SHECP Welcomes New Faces to Board & Council
- SHECP
- Nov 1
- 3 min read
The Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty (SHECP) is excited to welcome four new leaders to our governance team. This fall, Victoria Brown and Christa Moore joined the SHECP Governing Board, and Mary Wilson Grist and David Marchese joined the SHECP Council as at-large members. Each brings valuable experience, insight, and dedication to advancing SHECP’s mission of preparing students and institutions to address poverty with knowledge and compassion. Their perspectives will strengthen our shared work of guiding the Consortium’s programs, strategy, and vision for the future.
Victoria Brown has been involved with SHECP since its formation in 1998, as the Shepherd Program at Washington and Lee University. Though her time on campus predates the Summer Internship component of the program, Victoria was actively involved with the Shepherd Program as a student, serving as Dr. Harlan Beckley’s first research assistant and taking the first capstone course with the W&L Law School in 1997–98. Since graduation, she has hosted SHECP Summer interns at Camp Interactive, a digital literacy outdoors education nonprofit and one of the original SHECP internship partnerships, and during her time with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. In her words, Victoria is excited to serve in this new capacity as a SHECP Board member because “I believe strongly that service learning – and the interactive experiences unique to SHECP – transforms and expands students' thinking, and prepares them to meet the demands of our dynamic times with innovation, compassion and commitment.”
Christa Moore is an Associate Professor of Sociology at UVA Wise, where her work focuses on community engagement and child welfare systems. Her affiliation with SHECP began in 2018, as UVA Wise began exploring membership in the Consortium, and she has continued to be a SHECP advocate on campus in the years since. Christa has been instrumental in launching the poverty studies program at UVA Wise, furthering the classes available to students for the study of poverty and inequality. In addition to her new role on the SHECP Governing Board, Christa will continue to serve as the faculty liaison between SHECP and UVA Wise. To hear more about Christa’s work, listen to her SHECP Talks: Faculty Voices podcast episode: https://www.shepherdconsortium.org/post/shecp-talks-faculty-voices-with-dr-christa-moore-uva-wise
Mary Wilson Grist graduated from Washington and Lee University in 2021, where she was engaged in the Shepherd Program and completed a minor in Poverty and Human Capability. As part of her studies, Mary Wilson interned with Blue Ridge CASA for Children in Lexington, VA, an internship pathway that parallels the SHECP Summer Internship experience. Since moving to Washington, DC upon graduation, she has consistently
supported the DC SHECP intern cohort through summer meals and mentorship opportunities. SHECP is thrilled to announce Mary Wilson as a co-chair of the new Alumni Engagement Committee, a role she will hold in addition to her position as a Council member at-large.
David Marchese is a 2019 graduate of Baylor University. In the summer of 2017, he interned with the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy in London, KY, where he assisted clients in death noticed capital cases. David’s support of SHECP has continued over the years, including welcoming Austin, TX interns to town in the summer. SHECP is glad to share that in addition to serving as a Council member, David is a co-chair of the newly launched Alumni Engagement Committee. When asked why he’s serving in these capacities, David shared that “SHECP was a formative experience and the reason why I pursued law school. I am thrilled to support the mission of Shepherd and contribute a small part in affirming and uplifting the inherent dignity of people experiencing poverty. I’m thrilled to mentor and network with other current and former SHECP interns who are passionate about anti-poverty work and brainstorm on how we can best strengthen SHECP and the important work the organization does.”
In addition to welcoming new members, SHECP is pleased to announce that Fran Elrod has been selected as Chair-Elect of the Governing Board. Fran will serve a two-year term as Chair beginning September 1, 2026. “I’m excited to serve SHECP in this capacity. Working with such talented staff, students, faculty, and community partners is an honor,” shared Fran. A long-time supporter of SHECP and an engaged member of the Board, she will play a key role in guiding the Consortium’s strategic direction and supporting continued collaboration among member institutions. “We are incredibly fortunate to have Fran Elrod as SHECP’s Incoming Chair,” said Jen Handy, SHECP’s Executive Director. “Fran combines a profound understanding of SHECP’s mission and history with the energy and vision needed to help guide our next chapter.”
