New Interim Great Valley Center Leader

Dejeuné Shelton New Interim Great Valley Center Leader

Modesto, CA (September 1, 2010) – Dejeuné M. Shelton has been named interim President of the Great Valley Center, a Valley-wide nonprofit organization devoted to regional planning and action.  She begins her new responsibilities September 1.

“We’re looking forward to Dejeuné stepping into this role for this Valley-wide organization” says Great Valley Center Board President Kathy McKim, VP of External Affairs for AT&T in the Central Valley.  “She has been the senior program manager for two years now, and her enthusiasm and leadership skills will help us as the Great Valley Center meet its mission to help improve the quality of life in our region.”

Shelton steps in for Dr. David Hosley, who has been serving as both the GVC President as well as interim Vice Chancellor for University Relations at UC Merced for the past six months.  Having joined the center in early 2008, Dr. Hosley will now focus full-time on his university relations duties.

Prior to joining the Great Valley Center, Shelton was president of the Westside Community Alliance, a community resource center in Patterson, where she is currently a member of the City Council. She holds a B.A. in Sociology from California State University, Stanislaus and is a graduate student at CSU Stanislaus in Public Administration.

The Great Valley Center is in partnership with UC Merced, and puts on a number of annual conferences to bring Valley residents together to discuss economic and social issues in the region.  The organization also collects data about the Valley, and issues annual reports on key issues having to do with growth and the changing demographics of the region.  The primary program areas of the center include leadership, community health, access to technology, renewable energy and sustainable land use.  Shelton will oversee a staff of 15.

Shelton has particular familiarity with the GVC’s leadership programs. A graduate of the Great Valley Leadership Institute for elected officials in 2007, she also attended the Center’s IDEAL program for emerging Valley leaders in 2005 and currently is participating in the year-long American Leadership Forum program.

About the Great Valley Center: Founded in 1997, the Great Valley Center is a non-profit organization that works in partnership with the University of California, Merced to support organizations and activities working to improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of California’s Great Central Valley.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Amy Moffat
(209) 522-5103
amy@greatvalley.org