pride, Women and Children’s Shelter of Barrie, Redwood Park Communities, the Ethnic Mosaic Alliance and the Women’s Advocacy Council.

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, based in Simcoe County. Shelly is also an Ambassador for the International Day of Pink, an organization dedicated to fighting for equality and acceptance for the 2SLGBTQIA community across Canada

Shelly is a powerful and inspirational speaker who has lent her voice to many organizations, including Pride At Work Canada, 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,”

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 need.