Sheila Ireland’s hallmark of success is her ability to translate the context of organizational problems to effectively realign people and processes with organizational objectives. Her ability to create tactical, innovative and strategic initiatives results in programs that drive performance improvement and produce bottom line results in intensely competitive and highly regulated markets.
With more than 25 years of management experience, Sheila has been responsible for the successful leadership of human resources training, and organizational and workforce development functions, in the nonprofit, health care, consulting, government and public utility fields.
Ms. Ireland previously served in the Wolf Administration as the deputy secretary for Workforce Development in the Department of Labor and Industry for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Leveraging a deputate staff of more than 600 employees and an annual budget of $260 million in federal and state funding, the deputate oversees the planning, oversight and direction of Pennsylvania’s public workforce system. Under Sheila’s leadership the deputate leaned into the challenges of a seismic shift in the labor market by creating new and innovative strategies to upgrade service provision at the PA CareerLinks, traversing the digital divide in workforce development by bringing 32 public computing centers online, and providing increased access to funding opportunities across a number of industries, having released more than $30 million in opportunities in Fiscal Year 2021.
Prior to joining the Commonwealth, Sheila served in the Kenney Administration as the executive director of the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Workforce Development. Her charge was to implement the City of Philadelphia’s first citywide workforce development strategy, “Fueling Philadelphia’s Talent Engine.” This comprehensive plan leveraged the collaborative efforts of the city’s major education and workforce development entities to fill the human capital needs of employers and to create career pathways for the city’s most vulnerable populations. During her tenure, Sheila created innovative and collaborative approaches that effectively engaged employers, funders and the workforce development community in the fight against poverty and unemployment in Philadelphia.
Sheila began her time in the Kenney Administration as the deputy director of Workforce Development and Inclusion for Rebuild, the City of Philadelphia’s $500 million investment in infrastructure improvements to Philadelphia’s parks, libraries and recreation centers. Sheila’s role was to ensure the Kenney Administration’s promise of workforce diversity in the skilled trades and expanded access to contracting opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses was realized.
Previously Sheila has served as the vice president of Workforce Solutions at University City District (UCD). Sheila was the founding director of West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (WPSI) and led its growth to prominence as a national model for innovation and effectiveness in workforce development programming. She also launched and shepherded the growth of Green City Works (GCW), UCD’s first social venture. GCW expanded the demographic footprint of workforce development in West Philadelphia by bringing a new industry to West Philadelphia, expanding the job opportunities for individuals with higher barriers to employment.
Sheila graduated with honors from Community College of Philadelphia with an A.A.S. in Finance, Temple University with a B.B.A. majoring in Human Resources Management, and LaSalle University with an M.S. in Human Capital Development. She holds an SPHR certification from the Society for Human Resource Management. Sheila’s commitment to giving back and passion for education include roles on multiple nonprofit boards of directors and serving on the boards of trustees for local colleges.