Anne Shelley has served Northwest Arkansas in advocacy and organizational effectiveness roles for over 20 years. She is currently the Director of Talent and Organizational Development for Human Resources at the University of Arkansas, where she was initially hired as Senior Trainer, Facilitator and Consultant at the IDEALS Institute, which was part of the University's now-shuddered Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). IDEALS was a DEI training, consultancy and research institute dedicated to creating diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces and communities. Through the Institute, she and her colleagues worked with nonprofit community leaders representing organizations of all sizes, sectors, and services to affect organizational change.



Prior to joining IDEALS, she was a community organizer and nonprofit executive, most notably serving as the Executive Director of the NWA Center for Sexual Assault from 2012 - 2019. While at the Center, Anne was instrumental in growing its budget, staff and impact in the community, creating a collaborative approach to our regional sexual assault nurse examiner program, and creating culturally responsive advocacy and outreach approaches to service.