Indy Pride welcomes Shelly Snider as new Executive Director
January 10, 2022
Indy Pride is proud to announce that Shelly Snider begins her duties today as Indy Pride’s next Executive Director!
Shelly was born and raised in Indianapolis and has been actively involved in the Indianapolis LGBTQ+ events and advocacy community for more than 15 years. She has served in a variety of leadership positions such as the first and third president of the Pride of Indy Bands, a board member for Indy Pride, and the chair of the LGBTQ+ Faculty Staff Council at IUPUI. She has proven to be a dynamic and informative speaker on a variety of topics such as career development for queer students, mentor programs, inclusivity in the workplace, and personal branding.
In addition to her volunteer experience, Shelly most recently worked for nearly ten years at the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI as the assistant director of career services. Prior to her work at IUPUI, Shelly worked for more than a decade as a recruiter and human resources manager in both the corporate and non-profit sectors. She will graduate in May with a master’s degree in Public Affairs with a concentration in Nonprofit Management from the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs where she has learned about managing others, financial performance, overseeing operations, diversity in the workplace, and strategic planning.
As a lesbian, wife, and mother, Shelly is passionate about ensuring that LGBTQ+ people feel connected to each other and are provided with equitable opportunities. Shelly is most looking forward to using her experience in event management and professional development to strengthen the organization and ensure that the LGBTQ+ community feels connected to each other through events and programming.
Shelly shares, “I recognize that LGBTQ+ individuals living in Indiana have a lot to navigate. Some of them might be discovering who they are for the first time, some might be facing discrimination, harassment, or bias, some are working through internalized homophobia or feelings of shame if their families do not embrace who they are. These issues may be intensified if they are a person of color, trans or disabled.”
She went on to say, “In my new role, I will work to ensure that Indy Pride is being intentional about intersectionality by creating experiences and connecting people to resources so that they know they are not alone.”Jenny Boyts, Indy Pride Board of Directors President commented, “As we enter this next phase of Indy Pride’s evolution, I know Shelly will lead this organization into our collective vision of creating inclusive, equitable, and joyful opportunities for the Indianapolis queer community to learn, celebrate, and grow alongside one another in 2022 and beyond.”
Please help us welcome Shelly to the Indy Pride team.
