Women in Leadership | UWF | Conversations of Impact 2025 Paula Shell

Nicole and Ali talk to Paula Shell, President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida.Paula Shell is the President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida, serving the areas of Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, and Bay Counties. In this role she ensures the mission, strategy, values, and goals of the organization are achieved by the agency. This includes producing positive outcomes in the following areas: Leadership (agency and staff), vision, fundraising, marketing, client services, community awareness, volunteer relations, and coordinating relations with the Board of Directors.Shell is committed to driving social impact, fostering community engagement, and advocating for change. She has a proven track record in strategic planning, fundraising, and building partnerships with key stakeholders to drive long-term success.Under her leadership, Big Brothers Big Sisters has opened two satellite offices, increased the number of children served, developed new innovative programing, established an agency endowment and scholarship program, to name a few.Shell has worked in Child Services for 39 years. She began her career at Lakeview Center, Inc. managing group homes for adolescent boys and girls and in 1997 she started at Big Brothers Big Sisters where for the past 27 years she has served as the President and CEO. Shell holds an A.A. degree from Pensacola State College and a B.A. degree from the University of West Florida in Criminal Justice and Psychology.Shell is a graduate of the 2003 Leadership Pensacola Class, a member of IMPACT 100, and serves as the lead staff member to Big Brothers Big Sisters Association of Florida’s legislative direction and currently serves on the State Board.Shell has served as a Big Sister to three Littles in her time with the agency and was namedBig Sister of the Year for the State of Florida in 2019. She enjoys traveling, spending time with family, and has trained and completed seven marathons through the Joints in Motion program having personally raised over $30,000 for Arthritis research.