Shirly Thomas has spent the last seven years working in the nonprofit sector and helping to manage a portfolio of organizations and projects. She is committed to learning and working at the intersection of equity, capacity building and community development.
Most recently, Shirly was a program officer at Methodist Healthcare Ministries, a healthcare foundation in San Antonio, TX. There, she supported the development of outcomes-based philanthropy by developing relationships and encouraging collaborative strategies among the grantees in their portfolio. In her role, Shirly was also responsible for monitoring a strategically themed and aligned portfolio, ensuring programmatic accountability and supporting social sector development.
Shirly is passionate about equitable access to education and sits on the board of directors of two nonprofit organizations: The Fr. COV Scholarship Fund, an organization that aims to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty by providing access to professional education in rural India, and Texas Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, an organization dedicated to reducing teen pregnancy through access to sexual health and reproductive health and education, research, and advocacy.
She holds a master’s degree in public health from Boston University. In her spare time, you can find Shirly practicing yoga, reading or making travel plans for her next adventure.