Sheila’s family roots in central PA are extensive, through Harrisburg, Lewistown, Johnstown, and Mifflin. Her family worked in the mills, taught school in Steelton, cut hair in Johnstown, and raised dairy cows in West Chester.
Sheila is proud of her family’s work ethic and emphasis on a strong education. The values she, her five siblings and many cousins, learned at their parents’ and grand-parents’ tables emphasized the importance of contributing to the betterment of our community and country. Sheila recalls her father reminding her that: “from those to whom much is given, much is expected.”
Her professional and personal record indicates that those early lessons were taken to heart. Sheila worked her way through college, attending Lincoln University and LaSalle University, graduating with high honors, earning a degree in Political Science. She continued her education attending the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she received her law degree.
As a young attorney, Sheila worked for the Education Law Center, as part of a team that successfully required the State of New Jersey to change the school funding formula away from reliance on local property taxes. A similar plight is facing middle class homeowners in Pennsylvania.
Sheila and members of this team were also successful in changing the way public schools were financed, by helping poor, urban and rural students have better access to well-funded and well-run schools. Sheila also worked as chief counsel of both the New Jersey School Boards Association and AES/PHEAA. In these capacities she had extensive interaction with policy makers at the local, state and federal levels helping people to implement good policies.
Sheila knows that good policies, effectively implemented by strong leaders, are the key to transforming communities. She knows this, because she has been a community leader for many years, helping to make all our communities better. Her leadership has centered on issues that matter most: jobs, education, access to healthcare, and more.
Sheila is a proven leader, taking leadership by moving ideas and words to action. She does more than write a check. She stands up to demonstrate the value of service to community: as president of the United Way of the Capitol Region, and the YWCA of Greater Harrisburg, co-founder of the Sylvan Heights Science Charter School, and its first board president; and in service on many other boards and commissions, including the PA State Board of Education.
Sheila is a leader, advocate and achiever around the issues that impact us all.
Her leadership within our region and our state has been recognized. Her awards include the LaSalle University Distinguished Alumni Award and the YWCA Ella Frazier Leadership Award. She is one of fifty women featured in the book: ‘Voices: African American and Latina Women Share Their Stories of Success.”
Sheila is a courageous, competent, and compassionate leader. She stands up for people, and for good ideas. She knows how to work to bring ideas and people together to create better communities.
She will bring to Congress her experience, her intellect and her ability to get things done. Her qualities and knowledge will serve the 17th district well. Sheila works for us and our communities. She is the leader we need, today, in Congress.
Upcoming Events
The Big Push at the Polls Rally!
May 16, 2010
7pm-8:30pm
The Midtown Scholar Bookstore
1302 North Third Street
Harrisburg, PA Click here for details
ON THE ISSUES, WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 2010
FRIENDS
This morning I got an email from the Dauphin County Democratic Party asking me to vote for their list of endorsed candidates! You probably got a similar one from your local Democratic Party.
Here’s the problem: This year, this primary election cycle, we need to [...]
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About
Sheila Dow Ford
Sheila’s family roots in central PA are extensive, through Harrisburg, Lewistown, Johnstown, and Mifflin. Her family worked in the mills, taught school in Steelton, cut hair in Johnstown, and raised dairy cows in West Chester.
Sheila is proud of her family’s work ethic and emphasis on a strong education. The values she, her five siblings and many cousins, learned at their parents’ and grand-parents’ tables emphasized the importance of contributing to the betterment of our community and country. Sheila recalls her father reminding her that: “from those to whom much is given, much is expected.”
Her professional and personal record indicates that those early lessons were taken to heart. Sheila worked her way through college, attending Lincoln University and LaSalle University, graduating with high honors, earning a degree in Political Science. She continued her education attending the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she received her law degree.
As a young attorney, Sheila worked for the Education Law Center, as part of a team that successfully required the State of New Jersey to change the school funding formula away from reliance on local property taxes. A similar plight is facing middle class homeowners in Pennsylvania.
Sheila and members of this team were also successful in changing the way public schools were financed, by helping poor, urban and rural students have better access to well-funded and well-run schools. Sheila also worked as chief counsel of both the New Jersey School Boards Association and AES/PHEAA. In these capacities she had extensive interaction with policy makers at the local, state and federal levels helping people to implement good policies.
Sheila knows that good policies, effectively implemented by strong leaders, are the key to transforming communities. She knows this, because she has been a community leader for many years, helping to make all our communities better. Her leadership has centered on issues that matter most: jobs, education, access to healthcare, and more.
Sheila is a proven leader, taking leadership by moving ideas and words to action. She does more than write a check. She stands up to demonstrate the value of service to community: as president of the United Way of the Capitol Region, and the YWCA of Greater Harrisburg, co-founder of the Sylvan Heights Science Charter School, and its first board president; and in service on many other boards and commissions, including the PA State Board of Education.
Sheila is a leader, advocate and achiever around the issues that impact us all.
Her leadership within our region and our state has been recognized. Her awards include the LaSalle University Distinguished Alumni Award and the YWCA Ella Frazier Leadership Award. She is one of fifty women featured in the book: ‘Voices: African American and Latina Women Share Their Stories of Success.”
Sheila is a courageous, competent, and compassionate leader. She stands up for people, and for good ideas. She knows how to work to bring ideas and people together to create better communities.
She will bring to Congress her experience, her intellect and her ability to get things done. Her qualities and knowledge will serve the 17th district well. Sheila works for us and our communities. She is the leader we need, today, in Congress.