Bio

Shelley Penn is the Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer of the Full Employment Council, which connects underserved people to in-demand training with industry-recognized credentials, and connects businesses to those skilled workers. Shelley's in-depth experience in workforce development, paired with her commitment to serving the residents of the Kansas City region, allows her to meet the demands of people, businesses, and the community. As a recognized expert in workforce development, Shelley's knowledge of the design and implementation of federal, state, and local employment and training initiatives helped her develop into an active leader in program innovation scopes and business services. She is a proud partner in economic development, closely in tune with the latest workforce development-related trends, and serves on numerous industry-impact initiatives. She develops processes adapted by other organizations because of their success in helping the underserved and underrepresented populations in the Kansas City region and beyond. Shelley's commitment and focus remain on developing a workforce system made up of partnerships that embrace equity, inclusion, and diversity. She received her master’s degree in Management from Webster University and a bachelor of arts in Human Resource Management from the University of Kansas.

Q & A